Saab 105OE “GG‑17” – 30th Anniversary Livery

A honor to four squadrons and one aerobatic team

The Saab 105OE is a Swedish twin‑jet military trainer aircraft, also used for reconnaissance, light attack, and airspace surveillance missions. The export version for Austria is designated Saab 105OE (Austrian Air Force), internally also referred to as J 105OE. The initial order was for 20 aircraft, later expanded to 40, in the late 1960s, with the first deliveries arriving in Austria on July 2, 1970. Since 1970/1971, the Saab 105OE has been a central part of the Austrian Air Force, primarily serving as a training and surveillance aircraft. Over nearly 50 years of service, the type accumulated more than 156,500 flight hours and approximately 254,000 sorties in Austrian service.

To celebrate 30 years of Saab 105OE operations in Austria, a special commemorative livery was created for the AIRPOWER airshow in 2000. The idea was inspired by the 3rd Squadron / Fliegerregiement 3 at the Vogler Air Base in Hörsching, Upper Austria. The color scheme incorporated all four colors used by the previous squadrons—red, green, blue, and yellow—representing the units stationed at Hörsching and Zeltweg. Each aircraft also featured a letter designation, referred to internally as, for example, the “Yellow Alpha” (YA‑01) or the “Red Bravo” (RB). In addition, the design paid tribute to Austria’s first Saab 105 aerobatic team, the Silver Birds.

The livery differed significantly from the standard camouflage schemes of the rest of the Saab 105OE fleet. It featured a vibrant combination of the four base colors, while the Silver Birds’ arrow and lightning motif adorned the aircraft nose. The upper and lower surfaces of the wings displayed the years 1970‑2000, marking the service period of the Saab 105OE fleet in Austria. The vertical stabilizer featured a stylized squadron emblem, personally airbrushed by Gerhard Kempf, the livery designer. He also designed the squadron patches. A notable aspect of the livery’s execution was its technique: at the time, neither paint spraying nor vinyl wrapping was used. The entire design was applied manually with paint rollers, making it a unique and labor-intensive creation. The 30th-anniversary aircraft was displayed at various events and airshows around 2000. It was affectionately nicknamed “Ferdl” after the squadron commander at the time, Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Wurzer. The Saab 105OE has a long and proud tradition in Austrian service, officially retired in 2020, and special liveries like this one highlight key milestones in the operational history of this iconic aircraft.