Eskadrille 724
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Eskadrille 724 is a Danish Air Force helicopter squadron, housed at Karup Air Base in central Jutland.
It was official erected August 7, 2003, when the Danish Army's Hærens Flyvetjeneste (HFT) was disbanded and transformed into Eskadrille 724. The name "Hærens Flyvetjeneste" was used onto August 2005.
The squadron consist of 12 x AS 550 Fennec and 10 x H-500 Cayuse helicopters. In the Danish Defence agreement 2005-2009, Eskadrille 724 is to be disbanded; the Fennec helicopter loses its anti-tank capability and will likely be used in a light transport- and observation unit. The Cayuse helicopter will be phases out.
[edit] Previous Eskadrille 724
A previous Eskadrille 724 did exist in the Danish Air force.
On January 8, 1951 Eskadrille 724 at Karup Air Base was established and in a matter of month equipped with 20 Gloster Meteor fighters. In June 1952 the squadron moved to Aalborg Air Base and here it was in 1956 equipped with Hawker Hunter fighters. In 1958 it moved back to Karup Air Base, but already in 1959 it was again moved, this time to Skrydstrup Air base.
With the Danish defence agreement on April 26, 1973, Eskadrille 724 was to be disbanded. The last Hawker Hunter fighter was flown to Aalborg Air Base on March 30, 1974, to be disbanded and stored.
[edit] Source
- FOV Newsletter no.15, 2003 ISSN: 1602-4982
- Karup Air Base tjenestestedsblad "Vindposen", December 2003
