Eurofighter Typhoon EF2000 of the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwade 74 being towed by a Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 405/12AHK aircraft tractor during the units' 60th anniversary on May 5, 2021 at Neuburg Air Base/Fliegerhorst Neuburg-Donau, Bayern, Germany. Photo: DA Photography - Military Aviation and more.

A United Airlines Boeing 757-324 being towed by a United Airlines tug at Denver International Airport on November 24, 2023. Photo: MCA Photography.

Towing an American Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter F-35 during the annual Oshkosh air show held every summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Wisconsin, United States. Photo: Michal Banach Photography.

David Brown Taskmaster 950 in the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands Cosford 2023. Photo: Bas Slaats.

Sud-Quest Vautour IIN towed by a Renault 750 tractor at aérienne 217 air base, Brétigny located south of Paris. In 2012 the air base closed its gates and in 2013 this fighter jet was the last to be towed away from the air base. Photo: Eric Moreau.

A photo shoot of a Avro Lancaster NX611 Just Jane with a David Brown tractor transporting a bomb trailer at Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. Photo: East Kirkby.

A Grumman S-2T Turbo Tracker from the Armada Argentina aboard the Brazilian aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo in September 2002. Two such Grummans were deployed during Temperex, a joint Brazilian-Argentine exercise. In the photo, a Grumman is being towed aboard the aircraft carrier by an MD-3 aircraft tractor. The MD-3 is a diesel-powered tractor intended for towing all aircraft on board aircraft carriers. The MD-3's diesel engine is rated at 100 horsepower with a drawbar capacity of 8,500 pounds at a speed of approximately 1 mph on dry, level ground. Photo: Steel_Eagles.

A photo taken on November 11, 2023 during a film set at Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Center showing an Avro Lancaster NX611 Just Jane bomber with a Fordson N airfield tractor transporting a bomb trailer in the foreground. Photo: Infinitemonkeyphotography.

Photo of a staged Weapon Supplying of ​​the Vulcan XM603 bomber at RAF Woodford Cheshire, England. The tractor that transports a bomb trailer is a Ferguson TED20 with TVO engine. Photo: Neil Drapers.

An Airbus A320 of the Austrian airline Niki is towed by a Schopf F210 aircraft tractor at Innsbruck Airport, Austria. Photo: Gianluca Conversi.

Aerial Firefighting Compagny McDermott Aviation Transall C-160. On September 13, 2023, the company took delivery of a C-160 aircraft in Australia, arriving at Queensland's Sunshine Coast Airport, where it will be fitted with a 3,000-gallon tank by Australian tank manufacturer Helitak Firefighting Equipment.

In the photo the aircraft is being towed by a TLD Pushback TMX150 at Townsville Airport, Queensland, Australia. Photo: Central Queensland Plane Spotting Blog.

Apache helicopter with a permanent base at Gilze-Rijen air base that is towed by an ATA E800 aircraft tractor. Photo: Jimmy van Drunen - Photography.

A French Dassault Mirage 2000 being towed by a Charlette TD225 aircraft tractor. Photo: Guy Callet.

The Eurocopter Cougar Mk.2 of the 300 Squadron with Gilze-Rijen as its home base, which is towed by an ATA E800 electric aircraft tractor. Photo: Coen van den Heuvel.

300 Squadron is equipped with Cougar transport helicopters and is stationed at Gilze-Rijen Air Base. In the photo a Cougar is being towed by an Eagle electric aircraft tractor. Photo: @hagelschlag.

A German PA-200 Tarnado ECR being towed by a Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 405/12AHK aircraft tractor at Fliegerhorst Schleswig-Jagel in Schleswig-Holstein in Germany on November 23, 2023. Photo: Werner Davidsen.

Douglas Super Task Master MK2 aircraft tractor at Soesterberg air base in 1979. Photo: Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Luchtmacht.

RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft being towed by a Schopf LATT FM68AB aircraft tractor at RAF Waddington, UK. Photo: RAF Waddington.

