Wings of Storm

Wings of Storm insignia

Active| 2003–present
Country|  Croatia
Branch| Croatian Air Force
Role| Aerobatic display team
Size| 6 pilots
Garrison/HQ| Zemunik Airbase
Colors| Red, white and blue
Aircraft flown
Trainer| 6 × Pilatus PC-9M

Military unit

The Wings of Storm (Croatian: Krila Oluje) is the Croatian Air Force aerobatic display team. Its task is the presentation of the skill, discipline, and teamwork of the Croatian Air Force.

The team 'Krila Oluje' consists of pilots from the 93rd Military airbase Zemunik. In comparison with the majority of aerobatic teams in the world whose pilots' single task is to train and do aerobatic team performances, the primary task of the pilots from the 'Krila Oluje' is training of the future Croatian air force pilots.

Captain Diana Doboš, who was the member of 'Krila Oluje' from 2005 to 2007 became the third woman in the world to fly in an aerobatic team.

The first flight of the team was at an aerobatic performance with a formation of four aircraft, during the opening ceremony of the European sailing championship in Zadar on 23 July 2004. On the 5th of August 2005, in Knin, for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the military and police operation known as 'Oluja' (after which the team was named), the team 'Krila Oluje' was officially presented to the Croatian public. By the end of the year the team grew to a five-plane formation, and first flight with a six-plane formation was made on 25 March 2009.

The team candidates are chosen from flight instructors who meet the conditions of excellent flying technique, have the required psychophysical predispositions, show teamwork and have a minimum of 600 flight hours. The candidates go through a demanding training of aerobatic flying in formations ranging from two to six airplanes.

Performance of the 'Krila Oluje' team at the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, 2011

During the performance, the aircraft fly at distances less than 2 m from each other, at speeds of up to 550 km/h and the loads that the pilots endure are from -2.5 g to +6.5 g.

The program performed by the 'Krila Oluje' is 23 minutes long and is performed at the altitudes from 50 to 1000 m and at the minimum distance from the audience of about 230 m. A narrator presents the program to the spectators. His task is also to pilot the team's backup plane. There are no backup pilots - in case a pilot is ill the team performs a shortened program with five planes or makes a cancellation of the performance.

For training and displays, the 'Krila Oluje' do not have specific aircraft and equipment, as the majority of display teams in the world do, instead they use the aircraft from the Squadron of 93rd Air Base.

On March 4, 2015 all six pilots submitted their request to end their military service and leave the Air Force, thus effectively disbanding the Wings of Storm a few months before their tenth anniversary.[1] According to several media, the pilots received a superior offer from Qatar, where they would be flying the PC-21.[2]

The team has been reformed with new pilots and continues to fly in 2015. On their debut at RIAT 2016 (Royal International Air Tattoo) team won "King Hussein Memorial Sword" for the best overall flying demonstration and at SIAF 2017 (Slovak International Air Fest) team has been awarded for the most precise flying demonstration.

Wings of Storm

## Acknowledgements

[edit]

* City of Zadar Award: 2013[3]

## Bibliography

[edit]

* (in Croatian) Croatian Soldier (military magazine), August, 2009

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ministarstvo obrane i Glavni stožer OSRH o pilotima "Krila Oluje" [Ministry of Defence and OSRH General Staff on pilots of Wings of Storm]". morh.hr. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
2. ^ "croatian-display-team-pilots-could-break-for-qatar".
3. ^ "Dobitnici javnih priznanja Grada Zadra u 2013. godini". grad-zadar.hr (in Croatian). City of Zadar. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Akro grupa "Krila Oluje"

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Krila Oluje.

* v
* t
* e

Modern aerobatic teams

military

jet aircraft|

* FAA Escuadrón Cruz del Sur
* BAF Belaya Rus
* RCAF Snowbirds
* PLAAF August 1st
* PLAAF Red Falcon
* EAF Silver Stars
* FiAF Midnight Hawks
* FAF Patrouille de France
* HAF F-16 Demo Team Zeus [de]
* IAF Surya Kiran
* IN Sagar Pawan
* TNI-AU Thunder
* IAF Frecce Tricolori
* JASDF Blue Impulse
* KAF Sunkar
* TUDM Smokey Bandits
* PAF Sherdils
* VVS Russian Knights
* VVS Swifts
* VVS Russian Falcons
* RSAF Saudi Falcons
* RSAF Black Knights
* ROKAF Black Eagles
* SpASF Patrulla Águila
* SWAF Team 60
* SAF Patrouille Suisse
* ROCAF Thunder Tigers
* TUAF Türk Yıldızları
* TUAF SoloTürk
* UAEAF Al Fursan
* RAF Red Arrows
* USAF Thunderbirds
* USN Blue Angels

propeller aircraft|

* RAAF Roulettes
* FAB Esquadrilha da Fumaça
* TUDB Alap-Alap Formation
* FACh Halcones
* PLAAF Sky Wing
* HRZ Wings of Storm
* TNI-AU Jupiter
* TNI-AL Neptunus
* IAF Aerobatic Team
* JMSDF White Arrows
* RJ Falcons
* FAM Escuadrilla Cuauhpopoca
* RMAF Marche Verte
* TUDM Kris Sakti
* RNZAF Black Falcons
* PLF Orlik
* SAAF Silver Falcons
* SAF PC-7 Team
* RTAF Blue Phoenix

rotorcraft|

* PLAGF Thunder
* VVS Berkuts
* IAF Sarang
* TNI AU Dynamic Pegasus
* AoPLF Scorpions
* PoAF Rotores de Portugal
* SpASF Patrulla Aspa
* SAF Super Puma Display Team
* RAF Chinook Display Team
* RN Wildcat Demo Team

disbanded military teams

jet aircraft|

* RCAF Blue Devils
* RCAF Golden Centennaires
* RCAF Golden Hawks
* IIAF Golden Crown
* IAC Silver Swallows
* RNLAF Solo Display Team
* PAF Falcons
* PAF Paybills
* PAF Blue Diamonds
* PLF Team Iskry
* PoAF Asas de Portugal
* PoAF Dragões
* SAF Biele Albatrosy
* UAF Falcons
* RAF Black Arrows
* RAF Yellowjacks
* RAF Red Pelicans
* RN Simon's Sircus
* USN Air Barons
* / JRV/RVSCG Flying Stars

propeller aircraft|

* RCAF Siskins
* FAF Cartouche Doré
* RNZAF Red Checkers

rotorcraft|

* AAC Blue Eagles
* RN The Sharks

civilian

jet aircraft|

* Breitling
* Baltic Bees
* Flying Bulls
* Russ
* Patriots
* Starfighters
* Polaris Ghost Squadron

propeller aircraft|

* Flying Bulls
* WeFly! Team
* Flying Lions
* P3 Flyers
* AeroSuperBatics
* Horsemen
* Skytypers
* Aeroshell
* Lima Lima

disbanded civilian teams

propeller aircraft|

* French Connection
* The Blades

List of air display teams
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template