Chasing special paint schemes

For many aviation enthusiasts, military aircraft are fascinating in their own right. For a select group of spotters and photographers, however, the greatest thrillcomes from pursuing something even more unique: special paint schemes.

Around the world, air forces regularly apply commemorative liveries to selected aircraft. These striking designs celebrate squadron anniversaries, national milestones, international exercises, retirement ceremonies, and the final years of iconic aircraft types before they leave military service. Some are seen only for a single season, while others appear at just a handful of air shows before returning to standard camouflage.

Chasing these aircraft has become a passion that combines aviation, travel, and photography. It often means crossing borders, following air show calendars, monitoring exercise deployments, and sometimes waiting for hours, or even days, for the opportunity to capture a single aircraft wearing a rare design. Every successful sighting tells a story, preserving a moment in military aviation history that maynever be repeated.

Specially painted aircraft appear at air shows, open days, international exercises, anniversary celebrations, and farewell events for retiring fleets. From colourful tiger markings and heritage liveries to anniversary tails and farewell schemes, each design reflects the pride, tradition, and history of the unit that flies it.

This pursuit is about more than collecting photographs. It is about documenting the history of military aviation through the aircraft that represent important milestones. Every special paint scheme marks an event, honours the people who served, orcelebrates the legacy of an aircraft that has shaped decades of aviation history.

Whether travelling across Europe or to the other side of the world, the excitement remains the same: discovering where the next special painted aircraft will appear and capturing a unique piece of aviation history before it disappears forever.

More pictures can be found here.