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Transporting the Royal Family is an important task of the Royal Thai Air Force. Throughout time a variety of aircraft have been used for this. One of these is VC-123K 55-569.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 2 February 1981, Adrian M. Balch
Twelve Chipmunk T20s were converted into RTAF 4 Chantra trainers between 1972-1974. The type was withdrawn in 1989. This one, seen at Bangkok-Don Muang in February 1976, is serialed F17-07/17
collection Dick Lohuis
| Bangkok/Don Muang (VTBD) | ||||
RWY 03L/21R, 03R/21L POS 13°54'"N 100°36'"E ELEV 9 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
Wing I |
10sq |
? - 1968 ? | T-33A (July55->) RT-33A (July55->) |
disbanded |
| 11 TRS |
? - 1979 | T-33A RT-33A (68->) |
renumbered 101sq & relocated to Korat | |
| 12 TFS |
? - 1 July 1967 | F8F Bearcat (51-Feb57) F-84G (Feb57-Mar62) F-86F (61-66) F-86L (Dec62->) |
disbanded |
|
| 13 TFS |
? - 1 Oct 1977 | F8F Bearcat (51-?) AT-6 F-86F (60-66) F-5A (67->) F-5B (Mar66->) RF-5A (70->) |
renumbered 103sq & relocated to Korat |
|
| Wing VI |
61sq |
? - 1 Oct 1977 | C-123B (June64 ->) C-123K (15June73->) |
renumbered 601sq |
62sq/Royal Flight |
T-6 (?-67) DC-4-1009 (59-14Apr60) C-54A (60-66) HS748-208 (Jan65->) C-47A/B/D (67->) AC-47 VC-123K (73->) RC-47A (Mar76->) |
renumbered 602sq |
||
| 63sq |
WS-51 (50-54) UH-12B YH-5A (53-54) S-55 (25Dec54-62) Ce170 T-6 (?-69) H-19A (Aug57-62) HH-43B (May62-May67) CH-34C (62-May67) UH-34D (62-May67) T-41D (69->) Chantra |
renumbered 603sq |
||
| Wing III |
31sq |
1967 - 1969 | HH-43B (May67->) CH-34C (May67->) UH-34D (May67->) |
relocated to Korat |
32sq |
UH-1H (Oct68->) |
|||
6 Wing |
601sq 'Lucky' |
1 Oct 1977 - present | C-123B (->Oct82) C-123K (->?) SA226AT IVA (Jan78-20July82) C-130H (Aug80->) C-130H-30 (Apr83->) DC-8-62AF (Dec82-May89) |
|
602sq/Royal Flight 'Wihok' |
C-47A/B/D AC-47 VC-47A RC-47A (->Apr91) C-123B (->89) C-123K (->91) VC-123K (->85) HS748-208 (->Feb05) A310-324 (Sep91-31Mar16) A319-115CJ (25Aug04->) A320-214CJ (18June15->) A340-541 (June16->) SSJ100-95LR (Sep19->) |
|||
603sq 'Cowboy' |
SA226AT IVC (Nov79-June85) HS748-200 (Feb95-30Mar16) G222 (May95-10) HS.748 (1995 - ATR72-212A (Sep09->) SSJ100-95LR (22Oct15-Sep19) |
|||
604sq 'Sunny' |
T-41D(H) Chantra O-1 (84-89) SF 260MT (88-94) CeA150 (91-04) Fantrainer 400 (92-94) CT/4A (03-17Sep20) DA42 (09-Nov16) CT/4B (11->) DA42 (17->) P.180 Avanti II (19->) DA40NG (Dec20->) |
|||
605sq |
Oct 1982 - 2004 | AC 690 (->88) Beech 65-A80 (->86) Beech 65-B80 (->89) Beech 65-E90 (->89) Ce411 (->85) Bell 206B-II (->87) KH-4 N22B (Nov83-99) IAI201 (93?-02) SA226AT IVC (June85-99) Lj35A (88-99) |
disbanded | |
Deachochai 3 |
|
1990 - present | F-5E Bell 412 B.737-400 B.737-800 |
|
2 Wing |
201sq det. 'Scorpion' |
? - present | UH-1H H225M |
|
| 6 Wing |
Deochochai 3 |
2017 ? - present | B.737-400 | |
| 605 started off as an auxiliary squadron until May 1985 when it became a regular sqn. Deachochai 3 is the Kings own unit and the aircraft are only looked after by the Air Force which also provide personnel. | ||||
F-84G 1221/000 of 12 TFS in 1957. Thai serial of this former French Air Force 51-11000 is Kh16-13/99.
