On July 27 The Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai hosted Air Show Falcon Wings 2019 marking the 100th anniversary of the Lithuanian military air capability. The event was attended by the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces - the audience were greeted by acting Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis and recently inaugurated Chief of Defence Major General National Defence Valdemaras Rupšys. The air show with programs from various aircraft, static displays activities and competitions from aviation organisations and universities has attracted tens of thousands of viewers this year.
The anniversary air show included programs of NATO and partner countries' military aircraft, one of the most famous aerobatic teams worldwide Frecce Tricolori from Italy, F-16 Dark Falcon demonstration fighter aircraft of the Belgian Air Force, etc. Viewers were also very interested in the reproduced historical Lithuanian ANBO aircraft.
The Lithuanian Land Force, Navy, and the Special Operations Forces also presented static displays of equipment and weaponry giving the air show audience the opportunity to have a closer look not only at military aircraft but also at army armaments - from regular weapons to self-propelled artillery cannons, to compete in different matches, and to learn to render first medical aid and more about the service with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The Lithuanian Hang Gliding and Paragliding Sports Federation, Kaunas University of Technology and of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, University of Applied Sciences of Kaunas, other organisations and institutions.
The Lithuanian Air Forces currently celebrating its 100th anniversary is formed by the professional military service soldiers, as well as conscripts of the Continuous Mandatory Initial Military Service and civilian personnel who actively take part in international training events, exercises, and other military cooperation projects and events, as well as social life. The Lithuanian Air Force Headquarters and the Air Surveillance and Control Command together with the Airspace Control Centre are based in Kaunas, the Lithuanian Air Force Maintenance Depot and the Air Base are in Šiauliai, and the Air Defence Battalion in in Radviliškis.
Lithuanian military aviation history boasts exceptional personalities: engineers Brig Gen Antanas Gustaitis and 1st Lt Jurgis Dobkevičius designed and built aircraft in series, Capt Pranas Hiksas was the first Lithuanian military pilot to fly Lithuanian military airplanes on his own, Lt Juozas Kumpis was the first and the only military pilot who perished during Lithuania's independence fights, Capt Vladas Morkus made the first parachute jump, Capt Romualdas Marcinkus joined the French Air Force in 1940, later - the Royal Air Force and carried out battle flight on the front in Hurricane fighter aircraft and fought in air battles against the Nazi war aviation.
Falcon Wings 2019 is an open aviation feast for the general audience.
Photo and information credits: LITHAF