A Bulgarian MiG-29A is towed by a Russian-made Ural 4320 truck on April 9, 2021 at Airbase 3 Iztrebitelna, Bulgaria. Photo: Jetwash Aviation Photos.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum of the Polish Air Force being towed by a Polish Army FSC (Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych) Star truck. Photo: Mirek - Flying Objects Photographer.

Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut during initial development, it was an experimental supersonic jet fighter developed by Sukhoi Company. In the photo it is being towed by a Ural 4320 APA-5D tractor. Photo comes from the Facebook page: The Aviation Titan.

A General-Dynamics/Lockheed-Martin F-16AM with registration J-640 being towed by a Mercedes MB Trac 700K aircraft tractor at Volkel air base on November 3, 2006. In that year, on the occasion of the fifty-fifth anniversary of 312 squadron Volkel air base, the J-640 provided with an anniversary painting. Photo: Mike Schoenmaker.

A photo shoot of a British Avro Vulcan XM655 bomber with a RAF655 Douglas aircraft tractor in front taken at Wellesbourne Mountford Airport by Plane Richie Aviation Illustration on November 4, 2023.

An NF-5A of the 316 squadron from Gilze-Rijen air base being towed by an English-made Douglas aircraft tractor at Leeuwarden air base on July 11, 1985. Photo: Peter Steendam.

A Nissan FV02 pushback tractor tows a trailer with a Pratt & Whitney F135 turbine engine of an F-35 at Williamtown Air Base of the Royal Australian Air Force on November 4, 2021. Photo: G.E.G. Aviation Photography.

A Sepecat Jaguar GR3 painted in a very special retirement color scheme being towed by a JCB Fastrac tractor at RAF Coningsby on 21 June 2007. Photo: Damien Burke.

77 Frence Navy - Embraer EMB-121 Xingu towed by a TLD Jet-16 tractor at Avord Air Base. Photo: Serge Van Heertum.

A Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft being towed by a Schopf F396 tractor at CFB Greenwood Air Base, Canada. Photo comes from the Facebook page: The Aurora News.

The Czech Republic has received its first two Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, with the assets having been delivered on July 26, 2023 aboard a US Air Force Boeing C-17 strategic transport. In the photo a Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopter being towed by a Schopf F59 aircraft tractor at Namest Airport, Czech Republic. Photo: Petr Soukal.

A Belgian Westland Sea King MK48 helicopter from the 40 squadron towed by a Schopf F59 aircraft tractor during the annual open day of the Belgian Air Force that took place on July 5, 2023 at Koksijde Air Base. Photo: Gijs Mouchaers.

A Danish General Dynamics F-16 towed by a Schopf F59 aircraft tractor during the spotters day that took place on May 11, 2023 at Florennes air base, Belgium. This beautiful F-16 painted in beautiful special colors in honor of 800 years of the Danish flag.

Photo: Gijs Mouchaers.

Schopf F59 aircraft tractor at Koksijde Air Base Belgium. Photo: Gijs Mouchaers.

United TA80D aircraft tractor at Pensacola Air Base, FL, United States. Photo from the Facebook page: U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

English Electric Lightning F3 of the Royal Air Force is towed by a Massey Ferguson MF-50 Aircraft Tug at Fairford Air Base, UK. Photo: Glenn Reay.

In the photo at Dijon-Bourgogne Airport a Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravella airliner and a David Brown Taskmaster 950 that was used as a baggage tow vehicle. The Caravellas were built by Sud Aviation between 1954 and 1972 and were the first jet-powered commercial aircraft developed in France. Photo: Jim Cochrane.

A Norwegian Beechcraft 200 Super King Air of the airline Norlandair is towed by a Linde P250 electric tractor at Reykjavik airport, Iceland. Photo comes from the Facebook page: Airspeed Media.

A French Dassault Mirage 2000 from Home Base Nancy is towed by a Mercedes MB Trac 700K at Leeuwarden Air Base during Frisian Flag 2018. Photo comes from the collection of Jg Haze.

The Snowbirds, officially known as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron are the military aerobatics flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force stationated at Moose Jaw Air Base. In the photo one of the CL-41 Tutor aircraft being towed by a Clark tld d6 tractor. Photo from Facebookpage: Snowbirds des Forces canadiennes.