unknown
Twenty F-86Ls served for a brief period the 12 TFS.
unknown
T-33A 1121/18-12 of the 11 TRS in December 1972.
Gary V. Meinert
C-47D 45941 of 62sq was written off in Pathum Thani province on 27 June 1977.
Nakhom Phanom, December 1972, Gary V. Meinert
RF-5A 1342/97157 was one of four delivered to the 13 TFS in 1970.
collection Dick Lohuis
SA 226AT 29-999 visited Köln on its delivery flight from San Antonio, TX to Thailand.
Köln-Wahn, 16 March 1978, Günther Becker
Bell 206B-2 0872 transferred from Army SCHQ Survey Department to RThAF in 1982. Hereafter it went to Kaset in 1987.
C.A.F.
All three DC-8-62AFs were sold on the civil US market. This 60112 became N799AL.
Miami, May 1989, Eddy Gual
Six HS748-200s served the Royal Flight and 602sq and subsequently ending up with 603sq.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 13 January 1995, Dick Lohuis
Cessna 150H 60403 was written off after a forced landing on 21 August 2003.
Rene van Woezik
Three IAI201 Arava originally delivered to 404sq were used as reconnaissance aircraft and switched two times squadron.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 10 January 1997, Peter van Weenen
F-5E 90407/80770 with tailcode MV which represents Crown Prince Vatsilalongkon Machidownwho. The 904 Aggressor Squadron remainend the personal Crown Prince unit for some time, but has changed to an aggressor only role for the whole Air Force units since the ex Crown Prince doesn't fly with it anymore.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 27 June 2012, Mark Rourke
| Chiang Mai/Intl (VTCC) | ||||
RWY 18/36 POS 18°46'"N 098°57'"E ELEV 1035 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
Wing II |
20 TFS |
? - Sep 1971 | T-28D | renumbered 221 TFS |
| 221 TFS |
Sep 1971 - 1977 ? | T-28D |
disbanded | |
41 Wing |
411sq 'Thunder' |
1 Oct 1977 - Apr 2004 | OV-10C (->7Apr04) |
changed markings |
411sq 'Thunder' |
Apr 2004 - present | L-39ZA/ART (Apr04-31Mar21) T-6TH (o/o) |
||
| - |
Royal Thai Air Classics Association 'Tango sqn' |
1991- present | various | |
Last Thai unit which utilized the OV-10C Bronco was 411sq.
December 1992, Chiang Mai, Dick Lohuis
L-39ZA/ART 41130 of 411sq has c/n 365506 painted on the tail and the aloccated RThAF serial is KhF1-30/37.
Chiang Mai, 9 January 2019, Marco Dirkx
| Hat Yai (VTSS) | ||||
RWY 26/08 POS 06°56'"N 100°23'"E ELEV 90 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
56 Wing |
561sq |
? - ? | (R)T-33A (86-95) |
disbanded |
RT-33A 56142/8-13 in its original SEA camo seen at Bangkok-Don Muang on 15 October 1987.
Phil Thomson
During the Hat Yai years the T-33s received a grey camo.
