Although the origin of Tiger Meet is a bit fuzzy, it appears to have started with the 79th and No 74 squadron RAF getting together for some whiskey and cheer in 1960. In 1961 the meeting was continued, with the addition of the French EC 1/12, and so the NATO Tiger Association was born. In 1962 then Lt Mike Dugan volunteered as project officer. Lt Dugan, never one to let authority corrupt fighter pilot activities, decided it should be a true “NATO Tiger Day“. He therefore sent letters directly to all the tigers for which he found an address. A number of units immediately accepted but returned their reply “through channels “. This of course resulted in all the HQs (USAFE, 3rd AF, and the 20th Wing) descending on the 79th with “requests” as to what the hell we thought we were doing. Mike’s program won the Wing Commander’s support and they, in turn convinced Head Quarters that NATO Tigers was possible. About this same time a London paper headlined an article, “IRON CROSSES OVER SUFFOLK” or something close. I then got a call from an RAF friend at Fighter Command. It was a “friendly consultation” about “Yank” ignorance. It seems that at that time no German military aircraft were allowed near the UK. He had just spent the day un-ruffling the feathers of the Prime Minister’s press office. He’d indicated to the PR boys that both the RAF and other NATO forces were involved and a refusal of the German forces would be difficult. The result was a limited and somewhat miffed consent. USAFE also approved with file usual admonition that nothing bad better happen. After such a bumpy start, Mike’s planning and drive got everything on track and with the help of a world of people it became a success. A couple of other events colored that gathering. We had a motley assortment of tiger emblems, but the spirit was there. The French brought a large transport loaded with ammo boxes for the various competitions. When opened, most of the boxes contained champagne! The Biggin Hill 'Tiger Moth Club” almost invited themselves. This turned out to be a lucky move, since weather on the flyby day was about 400 ft. in heavy rain. Not to be discouraged -the Moths took off in flights of three and four to do flybys and low level acrobatics. A weird day.   In 2002, the NATO Tiger Meet has been held at Portuguese Beja air base. The 331st Helicopter Squadron was honored there by proclaiming it as the full member of the NATO Tiger Association. The squadron also received the most prestigious trophy, the Silver Tiger. With new 221st Helicopter Squadron designation the unit continues, rejuvenated by new incoming members, in Tiger tradition until today. After the deployment of new JAS-39 Gripen fighters in 2005, four Gripens took part in the NATO Tiger Meet for the first time in 2008 at French Landivisiau. In 2010, the 211st Tactical Squadron has been accepted as the NATO Tiger Association full member at Volkel Air Base and it has been awarded by a Silver Tiger Trophy. The design of this patch was based on the artwork of Melbourne artist Karin Zeller. The artist from Altona Meadows in Melbourne’s southwest was surprised when the Czech Air Force contacted her to use her colourful art of a tiger on one of their aircraft after discovering it online. Ms Zeller created the piece in 1990 for herself but traded it to her brother for a computer before she knew how popular it would be. The original is lost somewhere in Guyana on the northern coast of South America after her brother’s family vacated their home when he was killed in a motorcycle accident.

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