|
Text: |
Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
|
Pictures: |
Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
You can’t necessarily see it from the pictures, but this year’s issue of the air show at La Ferté-Alais was a bit let down by the weather. Rain showers spoilt some of the displays for the audiences. On Saturday the flying had to be interrupted for about half an hour. However, there were also sunny times, and we will certainly concentrate on these. The airshow at La Ferté-Alais has some almost identical features about which we have reported in previous years already.
However, the "Le temps des Hélices" or less prosaic, the time of the propellers always manages to also include new attractions. This year it was the reproduction of the Junkers F13, the Klemm 25 and a North American F-86 Sabre that was seen for the first time in the skies above Cerny. Flying completely without an aircraft was Franky Zapata on his “Hooverboard”.
DFS Habicht E (D-1901) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Extra 330 (F-TGCI) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Curtiss Hawk H-75 (G-CCVH) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat (G-RUMM) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Chance Vought F4U-5 Corsair (F-AZEG) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Transall C.160 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing 777 & Patrouille de France
In the country where the Airbus airliners are assembled, it seems rather unusual to see the national aerobatic team flying in formation with a Boeing 777. However, the French are always good for a surprise. The flypast was a good opening into this years "Le temps des Hélices 2019" The Patrouille de France only flew on Sunday, while the aerobatic team Patrouille Tranchant performed on Saturday.
Boeing 777-300ER (F-GSQI) with Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing 777-300ER (F-GSQI) with Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing 777-300ER (F-GSQI) with Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing 777-300ER (F-GSQI) with Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Les pionners
This year the pioneering days of aviation were represented by the three aircraft, Morane type H (F-AZMS), Blériot XI (F-AZPG) and the Caudron GIII (F-AZMB). These machines can only be flown if there is not too much wind. The performance of their engines is marginal and the fragile machines react to each input of the pilot immediately. For me this is always a highlight of the "Le temps des Hélices" at La Ferté.
Caudron GIII (F-AZMB) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Caudron GIII (F-AZMB) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Blériot XI² (F-AZPG) and Caudron GIII (F-AZMB) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Morane type H (F-AZMS) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The great War
Only a few years after the first powered flight by the Wright brothers on the 17th December 1903 aviation had changed considerably. The first fighter planes were introduced during the First World War.
The topic of the Great War was represented at La Ferté by an Albatros C2 (Replica) (F-AZAV), two Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 (Replicas) X2 (F-AZCN + F-AZCY), a Fokker DR.1 Triplane (Replica) (F-AZVD) and a beautiful Bristol Fighter F-2B (F-AYBF).
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Albatros C2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Fokker DR.1(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader )
Bristol Fighter F-2B (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Fokker DR .1(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Roya l Aircraft Factory SE.5 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Albatros C2(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Germans
For the first time at la Ferté was the reconstruction of a Junkers F13 (HM-RIM). Unfortunately not quite accurate with a Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior radial. In this guise the machine looks rather like an American Junkers-Larsen JL-6. Unlike the original aircraft the reconstruction has brakes and a tailwheel. Proud owner of the machine is Dieter Morszeck who was the previous owner of the well known German suitcase manufacturer Rimowa.
When it first appeared the Junkers F13 was revolutionary with its all metal construction. At the time most aircraft were still using wood and fabric as their main materials for construction. The newly developed duralumin gave the aircraft its ruggedness and made it weatherproof, besides giving the corrugated sheet metal look that was typical for all the following Junkers Airliners.
Junkers F13 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers F13 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior Sternmotor. (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers F13 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers F13 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers F13 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers Ju-52-3M (F-AZJU) and SNCAN Nord 1101 Ramier (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers Ju-52-3M and SNCAN Nord 1101 Ramier (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers Ju-52-3M and SNCAN Nord 1101 Ramier (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Junkers Ju-52-3M and Junkers F13 (HB-RIM) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Junkers Ju-52-3M and SNCAN Nord 1101 Ramier (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
SNCAN Nord 1101 Ramier (ME 208) (F-GMCY)(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Fieseler Fi-156C-3 Storch (F-AZRA) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Fieseler Fi-156C-3 Storch (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Germanys oldest flying aircraft is a frail fabric covered light aeroplane from 1927, the Klemm 25. It has an interesting history. It spent 20 years of its existence in the BMW museum in Munich. On request of the BMW company it was brought back to flying condition by Bitz Flugzeugbau, under the leadership of Josef Griener. A jewel of an engine is the BMW Xa-five cylinder of the Klemm.