NATO Tiger Meet 2021 at Beja Air Base, Portugal. In the photo a Portuguese F16 from the 301 squadron being towed by a Schopf F59 tractor. Photo: Joao Amado.

A photo taken during Real Thaw 2022 (RT2022) held on June 30, 2022 at Airbase No. 11, in Beja, Portugal. A Spotters Day aimed at all photography and military aviation enthusiasts. In the photo a Portuguese Air Force F-16 being towed by a Schopf F59 tractor. Photo: Miguel Frade.

As a tractor driver at Leeuwarden Air Base, I often had to run QRA together with a fellow tractor driver. Swapping the F-16s, one of which was in the shelter of the QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) and the other in the shelter of the WSA (Weapon Storage Area). QRA means that there are two F-16s ready 24/7 with full armament. The Air Operation Control Station in Nieuw-Millingen alerts the QRA if an aircraft enters the airspace of the Benelux that has not submitted a flight plan in advance and does not want to come into radio contact with Air Traffic Control. The F-16s take off within minutes to intercept the (enemy) intruder. Nowadays, the QRA task is a partnership between the Netherlands and Belgium for monitoring the airspace of the Benelux. They take turns supplying the QRA fighter flight capacity from the Leeuwarden, Volkel, Kleine-Brogel or Florennes bases. Before towing the F-16, I always checked whether all safety pins with red flags (printed: remove before flight) were in the F-16 because the armament was ready. The QRA/WSA is also permanently monitored by the Air Force Security. I once heard a story that an Air Force Guard there had shot a cow out of boredom in the pasture near the QRA. Photo: Patrick Kroos.

An F-104 Starfighter, D-6655, is towed by a Douglas tractor on its way over the “Duitse Baan” past the control tower to hangar 3 at Leeuwarden Air Base in the late 1970s / early 1980s. Photo: Piet Bouma.

On June 4, 1968, the Air Force Information Service organized a visit to Leeuwarden Air Base where the silencer was demonstrated at the Run-up. The Run-up is the place at the airbase to test engines and diagnose engine problems. Attached is the F-104 Starfighter D-5816 of the 323 squadron being towed by a David Brown Taskmaster 950. The D-5816 was operational with the Royal Netherlands Air Force from November 27, 1967 to August 25, 1980 and then it was sold to the Turkish Air Force. Photo comes from the archive of John van Hest.

Thanks to the fire-fighting foam incident during the ceremony, which was held in honor of the arrival of the first operational F-35 in the Netherlands at Leeuwarden Air Base on October 31, 2019, the coverage of this event was world news in one go. In the photo the F-35 that has been sprayed clean by water and is ready to be towed  by an ATA 5000 GS tractor to the hangar. Photo: Gathering of Tweakers.

F-84F Thunderstreak the P-205 of the 314 squadron towed by a David Brown Taskmaster 950 at Eindhoven air base. The P-205 was operational with the Royal Netherlands Air Force from March 23, 1956 to October 28, 1970. Then written off; decoy at Deelen Air Base, LETS. From April 14, 1978 gatekeeper at the LIMOS in Nijmegen. Photo: Marco van Riel.

F-84F Thunderstreak de P-205 van het 314 squadron versleept door een David Brown Taskmaster 950 op vliegbasis Eindhoven. De P-205 was operationeel bij de KLu van 23-03-1956 t/m 28-10-1970. Daarna afgeschreven; decoy Deelen, LETS. Vanaf 14-04-1978 poortwachter bij de LIMOS. Foto: Marco van Riel.

The North American F-86K Sabre Q-340 of the 700 Squadron at Twenthe airbase, is being moved with a David Brown tractor, piloted by Corporal Sprokkereef. Photo from the collection: Dinant Sprokkereef.

