31 March-1 April 1957 – Jeugdluchtvaartdagen
For the second consecutive year, the Royal Netherlands Air Force organized a two day event for secondary and high school youth, hoping to interest them for a career with the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
On Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April, Soesterberg AB opened its gates for 1.500 scholars a day. There was a small static with aircraft from the Royal Netherlands Air Force and Navy and a F-100C from the 32nd TFS.
A Sikorsky S-55 chopper from the Royal Netherlands Navy was part of the static show at Soesterberg AB, when on Wednesday afternoon two Dutch F-84F Thunderstreaks from Eindhoven Airbase collided in the air over ‘De Veluwe’ forests. One of the F-84s managed to return to Eindhoven Air Base; the other one crashed in the IJsselmeer lake, not far from the city of Harderwijk. The pilot managed to eject but landed in the IJsselmeer. The S-55 chopper immediately took off from Soesterberg AB and headed to the crash location where it rescued the pilot of the F-84 from the cold water.
See the participating aircraft in the Movements database.