Very special is that the BMW-logo appears by LED’s fixed to the propeller
Klemm 25 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Klemm 25 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Klemm 25 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Klemm 25 with BMW-Logo (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Russians
This is also one of the standard topics of the airshow. To the tune of the socialist international anthem the Russians present themselves as Stalin’s falcons. This year there were two Yaks, Yakovlev Yak-11 (F-AZNN) and Yakovlev Yak-3 U (G-OLEG). It was a while since the Polikarpov Po-2 was flying. Formerly in the colours of the Jugoslav air force, it has now been repainted in Russian colours. Often flown by women pilots who were called night witches by the Germans, as their night attacks prevented them from getting any sleep.
Yakovlev Yak-52 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlev Yak-52 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlev Yak-11 (F-AZNN) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlev Yak-11 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Yakovlev Yak-3 U (G-OLEG) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Yakovlev Yak-3 U (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Polikarpov Po-2 (F-AZPO) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Polik arpov Po-2 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
D Day
The celebrations around the 75th anniversary of D-day will still be a topic in other reports of Wings-Aviation. In La Ferté there were two Douglas DC-3 represented by C-47B 35DK (F-AZOX) and C-47A (F-AZTE). The F-AZTE is painted as Air France F-BBBE. They were escorted by two Supermarine Spitfires MK XVI TE 184 (G-MXVI) und MK IX ML407 (G-LFIX). In addition there were two Piper J3 C 65 Cub X 2 observation planes that took part in the flypast.
The Commentator Bernard Chabbert turned the displays into history lessons with his knowledgeable commentary.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Both DC-3 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
C-47B 35DK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
C-47B 35DK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire MK XVI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Piper J3 C 65 Cub (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper J3 C 65 Cub (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper J3 C 65 Cub(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
C-47A (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
F-86 Sabre
For the first time, Frédérick Akary showed the Canadair CL-13B Sabre F-AYSB as F-86F FU-675 in the colours of the 461st Fighter-Day Squadron of the USAF. The 461st Fighter-Day Squadron was one of the few squadrons of the USAF that had camouflaged machines. The machine did some passes and showed the agility of the type.
This type was built by Canadair in Canada and was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hommage à Serge Dassault
Hommage à Serge Dassault was the name for the flypast of different aircraft designed by Dassault. From the first civil aircraft, the MD 311 Flamant (F-AZKT), Rafale, Mirage 2000, Falcon 10 Marine (F-MARI) and the newest product of the Dassault company, the Falcon 8X (F-WWQA). After the Flypast the Rafale departed the formation and showed with an impressive display the performance of this machine.
Hommage à Serge Dassault (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hommage à Serge Dassault (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Falcon 8X (Picture courtesy Ur s Schnyder)
Dassault Falcon 8X (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Falcon 8X (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
MD 311 Flamant (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille Tranchant
For the first time over the aerodrome de Cerny were the Groupe Tranchand with their five Fouga Magister CM170 and a perfect aerobatic program. It reminded one of the Patrouille de France who were flying the small Fouga Magister until 1980. The team Patrouille Tranchant was only founded in 2004 by Jack Krine und Benjamin Tranchant. Today Hugues Duval is the leader, while Jack Krine flies the solo aircraft.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
La Marine Nationale
The Marine took part with a formation of the CM175 Zephir (F-AZPF), Falcon 10 (F-MARI), two MS733 Alcyon, two Rafales and the Brequet Atlantique 2. The two Rafales left the formation and showed an impressive display of fast and slow flypasts and quick direction changes. With the Rafales of the Armée de l'Air and the Marine Nationale the French have an exceptional aircraft.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Franky Zapata and James Bond
It is quite likely that the device of Franky Zapata will feature in one of the next films. It is called a “Hooverboard” and is powered by four small jet engines. It is astonishing to see how Franky Zapatha directs the board by moving his body accordingly. The “Hooverboard” or “Flyboard” was inspired by the film “Back to the future”. Featuring in an earlier James Bond Film was the small Bede 5 (F-PJET)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Franky Zapata (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Bede 5 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Bede 5 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Altogether this years version of "Le temps des Hélices" was again well worth the visit with some never before seen aircraft or displays. It is to be expected, that also next years event will come up with some positive surprises again.
Like always, our thanks goes to Madame Catherine Derenne-Tchakotine from AJBS for providing press accreditation.