RAF Typhoon Display Team Announces retirement of ‘Moggy’
The Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon Display Team has announced the retirement of ZJ913, its iconic Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 fighter jet. Known as ‘Moggy’ the aircraft recently left 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby and flew direct to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland where it will serve as a Ground Training Aircraft (GTA).
The video in this post was filmed by our friend Dafydd Phillips, while the photo in this post that served as thumbnail of his footage was to him by photographer Pawel Momont.
Phillips explains;
‘Moggy was probably one of the shortest lived special painted jets used for the airshow season. On a personal level I was fortunate to capture it at many airshows during the 2024 season, Sadly it eluded me when it visited the Mach loop as did ‘Blackjack’ the previous seasons typhoon. So here is the last time I captured ZJ913 at the Sanicole International Airshow 2024 in Belgium.
Commemorating D-Day
Moggy was unveiled in April at RAF Coningsby and represented the special painted display aircraft for the RAF Typhoon Display Team 2024 Display Season.
The aircraft paint scheme included features that commemorated D-Day, with 2024 being the 80th Anniversary of the allies invading Europe.
The aircraft is painted in a 1944 era ‘Day Fighter’ scheme that remembers a Hawker Typhoon of 257 Squadron, FM-G. On D-Day this aircraft was flown by Pilot Officer Denzel Jenkins.
Jenkins began the war as an airman and was commissioned as an officer in Jan 1944. Later, he became Officer Commanding (OC) 257 and was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bold features, including the RAF Tactical Recognition Flash and the D-Day invasion features, bring heaps of heritage to the display team this year.
The display aircraft ZJ913 was nicknamed Moggy and Flight Lieutenant Turnbull from RAF 29 Squadron was the display pilot.
FGR.Mk 4
The Typhoon FGR.Mk 4 is a highly capable and extremely agile multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed on a variety of air operations, including air policing, peace support and high-intensity conflict. Initially deployed in the air-to-air role as the Typhoon F.Mk 2, the aircraft now has a potent, precision multi-role capability as the FGR4. The pilot performs many essential functions through the aircraft’s hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) interface which, combined with an advanced cockpit and the Helmet Equipment Assembly (HEA), renders Typhoon superbly equipped for all aspects of air operations.
Although Typhoon has flown precision attack missions in all its combat deployments to date, its most essential role remains the provision of quick reaction alert (QRA) for UK and Falkland Islands airspace. Detachments have also reinforced NATO air defence in the Baltic and Black Sea regions.
Photo by Pawel Momont