Bangkok-Don Muang, December 1993, Dick Lohuis
| Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom (VTBK) | ||||
RWY 03/21 POS 14°06'06"N 099°55'00"E ELEV 30ft | ||||
| School | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
FTS |
Basic sq 'Chicken Flight' |
May 1969 - present | Chipmunk T20 CH-34 T-41D (?-71) SF260MT (Aug73-91) CT/4A Fantrainer 400 (89-92) CT/4B CT/4E Bell 206B3 (95-07) |
|
Advanced Sq 'Mustang' |
T-6 SF260MT Fantrainer 600 (89-92) PC-9 (91-2Feb24) T-6C (Nov22->) |
|||
Basic Jet Training Sq |
T-33A (->1971) T-37B (->96) T-37C (July70-96) |
|||
Blue Phoenix |
2012 - 20.. ? | PC-9 | ||
| - ? 'Diamond Flight' |
? - present | DA42 | ||
| 2 Wing |
203sq det. |
? - present | UH-1H | |
T-6G RR-165.
Gary V. Meinert
Chipmunk T20 RR66-97 in January 1974.
collection Dick Lohuis
Sixteen T-37B and six C models have seen service with the FTS between 1961 and 1996. T-37B RR19-23/19 was written off on 11 August 1994.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 8 January 1994, Dick Lohuis
| Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima (VTUN) | ||||
RWY 06/24 POS 14°56'"N 102°04'"E ELEV 729 ft | ||||
| School/Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
Flying Training School |
Basic sq |
1941 - May 1969 | Tiger Moth T-6 (?-67) Chipmunk |
relocated to Kamphaen Saen |
| Advanced sq |
T-6 (67->) |
|||
| Basic Jet Training Sq |
T-33A T-37B (July61->) |
|||
| Wing III |
31sq |
1969 - 1977 | HH-43B (->72) CH-34C (timeline) UH-34D (timeline) |
disbanded |
| 32sq |
UH-1H (timeline) |
|||
| 33sq |
CH-34C UH-34D |
|||
1 Wing |
101sq |
1 Oct 1977 - 1983 | (R)T-33A |
disbanded |
102sq 'Stars' |
June 1978 - 2002 | F-5E/F (->94) L-39ZA/ART (94-Aug02) |
||
103sq 'Lightning' |
17 Oct 1978 - 1986 | (R)F-5A (->86) F-5B (->86) |
||
| 2 Wing |
203sqn det. 'Scorpion' |
? - present | UH-1H | |
| 1 Wing |
103sq 'Lightning' |
1988 - present | F-16A (2May88->) F-16B (11May88->) |
|
101sq |
1993 - 2004 | L-39ZA/ART (timeline) |
disbanded | |
102sq 'Stars' |
2003 - present | F-16A (21Mar03->) F-16B (21Mar03->) |
||
T-37B RR03-04 taxiing at Korat on 28 March 1967.
collection Dick Lohuis
H-34C 3151 with Thai serial H4-11/04 of 31 sqn at Korat in January 1975.
Bruce Trombecky
F-5E 10212/61665 leads a row of 102sq F-5s particpating in the 1988 edition of the 'Cope Thunder' exercise.
Clark, 8 January 1988, Guido Bühlmann
in 101sq service the L-39ZA/ART were mainly used for training pilots in the air-to-ground role.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 13 January 1995, Rene van Woezik
| Lop Buri/Koke Kathiem (VTBL) | ||||
RWY 05/23, 16/34 POS 14°52'29"N 100°39'48"E ELEV 98 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| Wing II |
23 TFS |
? - Sep 1971 | F8F Bearcat (?-61) T-6 T-28D OV-10C (July71->) |
renamed 224 TFS |
| 224 TFS |
Sep 1971 - 1 Oct 1977 | T-28D OV-10C (timeline) |
disbanded | |
| 2 Wing |
201sq 'Spider' |
1977 - 2003 | S.58T (timeline) |
disbanded |
201sq/Royal Helicopter Flight |
? - 1991 | UH-1N (76-82) Bell 412 (82->) |
changed markings |
|
202sq |
1977 - ? | AU-23A | disbanded | |
| 203sq 'Scorpion' |
1977 - present | UH-1H H225M |
||
201sq 'Spider' |
1991 - present | Bell 412 (Nov82-20) Bell 412SP (91-20) AS332L2 (96-97) Bell 412EP (98-20) S-92A (11Apr11->) S-70i (Dec20->) |
||
| 202sq |
2019 ? - present | Bell 412 (20-Oct21) Bell 412EP (20->) Bell 412SP (20-Oct21) H135T3H3 (Aug21->) |
||
T-6D 2351 of 23 TFS in 1957.
unknown
S.58T 20172 only carries its serial in Thai numbers below the roundel.
