Nederlandse Modelbouw en Luchtvaartsite

Dutch Modelling and Aviation

In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday 30 April 2018, Wilko Jonker died after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic modeling were his hobby and on this website he shared all the knowledge he has collected over the years. His hobby has been able to distract him from the persistent disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

This website will be maintained by different people for as long as possible, so that other enthusiasts can continue to benefit from extensive content.

Lockheed T-33 display team: Skysharks

"Sky Sharks” 1956 - 1958 (313 Squadron)

This team was established in 1956 by Major J.L. Holtz , squadron 313, based at air base Volkel, in consultation with the chief of flight duty Volkel AFB captain Benjamin.
Major Holtz was the first leader of the team. The other members of the team were lieutenant H. de Roos, lieutenant N. de Vrij and lieutenant P. Snijders.
Major Holtz also developed the nice colour scheme of the team, which was applied to five aircraft, such as  TR11, TR-14, TR-15 and TR-31. The serials were not visible on the aircraft of the team.

Major Holtz had to transfer the leadership of the team to lieutenant De Roos, because of a course Engineering Staff.

Further changes in the team were the addition of Lieutenant Scheurs and lieutenant Von Eugen, who replaced lieutenant Snijders in 1958.

The team acted on several occasions such as open day at airbase Twenthe, Gilze-Rijen and Volkel.

During a stunt team competition on August 24, 1957 at airbase Gilze-Rijen the team won the second prize.
During the competition in 1958 the team won the third prize.

The team was abolished in November 1958, when the Lockheed T-33 was moved to airbase Woensdrecht and some of the members of the team were transferred.

Lockheed T-33A van het demoteam
Lockheed T-33A of display team "Skysharks" 313 Sqn airbase Volkel.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 


The aircraft were initially in the standard colour scheme for the Dutch jet trainers in the period 1953 en 1959.
The back of the fuselage was roundel blue, the vertical stabilizer had a red shark fin applied.
The inner sides of the tip tanks were matt dark green, the outside had three colours applied, from top to bottom roundel red, trainer yellow and roundel blue.

 

There is some debate in the circles of aviation historians about the colours and the scheme shown below.

However H. Groeneveld, author of the book (published in May 2015) on the Lockheed T.33 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, has interviewed a number of people, including K. von Eugen and based on their information the colour schem shown below has been composed.

Furthermore, there appeared to be some minor variations between the individual aircraft and also in time. Whil e some aircraft still show (partly) the ejection seat marking, (most) other other aircraft don't. Also a photo of unknown date was disovered which shows a different eye  [this scheme however I haven't set up, because  too many is unknown.]

SchemeColour nameFS-numberBS-numberHumbrolXtraColorWEM
Standard #1 Aluminium xx xx xx xx xx
             

Check www.paint4models.com for an extensive conversion table with lots of colour and paint systems.

Lockheed T33 SkySharks 1A SMALL
Colour scheme of an aircraft of the Skysharks display team.

 

Lockheed T 33A Tiger Sharks AKleijn
A model of a Lockheed T-33A of the SkySharks display team, built by Adri Kleijn.

 

 


Literature.

Vliegend in Nederland: Lockheed T-33A G.A. Hiltermann pag. 26 - 27 1988 Flash Aviation - Eindhoven

 

 

Websites.

Special thanks to A. Kleijn for delivery of the basis text for this article. I wish to thank also mr H. Groeneveld and P. Sturm for their research and corrections of my original profile.