Flying squadrons that have a feline such as a tiger in their emblem meet in a different location every year for the NATO Tiger Meet. Just like in the photo, the J-222 of the 313 squadron being towed by a Mercedes MB Trac 700. An instruction jet at Volkel in a tiger outfit for years, which was sprayed in these colors especially for the Tigermeet. This large-scale international exercise at the time of this photo took place in 2010 from 4 to 15 October at Volkel Air Base. With a very varied program, the practicing units keep their skills up to date and valuable experiences are exchanged. Photo: Servee Schellinx.

Vliegende squadrons die een katachtige zoals een tijger in hun embleem voeren, komen ieder jaar op een andere plek bijeen voor de NATO Tiger Meet. Net zoals op de foto de J-222 van het 313 squadron die versleept word door een Mercedes MB Trac 700. Al jarenlang een instructiekist op Volkel in tijger outfit, die speciaal voor de Tigermeet in deze kleuren is gespoten. Deze grootschalige internationale oefening ten tijde van deze foto vond in 2010 plaats van 4 t/m 15 oktober op Vliegbasis Volkel. Met een zeer afwisselend programma houden de oefenende eenheden hun vaardigheden op peil en worden waardevolle ervaringen uitgewisseld. Foto: Servee Schellinx.

The Northrop NF-5A with registration number K-3011 of the 315 Squadron behind a Douglas tractor before the run-up at Twenthe Air Base in 1970. Photo: Beeldbank NIMH.

De Northrop NF-5A met registratienummer K-3011 van het 315 Squadron achter een Douglas trekker voor de run-up (proefdraaihangaar) op Vliegbasis Twenthe in 1970. Foto: Beeldbank NIMH.

This photo was taken from the control tower at Volkel Air Base, September 27, 2017, during a visit arranged by Spotting Group Volkel. F-16AM J-868, the 8 Series, originally 312 SQN delivered operationally. Photo: Van Loenhout Mees.

Airmen, assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, tow an F-15E Strike Eagle at sunrise April 15, 2020, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The F-15E is an extremely maneuverable tactical fighter designed to allow the Air Force to establish air superiority over the battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ralph Branson).

From the Dutch group: Marine Luchtvaart Dienst. Meerburg quay situated at Prins Hendrik canal in Katwijk, The Netherlands, where the helicopter was taken off the boat. To be precise, this is the Fockstraat with the gas factory next to it.

Photo: Arjan Koning.

In the photo a patrol aircraft from the Coastal Command Fortress of No. 220 Squadron and a Clarktor-6 tractor. On November 9, 1943, a fortress of this squadron sank the U707 off the Azores. Photo: Official photographer of the Royal Air Force. [public domain].

German RF-4E Phantom II being towed by a Douglas tractor down the taxitrack at Soesterberg AB in the Netherlands. Daily Dose of Nostalgia. Photo: Marcel de Jong.

An RAF tractor MF Ferguson TEF with a "bounce" bomb on its trailer outside the entrance to the Avro Heritage Museum at the old Woodford airfield near Stockport in south Manchester, Cheshire. A bomb designed to bounce on a target above water in a calculated manner to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets. Developed during World War II, it was intended to be dropped from a Lancaster bomber to blow up German dams. The "bounce" bomb was a variant of a depth charge. Regular bombing of the dams was not effective enough. Photo: Richard Tattersall.

Hawker Hunter at RAF Scampton towed by a Reliance Mercury Tug. Photo: Maxine Grundy.

A Dutch AT-16 'Harvard' of 'Royal Air Force Historic Flight'. The AT-16s were mainly used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force as a training aircraft for the advanced pilot training (VVO) and the pilot instructor training (VIO) at Gilze-Rijen Air Base until 1962. They were produced by the American company North American Aviation in 1943. Photo from Facebook page: Koninklijke Luchtmacht Historische Vlucht. 

Avro Lancaster NX611 "Just Jane", with Bomber Command Re-Enactors... Picture: Geoff Oliver.

On days like this - when the sky is blue and the grass is green ..... Lancaster : NX611 'Just Jane' at East Kirkby - March 2012. Source from Facebook page:  Warbirdapps.

Well, this is just turning into B-24 Week, isn't it?

