North American F-86K "Kaasjager" exhibited on the platform of the National Militar by Jaap van den Berg

About "North American F-86K "Kaasjager" exhibited on the platform of the National Militar"

by Jaap van den Berg

About the artwork

North American F-86K "Kaasjager" exhibited on the platform of the National Military Museum (NMM) in Soesterberg in August 2020.

The first series of a total of 63 F-86Ks was delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force at the end of 1955. The complete series was delivered by Fiat in April 1957. Squadrons 700, 701 and 702 were equipped with the aircraft and stationed at Soesterberg and Twente Air Base. In 1959, also the 700 went to Twente Air Base. They got the registrations Q-237 t/m Q-350 and Q-875 t/m Q-902. The F-86Ks have been in service until 1964. In Holland, the F-86K was known as Kaasjager. The origin of this name is doubtful. It may be a derivation of the "K "s, but at the time of arrival, a prominent Amsterdammer, Mr. Kaasjager, was in the news because he wanted to solve the parking problem by filling up the canals.

The F-86K of the NMM with registration Q-305 has never been in service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The aircraft originated from the Italian Air Force. It had the registration 51-23 and later 51-67. The aircraft was in service with 51st Stormo at Rimini Air Base as a target towing aircraft. The aircraft was flown from Italy to Deelen Air Base in 1973. At that time it had flown 2588 hours. The aircraft was just in time for the celebration of 60 years KLu on June 30, 1973. In the same year, the aircraft was transferred to the Military Aviation Museum and is now part of the collection of NMM.