(Report by By Adam Docherty)

FIRST IT was the Tartan Army. Then it was the Tartan Navy. Now it’s chocks away for the maiden flight of the Tartan Air Force!

Stalwarts from the football-daft Hebridean Bar in Edinburgh have chartered a private jet to follow Bertie Vogts’ men on their Euro-qualifying trail to the Faroes and Iceland in the autumn.

But their plans almost failed to get off the ground when they found they’d competition for the jet — Scotland’s national side were after it too!

The tug-of-war was only resolved on Friday when Ken Christiansen, sales manager with the Faroese-based Atlantic Airlines, confirmed they’d organised extra flights to accommodate players AND fans.

So on Friday, September 6, 80 fans will take off on the Tartan Air Force’s first sortie from Glasgow Airport to the Faroe Islands on the BAC-146 jet.

‘Wing Commander’ John Stirling (an Edinburgh bobby in real life) first sounded out the bold new idea on the Tartan Army bulletin board.

Even by Tartan Army standards he was overwhelmed by the response — more than 2500 hits on the bulletin board in two days with over 200 people putting their name down for a seat. The two-hour flight will set back the Scotland fanatics £18,400, working out at £230 each.

Ken Christiansen said, “We’re delighted to welcome the Tartan Army to the Faroe Islands. Of course, we hope they go home disappointed.”

John hopes to negotiate a double-header with the company to take in a trip to Iceland, too. But at the moment, that will work out at a pricey £460 each and negotiations are ongoing.

Belhaven breweries, owners of the Hebridean, stepped in when Atlantic Airlines insisted it would only charter to a business.

“We were tipped off that since the draw a couple of other parties have been trying to hire the same jet. Obviously when we heard the other party was the Scotland team we couldn’t object,” laughs John.

He has also been in touch with the Faroese Tourist Board to organise billets for the Tartan Air Force.

“If we can’t find enough commercial accommodation we’ll be approaching the press to ask if locals will open their doors to us,” John added.

“If past overseas campaigns are anything to go by, the Tartan Army won’t have trouble finding somewhere to bed down for the night.”

Original Report from The Sunday Post