.
  Villaroche 2024
  Part 1
      .

Text:

Urs Schnyder

Pictures:

Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader


 

 

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   
   

Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III N316BJ (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

PZL-Mielec Lim-2 (MiG-15bis) PP- MIG (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Vought Corsair F4U-5NL F-AZEG  (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Fouga CM-170 Magister F-GSYD (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Cessna 195A F-AYTX (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Extra EA.300SC F-HODV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Yakovlev Yak 3 UAF-AZOS (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Michael E- Fader)

The second weekend in September is now a fixed item in the calendar for everybody interested in historic aircraft. In its seventh year, Air Legend is one of the top four in Europe as far as historic aircraft are concerned. The other three being La Ferte Alais,
Duxford and Shuttleworth.

After a week of dreadful weather all over Europe, the forecast promised fair weather for the weekend. The Friday and Saturday were partly cloudy with the Sunday sunny with not a cloud in sight. Visibility and ceiling were unlimited, which unfortunately led some
pilot to fly higher than on Saturday. There were also some changes to previous years. The static aircraft park could now be accessed by everyone without a special ticket. There were also some changes to the program of which more anon.

There were more than 47’000 tickets sold for both days, which speaks of the success of the event. Pictures for this report were taken during all tree days, Friday to Sunday.

   

Prelude

   

Unlike last year, when the flying started at 13:30 and lasted until after 19:00 it was this year decided to display some aircraft in a separate block from 11:30 until 12:30. There was a short display by a Vellis Electro followed by several helicopters, the Alouette II, Gazelle and a Calliope. A Minijet C101 in formation with a Socata Epsilon, an aerobatic display by Extra330 and a T-28 Trojan.

This change was a good decision, because the airshow managed to complete as planned at 18:00 when there was still good lighting for taking pictures.

   

Pipistrel Vellis Electro F-HOHM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pipistrel Vellis Electro F-HOHM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Sud-Aviatioan SE 3130 Alouette II F-AZYQ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Sud-Aviatioan SE 3130 Alouette II F-AZYQ(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Aerosapatiale AS342M F-AYCR Gazelle (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Aerosapatiale AS342M F-AYCR Gazelle (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North Americam T-28B Trojan F-AYVF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North Americam T-28B Trojan F-AYVF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North Americam T-28B Trojan F-AYVF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Bede BD-5J "Minijet CJ-01(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Bede BD-5J "Minijet CJ-01(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Extra EA.300SC F-HODV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Extra EA.300SC F-HODV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Extra EA.300SC F-HODV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Extra EA.300SC F-HODV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

               

Opening

   

For a change the show started with parachutists from the Armée de l’Air group Phenix. Unusually, their aircraft was an Antonov An-2. While descending, they supported huge flags of 90 years of the Armée de l’Air as well as the French national Flag. When they were safely on the ground, in run a Balbo of 10 North American T-6. They flew in groups of four and three respectively. They did two passes in this formation before coming in to land.

   

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  Balbo-06.JPG (88234 Byte) Balbo-07.JPG (97472 Byte)  

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

French Army Light Aviation

   
 

The army presented three of its current operational and training helicopters. The Airbus NH90 Caiman transport helicopter as well as the Eurocopter EC665 Tiger combat helicopter and the Eurocopter EC120 Caliopé (Colibri). These types are rarely seen at airshows, so they were a welcome sight.

 

Airbus EC-120 Caliopé (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Airbus EC-120 Caliopé (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Airbus EC-120 Caliopé (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

  Terre-06.JPG (40437 Byte) Terre-14.JPG (71145 Byte) Terre-13.JPG (42327 Byte)  

Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Airbus  NH90 Caiman  (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Airbus  NH90 Caiman (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Airbus  NH90 Caiman (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Airbus  NH90 Caiman (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Classic Formation

   

The Classic Formation with its highly polished aircraft is quite well known to airshow visitors. This time however, it was not the Swissair DC-3 that led the three Beech 18, but a C-47 in D-Day markings. The display itself is now well rehearsed and practised so the different formation changes are very well executed.

   

(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)

   

Flying Bulls

   
 

The flying Bulls are good supporters of Airshows and were present with four aircraft. The P-51 which did fly in a formation of three together with the P-38 and their Corsair, we had not seen in Red Bull colours before. Thankfully, they have kept their logos low key and therefore preserved its previous identity. The formation flying of the three aircraft is really impressive to see.

 

(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)

   

Lockheed P-38L Lightning (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed P-38L Lightning (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed P-38L Lightning (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North American P-51D Mustang OE-EFB (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North American P-51D Mustang OE-EFB (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

The DC-6 is contrasting to the fighters by its sheer size. That of course doesn’t mean it is restricted to level flight as was well shown. With its four huge radials, one is left to wonder how much oil is consumed during the display.

   

Douglas DC-6B OE-LDM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-6B OE-LDM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-6B OE-LDM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-6B OE-LDM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-6B OE-LDM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Early Jets

   

A de Havilland Vampire and a Canadair CT-33 both in the colours of the Armée de l’Air represented this era. The Vampire is actually a former Swiss Air Force aircraft, as indicated by the pointed nose in which the VHS radio was housed. The Canadair CT-133 Siver Star is a Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star built by Avro Canade that was in service with the Canadian Armed Forces until 2001. Since September 2029, the aircraft has been stationed in  La Roche sur Yon and is operated TopGun Volitge by François Dubreuil. The codes on the nose "QR-34" come from the imagination of the illustrator Albert Uderzo from "Tanguy et Laverdure", a popular comic strip in France. The badge with the green star of Morocco and a stork is that of the Meknès hunting school, where some of the 163 T-33As and RT-33As were in service.

  Vampire-02.JPG (39484 Byte) Vampire-05.JPG (34523 Byte) Vampire-04.JPG (39288 Byte) Vampire-03.JPG (34969 Byte)  

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Mk.6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Michael E- Fader)

  T-33-01.JPG (44672 Byte) T-33-02.JPG (42496 Byte) T-33-03.JPG (40556 Byte) T-33-04.JPG (42032 Byte) T-33-05.JPG (41937 Byte)  

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Canadair CT-133 Siver Star  F-AYMD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Rare Birds

   
 

The Jet Pitts is rarely seen outside of Britain. It is owned by Richard Goodwin who is a former RAF pilot who has heavily modified a Pitts special. The most obvious are the two additional jet engines attached to the fuselage sides in front of the cockpit.
There is also a new wing with extra large ailerons. The changes give the aircraft a spectacular performance. It was its first demonstration in France.

Goodwin-08.JPG (84210 Byte)  

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pitts S-2E Special (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

 

The Beech At-11 Kansan is another rare type. It is a version of the Beech-18 produced during the war for training the bombardiers who then served in Americas bombers. This is the first time we have seen this aircraft despite it being based in Germany. However, like many historic aircraft owned by Germans, they are hardly ever seen on public events like airshows which is a pity.

The organisers of Air Legend are therefore to be congratulated for bringing such rare aircraft to the airshow.

Beech-06.JPG (81056 Byte)  

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK with open Bombbay (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader

Beech AT-11 Kansan N15KK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)


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last update 9. October 2024

Written 6. October 2024

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