Silver Swallows (German: Silberschwalben) was the name of the Irish Air Corps - aerobatics team. Active from 1986 to 1998, the team was equipped with four Fouga Magister CM 170 jet trainers and was led from the Light Strike Squadron of the Irish Air Corps at Casement, on the Baldonnel military airfield near Dublin . The name Silver Swallows is derived from the color of the aircraft and the 'V' shaped tail of the Magister aircraft the team flew. Throughout its history, the team has been operated on a part-time basis, with the crew's demonstration duties being secondary to the primary duties of the Light Strike Squadron.
history
The formation was initially established for the 60th anniversary of the Air Corps' founding in 1982 with four silver Fouga Magister trainer aircraft. A display was developed to keep the team as close as possible to the crowd to show the aerobatics. The team made its first public performance at the Air Spectacular at the Fairyhouse in 1983. Aerobatics were regularly continued in 1985 and 1986 as well as in 1987 at the Air Spectacular in Baldonnel in August 1987. The team made some appearances outside of their own country, their first overseas display wiar at the Royal Air Force Cawdor Barracks Open House on July 26, 1990. The next overseas displays were in 1997 when the team attended a number of air shows in the UK and Belgium to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Irish Air Corps. They appeared at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford Air Base, Gloucestershire, in 1997, where the team was awarded the prestigious Lockheed Martin Cannestra Trophy award for an overseas team.
In 1998 the team was disbanded due to the retirement of the Fouga Magister with the Irish Air Corps Service.
Ireland