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  La Ferté Alais 2024
  Part 1
      .

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Text:

Urs Schnyder

Pictures:

Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader


 

 

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   
 

The weather forecast for this years meeting was not very promising with rain predicted for both days. We decided to try and get there early on Friday to have a look at the rehearsals. This proved to be a sound decision as the weather was stable the whole day and almost the whole program was rehearsed. Some of the pictures in this report were therefore taken on Friday. However, the weather on the weekend was not as bad as predicted. Besides a few raindrops in between, there was only one short shower on Saturday.

Despite the bad weather forecast, 30’000 people visited the airshow.

 
 

 
 

   

Paramotor patrol

   
 

The 51st meeting "Le temps de helice" surprised with a completely new start into the program.

Instead of the Jodel and Cri-Cri of past meetings, there were a great number of motorized paragliders that took to the air and formed up into giant stacks normally seen at parachutists displays. The flyers carry a sizeable backpack with the engine and all the petrol. They are only separated from the whirling propeller at their back by a thin net.

 

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

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(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

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(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

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(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

The Pioneers

   

While the Caudron G3 managed to display on both public days, the Morane H and the Bleriot only managed an outing on Friday. One of the problems on the weekend was the crosswind which was probably too strong. The Bleriot taxied out to the end of the runway on Saturday but didn’t take to the air.

  Pioneers-11.JPG (56106 Byte) Pioneers-31.JPG (90389 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  Pioneers-33.JPG (48689 Byte) Pioneers-01.JPG (57945 Byte) Pioneers-02.JPG (46682 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Caudron G3, F-AZMB (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Caudron G3, F-AZMB (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Caudron G3, F-AZMB (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

The time of aces

   

The first air combats in World War 1 were represented by two Fokker Dr.1 and two Se5a fighters. Both of course were the mounts of famous aces from their countries. All four machines are replicas with modern engines. For that reason they can be flown more or less without having to consider engine life as is the case when flying original aircraft.

It is however a pity that none of the other planes from that area were in the air but could only be seen in the static park. To flesh out the display a bit and provide a sense of a crowded sky three Bücker Jungmann and three Stampe were used to simulate formations in action.

   

Sophwith 1 1/2 Strutter F-AZNM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Bristol F2B Fighter F-AZBF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Morane Saulnier MS-138 F-AZAJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Bücker Jungmann (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

RAF SE-5a F-AZCY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  Ace-01.JPG (47859 Byte)  

RAF SE-5a F-AZCN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

RAF SE-5A F-AZCN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fokker DR.1 F-AYDR (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Bücker Jungmann F-PBSF(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Stampe SV-4 F-BXCD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Team Raven

   

After their first showing at La Ferté last year, the Team Raven from England crossed the Channel again this year to display at the meeting.The team of six is composed of Raven 1 (G-MAXV) – Simon ‘Sid’ Shirley, Raven 2 (G-VFDS) – Peter Wells, Raven 3 (G-EGRV) – Barry Gwynnett, Raven 4 (G-CIBM)  – Gerald Williams, Raven 5 (G-SOUT) – Russ Eatwell and Raven 6 (G-CISM ) – Mark Southern.  They fly the Van's Aircraft RV-8 and RV-4. The Team was formed in 2014 and all members had prior display experience.

   

(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)

   

Mauboussin 125

   
 

The Mauboussin M.120 was a trainer and touring aircraft built in France in the 1930s and again in the years following World War II. The M.125 was a version with Régnier 4Jo engine. Altogether only 5 were built.This was the first time we have seen this aircraft displayed at La Ferté.

 

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

F/A-18 Solo Display

   

Modern Jets from other countries armed forces are quite rare at La Ferté. This year they managed to get the F-18 Display from the Swiss Air Force, with Hauptmann Marcel "Frodo" Rust flying the aircraft.

  F-18-01.JPG (41578 Byte) F-18-02.JPG (42820 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   F-18-03.JPG (39041 Byte)  F-18-04.JPG (42024 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Lysander

   

The Westland Lysander (G-CCOM) was originally developed as an Army cooperation aircraft. With strong fighter opposition this role became obsolete and it found a new lease of life with the special operations executive in bringing and fetching secret agents into occupied countries. Because of its nature these missions were not generally known to the public. It needed special skills and determination to fly at night into unknown territory and land there on a strip of land marked by the local resistance. There was always the possibility that the enemy was waiting for them or the ground was unsuitable to land on. However, the Lysander with its short take off capability was the ideal machine for these missions.

  Lysander-02.JPG (90531 Byte) Lysander-01.JPG (108799 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

80 Years D-Day   

   

This year is of course the 80th anniversary of the allied landings in the Normandie which started the liberation of France and the rest of Europe. The ubiquitous Douglas C-47 B Skytrain which played such an important role in the landings was flying in formation with two Spitfire and a P-47 Thunderbolt. Appropriately most decked out in distinctive Markings, more commonly known as invasion stripes. The Stripes on the Spitfire Fr XIV E even appeared to have been applied by brush, as indeed they were on most aircraft at that time. The exception was Spitfire Mk XIX in its far east scheme. Again, it was remarkable how well the white stripes showed against a cloudy sky, thereby proving their effectiveness.

   

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-47 B Skytrain F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-47 B Skytrain F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

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Douglas C-47 B Skytrain F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN  (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN  (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  D-Day-02.JPG (80733 Byte)  

Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Supermarine Sptifire PR MK XIX F-AZJS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Supermarine Sptifire PR MK XIX F-AZJS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Supermarine Sptifire PR MK XIX F-AZJS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Supermarine Sptifire PR MK XIX F-AZJS (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Stalins Falcons

   

Founded by Marina Raskova, the 588th Night Bomber Regiment became the first all female unit in the Soviet Air Force. They flew the obsolete Polikarpov Po-2 in night harassment missions over German occupied Territory. The Germans called them the Night Witches.  Later they also flew fighter planes and several German pilots reported encountering them in combat.

However, the Yakovlev Yak-3 fighter is mostly associated in France with the Free French unit of Normandie Niemen, a title given to them by Stalin. After the war they were permitted to take their Yaks back to France. One of which has survived in the Museum in Le Bourguet.

   

Polikarpov Po-2 F-AZDB  (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Polikarpov Po-2 F-AZDB  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Polikarpov Po-2 F-AZDB  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Polikarpov Po-2 F-AZDB  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Polikarpov Po-2 F-AZDB  (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  Russia-01.JPG (79101 Byte)  

Yakovlev Yak-3 UA F-AZLY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Yakovlev Yak-3 UA F-AZLY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Yakovlev Yak-3 UA F-AZLY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Yakovlev Yak-3 UA F-AZLY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Yakovlev Yak-3 UA F-AZLY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Reenactors

   
 

There were many more reenactors this years than in previous years. They marched along the crowdline grouped into themes like Germans, US or british Military.

 

(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)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

In 14 days, the second part of the report of the 51st edition of "Le temps de helice" will be published in La Ferté-Ailais.


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last update 8. June 2024

Written 1. June 2024

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