The North American T-2 Buckeye has been the primary jet trainer for the Hellenic Air Force since the type was delivered in 1976, and the run up to the Athens Flying Week 2023 air show, IrishAirPics spent four days flying with the Aviation PhotoCrew capturing various Hellenic military aircraft air-to-air, including three separate flights with the venerable Buckeye.

As well as flying with the T-2, over the course of the week we flew with aircraft that represented the past, present and future of Hellenic Air Force fixed wing training aircraft, namely the North American T-2E Buckeye, Beechcraft T-6A Texan II, Leonardo M-346 Silver Hawk, Cessna T-41D Mescalero and Tecnam P2002JF.

The T-41 Mescalero was recently retired, with one aircraft has been kept airworthy, and it was replaced in service by the Tecnam P2002JF.

The first two of 10 M-346 jet trainers were delivered in May 2023, and these trainers will ultimately replace the T-2 Buckeye in Hellenic Air Force service.

One of the T-6 Texan II aircraft that joined up was part of the Daedalus T-6A Aircraft Demonstration Team, being specially painted and fitted with a smoke system.

A Big Thank You Goes To....
Eric Coeckelberghs and the Aviation PhotoCrew, as well as the Hellenic Air Force and Athens Flying Week for the opportunity to photograph these aircraft air-to-air.