Hat Yai, 25 December 1995, unknown
| Phitsanulok (VTPP) | ||||
RWY 14/32 POS 16°47'"N 100°16'"E ELEV 144 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
46 Wing |
461sq 'Vampire' |
1982 ? - 2015 ? | N22B (82-18Dec15) BT-67 |
changed markings |
461sq 'Vampire' |
2015 ? - present | BT-67 | ||
For many years light transport was conducted by 461sq with GAF N22B Nomads.
Bangkok-Don Muang, December 1992, Dick Lohuis
| Prachuap Khiri Khan (VTBP) | ||||
RWY 08/26, 18/36 POS 11°47'"N 099°48'"E ELEV 10 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| Wing V |
53sq |
? - 1977 | F8F Bearcat T-6 (?-72?) T-28 (72?-?) OV-10C (8Dec74->) |
renamed 53 Wing/531sq |
| 53 Wing |
531sq 'Mosquito' |
1977 - 1 Apr 2007 | OV-10C (->82) O-1 (82-90) AU-23A (Apr90->) |
renamed 5 Wing/501sq |
5 Wing |
501sq 'Mosquito' |
1 Apr 2007 - present | AU-23A | |
| Sattahip (--) | ||||
RWY 18/36 POS 12°40'47"N 101°00'18"E ELEV 59 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| Wing VII |
71 TAAS |
Dec 1951 - 1977 | T-6 U-10B (?-67) O-1 (Oct67->) |
renamed 71 Wing/711sq |
71 Wing |
711sq |
1977 - 1982 | O-1 (timeline) |
relocated to Surat Thani |
Real identity of this 71sq T-6 is not known.
collection George van der Schoor
U-10D 7144/68-14374 is an ex USAF example that flew with 14 SOW in Vietnam.
collection Dick Lohuis
| Surat Thani (VTSB) | ||||
RWY 04/22 POS 09°07'"N 099°20'"E ELEV 19 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| 71 Wing |
711sq |
1982 - 24 Sep 1991 | OV-10C (timeline) |
changed markings |
711sq |
24 Sep 1991 - 5 Mar 1999 | F-5E/F (timeline) F-5B (98->) |
renamed 7 Wing/701 sqn |
|
7 Wing |
701sq 'Sharks' |
5 Mar 1999 - present | F-5B/E/F (->11Oct12) JAS 39C/D (Feb11->) |
|
702sq |
Saab 340 Saab 340AEW (Dec10->) |
|||
F-5E 71134/61676 of 711sq used in the agressor role.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 8 January 1994, Dick Lohuis
Oldest F-5B in the world was flown to the RThAF museum at Bangkok-Don Muang on 18 December 2007.
Sakpinit Promthep
| Takhli (VTPI) | ||||
RWY 36/18 POS 15°16'"N 100°17'"E ELEV 107 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
Wing IV |
41sq |
? - ? | Spitfire PRXIX (?-55) Spitfire FRXIV (54-55) |
disbanded |
| 42sq |
? - 1 Oct 1977 | AC-47D | renamed 402sq |
|
| 43sq |
? - 1 Oct 1977 | F8F Bearcat F-84G (61-63?) F-86F (66-72) A-37B (July72->) |
renamed 403sq |
|
4 Wing |
402sq |
1 Oct 1977 - ? | AC-47D |
disbanded |
403sq |
1 Oct 1977 - 1994 | A-37B (->80) F-5E/F (22Jan81-31Mar94) |
||
| 404sq |
? - ? | IAI201 (81-93?) |
disbanded | |
402sq 'Focus' |
1994 ? - present | SF260MT (94-99) Fantrainer 600 (94-96) IAI201 (99-02) SA226AT IVC (99-03) Lj35A (99-12) DA42M MPP (Oct10->) P.180 Avanti II (Sep17-19) |
||
403sq 'Cobra' |
1995 - present | F-16A (19June95->) F-16B (23June95->) |
||
401sq 'Dragon' |
? - present | L-39ZA/ART T-50TH (Jan18->) |
||
404sq 'Venus' |
? - present | Aerostar UAV |
||
When 13sq at Bangkok-Don Muang started receiveing the F-5, its F-86Fs were transferred to 43sq.