Here's a photo from the Henry Ford Museum of Henry Ford II on the Ford BNO40 aircraft tractor as the last B-24 Liberator comes off the assembly line at Willow Run. It was posted in the Warbird Information Exchange Facebook Group by Tom Walsh and we thought it fit in well with our other posts so far this week.

According to Lance Kuhn from the WIX group, the aircraft was B-24M-30-FO, 44-51928 and the date was 28 June 1945. Lance tells us it was flown later to RFC Kingman for storage and scrapping.

If you haven't already joined the WIX group, check them out at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wixhq/

Source: Commemorative Air Force B29 B24 Squadron.

Hunter F6 of 325 sqdn, which belongs to Soesterberg, increased the joy of the visitors at the open day at Eindhoven in September 1967. On the left another local F-84F and behind the nose the tail of a T-33A. In August 1968 the Hunter (with 1500 flying hours) was sold to Hawker and after renovation it finally ended up with the Jordanian Air Force in 1971. Saw the Hunter van Soesterberg leave. The nose registration had been painted away, the Hunter still had the Klu roundel. Source: Henk Schakelaar.

Starfighters consigned to the Royal Norwegian Air Force under the US Military Assistance Programme, are towed on August 7 1963 through one of the main streets in Bodo to the nearby airbase. The 104's were delivered to Norway aboard the aircraft carrier USS Croatan. Source: Gerrit Boxem.

As a result of Air Ministry specification B.9/32, the Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was designed as an RAF twin-engine medium bomber. It was part of the trio of large twin-engine bombers procured for the RAF, joining the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Vickers Wellington. As the newest of the three the Hampden it made her first flight on 21 June 1936 and was often referred to by her crews as the "Flying Suitcase" because of its cramped crew conditions. The Hampden was powered by Bristol Pegasus XVIII radials giving it a topspeed of 398 km/h.
Serving in the early stages of the Second World War, it bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin on 25 August 1940, which was aimed at Tempelhof Airport and the first 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne on 30 May 1942. When it became obsolete, after a period of mainly operating at night, it was retired from RAF Bomber Command service in late 1942. A number were transferred to RAF Coastal Command and were phased out in december 1943. Within RAF Bomber Command, by 1943, the rest of the trio were also being replaced by the larger four-engined heavy bombers such as the Handley Page Halifax and the Avro Lancaster.
Painting by Michael Turner.

The Lancaster is a World War II 4-engine heavy bomber built by Avro. The Lancaster was mainly used by the Royal Air Force.

My thanks to Red Bone from the Poderío Bélico group for the image. It's "Preparations" by digital artist Piotr Forkasiewicz.

Cletrac tractor in Victory Museum in Grootegast.

Clarktor 6 Aircraft tug 1943 in Victory Museum in Grootegast.

Foxtrot dispersal at RAF Scampton. Photo: Mick Hibbert.

The Dassault Rafale is a so-called multi-role combat aircraft from Marcel Dassault Industries, the makers of the Mirage series. Towed by a Schopf F59 from Goldhofer Airport Technology. Joint Warrior 2013. Photo: Chasse Embarquée.

Documentation about the Clarktor 6, which is one of the most famous tractors of the Second World War. This is because we usually only know these tractors from use on British military airfields, for towing aircraft and transporting armaments, but they were also used in industry and agriculture. The Clarktor 6s were manufactured in the United States by the Clark Tractor Plant in Michigan founded in 1919. The Clarktor 6 was known for its compact size with a wheelbase of 1.20 meters and 11 inches and was powered by a 62 hp water-cooled Chrysler six-cylinder flat-head petrol engine with a three-speed crash gearbox that allowed it to reach maximum speed of 25 km/h. Production started in 1942 and by the end of the Second World War, that manufacturer had, among other things, completed an order for more than 1,500 Clarktor 6s for the British Royal Air Force. These were built as a version designated "BH" which stands for 'British Heavy' and supplied to the British Ministry of Defense for the RAF under the Lend Lease Act. The Lend-Lease Act of 1941 stated that the United States government could lend or lease (rather than sell) supplies to any country deemed "vital to the defense of the United States". Photos: Joe Swelnis.