BUNTER FREDI 25 years Anniversary

A bird of paradise in the Austrian Armed Forces

How it all started:

A unique special livery for a military aircraft. Presented at the AIRPOWER 2000 air show in Zeltweg, BUNTER FREDI is still flying after 25 years in its original livery, designed by me. It even made the cover of the model building club magazine „IPMS Modell Panorama 2020/2.“ Here’s a look back at how the project began more than two decades ago: In the summer of 2000, AIRPOWER was marked in red on the calendars of all aviation enthusiasts. And the organizer, the Austrian Armed Forces, was also busy with preparations. There was a sense of optimism (or should we say „catch-up demand“) for special liveries on aircraft. The first tentative attempts had already been seen a few years earlier in the Tiger Squadron at Hörsching with the Saab Tiger (YA-01) and in Langenlebarn with the PC-6 „Blaue Elise“ (3G-EK). At the Tiger Squadron, I was working on the 30th anniversary aircraft, the GG-17, when I received a call from the Press and Public Relations Department under the leadership of Colonel Wolf-Dietrich Tesar. Major Paul Kritsch (then Commander of the Air Division) expressed a desire for a military aircraft with a „friendly and peaceful“ special livery. At the squadron level and among the pilots, a martial, aggressive designs with teeth, claws, etc. was preferred. This made the specifications for the „Grisu“ all the more humorous – since the PC-6 is also used as a firefighting aircraft. The „Pink Panther,“ „Black Peter,“ and similar humorous motifs were also in the running. I’ll show a few of these designs for the first time below. Ultimately, however, it became a completely independent design under the working title „Bird of Paradise.“

FREDI spreads its wings:

Implementation began in May 2000 at the Brumowski Air Base in Langenlebarn. The 3G-EL was selected, partially disassembled, the entire exterior surface sanded, masked, and then painted. Several weeks of work were carried out before the aircraft could be reassembled and test-flown for the first time. Just in time – two weeks before the air show in Zeltweg. In honor of Brigadier „Fredi“ Münzer (Head of the Air Materials Staff and thus also responsible for the approval of the project implementation), the Bird of Paradise was officially named „BUNTER FREDI“ FREDI was officially presented at the AIRPOWER and has since been shown at many events at home and abroad. It generated considerable interest. The 3G-EL was in service with the Austrian Air Force until July 2012. Then it was decided to sell some PC-6 and PC-7 aircraft. This ended FREDI’s career in Austria, and his traces were lost.

The future of the Bird of Paradise:

In 2015, the Bird of Paradise reappeared in the USA! In April, a PC-6 with the registration N156PC was registered to JOSUB LCC in North Carolina and received its certificate of airworthiness. And when the aircraft subsequently appeared at air shows, it still looked exactly as it left our Austrian Air Force – including the full military registration 3G-EL and the Austrian national emblem. In 2019, the aircraft was put up for sale again, and rumors are growing that the colorful Fredi will make its way across the pond and find a new home in Switzerland. 2025 – FREDI’s current home base is Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey, Idaho.

Alternate Design Drafts

Here I’m showing you some more designs of FREDI. The idea for the „GRISU“ is due to the PC-6’s ability to be used as a firefighting aircraft. „PINK PANTHER“ is a classic representative of the well-known comic book character. And I could also say something about „BLACK PETER,“ but then I have to kill you!