unknown
A-37B 4332/710805 at Takhli in December 1972. It was written off on 3 December 1974.
Gary V. Meinert
In 1970 641 was converted from regular C-47D into an AC-47.
collection Dick Lohuis
Main duty of 403sq was ground-attack. Training was also conducted in F-5F 40301/91693.
Clark, 8 January 1988, Guido Bühlmann
The Fantrainer wasn't a big succes in RThAF service. For pilot proficiency 402sq used a couple Fantrainers 600.
Bangkok-Don Muang, December 1993, Alwy Gosselt
| Ubon Ratchathani (VTUU) | ||||
RWY 23/05 POS 15°14'"N 104°52'"E ELEV 405 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| Wing II |
21 TFS |
4 June 1962 - 1968 | T-6 (->3Nov62) T-28D (62->) |
renamed 222 TFS |
| 222 TFS |
1968 - 1 Oct 1977 | T-28D (timeline) |
renamed 211sq |
|
Wing 21 |
211sq |
1 Oct 1977 - 1980 | T-28D |
changed markings |
21 Wing |
211sq |
16 June 1980 - 1994 | A-37B (16June80-May94) | changed markings |
211sq 'Eagles' |
1 April 1994 - present | F-5E F-5F A-37B (95-96) F-5B (11-16) F-5SH F-5TH |
||
| Small number of A-37Bs were used for rainmaking trials in 1995-1996 | ||||
A-37B 21123/71-0802 started its service life with Takhli based 43sq.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 8 January 1994, Dick Lohuis
Former TUDM F-5B 21101/40779 started its career with 103sq in September 1982. After this it went to 231sq, 711sq, 701sq and ended up with 211sq were it flew till August 2016.
Don Muang, 11 January 2013, Hans Rolink
| Udon Thani (VTUD) | ||||
RWY 30/12 POS 17°23'"N 102°47'"E ELEV 584 ft | ||||
| Wing | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| Wing II |
22 TFS |
? - Sep 1971 ? | F8F Bearcat T-28D U-10 (62-?) |
renamed 223 TFS |
| 223 TFS |
Sep 1971 ? - 1977 | T-28D (timeline) |
renamed 23 Wing/231sq |
|
23 Wing |
231sq |
1977 - 1986 | T-28D (timeline) |
changed makings |
231sq 'Hunter' |
1986 - present | (R)F-5A (86-?) F-5B (87-?) F-5E Alpha Jet (Sep00->) |
||
T-28D-10 0-38157 is an ex US Navy example received on 11 December 1971.
2 December 1972, Gary V. Meinert
F-5B 23102/400778 is one of two former Malaysian Air Force ones delivered in September 1982.
Clark, 8 January 1988, Guido Bühlmann
F-5A 23122/01391 seen visiting Bangkok-Don Muang in December 1992 was written off on 8 November 1995.
Dick Lohuis
Lox (liquid oxygen) is being filled on 231sq F-5E 23115/50615.
Bangkok-Don Muang, 13 January 1995, Dick Lohuis
| Yokota (RJTY) | ||||
RWY 18/36 POS 35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E ELEV 463ft | ||||
| Command | Squadron | Timeline | Aircraft Type(s) | Fate |
| United Nations Command |
61sq |
Nov 1971 - 26 July 1976 | C-123B (timeline) | ended |
The Thai detachment provided airlift support with C-123B Providers to the United Nations Command (Rear) in Korea.
Yokota, December 1974, Hideki Nagakubo
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