An official partnership between TUDOR and the Flying Bulls
Some alliances simply make sense. When TUDOR announces its official partnership with The Flying Bulls, the logic is immediate: on one side, a watchmaking brand whose signature is “Born to Dare”; on the other, a squadron that flies historic aircraft to the limits of their flight envelope and flips helicopters through the air the way others pull tricks on a bike. The meeting was always going to happen — two worlds that share the same taste for calculated risk.
On the pilots’ wrists, TUDOR watches now have a very concrete mission: keeping pace with air shows across the world, from one time zone to the next. A use that recalls the brand’s instrumental DNA, inherited from the vision of its founder Hans Wilsdorf: a watch must withstand the most extreme conditions, matched to the boldest lifestyles.
Twelve pilots, forty-five aircraft: who are the Flying Bulls?
The Flying Bulls today are made up of 12 pilots and a fleet of 45 aircraft, including rare historic aeroplanes and aerobatic helicopters. The squadron counts among the most influential names in general aviation, dazzling audiences around the world with manoeuvres that seem to defy the laws of gravity.
The Flying Bulls hangar, near Salzburg Airport, Austria.
The story begins in the late 1980s. At the time, Sigi Angerer, a pilot with the Austrian airline Tyrolean Airways, was flying modern jets but nurtured a deep passion for historic aircraft. Looking for an affordable warbird, he found a North American T-28B and brought it back to Innsbruck to restore it. Very quickly his collection expanded with a Grumman G44 Widgeon and then the legendary Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair.
Meeting Dietrich Mateschitz and the birth of a squadron
It was precisely the Corsair that sparked the meeting between Sigi Angerer and Dietrich Mateschitz, founder of Red Bull. Mateschitz saw in this exceptional aircraft the perfect symbol of the Red Bull slogan “Red Bull gives you wings”. The idea of The Flying Bulls was born. Over the years, the fleet grew in parallel with the worldwide rise of the energy drink.
By the late 1990s, Innsbruck Airport had become too small, and a new hangar was designed near Salzburg Airport. The informal network of pilots and technicians needed a more formal structure: the “Flying Bulls” company was officially founded in 1999. Since then, the combination of technical excellence and spectacular aesthetics has continued to conquer the skies.
“Born to Dare”: a spirit that carries into the cockpit
Launched by TUDOR in 2017, the “Born to Dare” signature tells the stories of those who achieve remarkable feats on land, in the air, underwater or on ice, with a TUDOR watch on their wrist. The partnership with the Flying Bulls naturally extends this editorial line into the third dimension. The brand finds itself here alongside companions it could have written itself: experienced, committed, driven by the same taste for pushing boundaries.
The Black Bay 58 GMT on the wrist of a Flying Bulls pilot: the instrument watch now present at every air show.
Black Bay 58 GMT: the watch chosen for the partnership
TUDOR’s official communication associates this partnership with a specific model: the Black Bay 58 GMT, in its 39 mm steel case with a two-tone black and burgundy bezel (reference m7939g1a0nru-0001). A format that sits in the lineage of the Black Bay 58, with the addition of the GMT function — particularly relevant for pilots who travel from one continent to another between air shows.
TUDOR Black Bay 58 GMT, 39 mm steel case, two-tone black and burgundy bezel — reference m7939g1a0nru-0001.
A new chapter for the TUDOR spirit
With the Flying Bulls, TUDOR adds aviation to its already rich universe of ambassadors, from deep-sea diving to offshore sailing and rally driving. A partnership true to the brand’s instrumental DNA, and a fine story to follow for watch enthusiasts and aviation fans alike. To discover the full TUDOR collection, visit our dedicated TUDOR at Hall of Time page, as well as the Black Bay collection.
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