The open day at the Air France technical school at Massy was the reason for a little jaunt to Paris. Again the trip was planned through Google Earth and programmed into TomTom. Hans van Herk joined me at Breda around 20.15hr and we drove to Paris and had our first beer before midnight. The weather forecast was good for Saturday and rain was expected for Sunday. So Saturday was scheduled for lots of smaller airfields and Sunday for a few more and the large museum at le Bourget where we had not been inside for many years. This last part was skipped from this report.
The presentation below is type serial code c/n department unit/location status and finally some remarks.
28mar08 LFPG Paris-Charles de Gaulle
A310-304 (422) F-RADB 422 AF ET03.060 act
A340-211 (081) F-RAJA 081 AF ET03.060 act
29mar08 LFPG Paris-Charles de Gaulle
A310-304 (422) F-RADB 422 AF ET03.060 act
A340-211 (081) F-RAJA 081 AF ET03.060 act
29mar08 LFPB Paris-Le Bourget
DC-8-72F 45819 F-RAFC 45819/238 AF Paris-Le Bourget (F) std
Beech 1900D F-GTVC UE-342 PO Police act
B727-282/Super27 XT-BFA 22430/1715 GV Government act
L-100-30 HZ-129 4957 AF 1 Sqn/Royal Flight act
B737-7FG HZ-MF1 33405/1204 GV Ministry of Fin/Econ. act
Da50 ST-PSR 114 GV Government act
Stored far side
DC-8-53 45570 F-RAFE 45570/134 AF Paris-Le Bourget (F) std
P2V-7 (148335) 335 726-7264 AF Paris-Le Bourget (F) std
F-8P 10 1227 AF Paris-Le Bourget (F) std
CL-215-1A10 (F-ZBAY) - 1023 GV Paris-Le Bourget (F) std Bare metal
Highlights were two Saudi aircraft parked next to each other and the Sudan Government outside with Falcon Service. Inside with the latter was an Italian Falcon, we were too lazy to read it as we do not need any. On the far side we noticed a new addition to the French Police, a Beech 1900D. We read it as F-GTVO, but read it correctly the next day.
29mar08 LF16 Paris-Creteil
CM170 19 19 AF Paris-Creteil (F) pres
The aircraft can be clearly seen from the main entrance of the school.
29mar08 LF45 Paris-Massy
AT-6D (H-16) H 88-15778 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a as F-BJBH
AT-6C (H-40) J 88-12046 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a as F-BJBJ
Da20C 124 CC 124/433 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a
Da20C 238 F-RAEE 238/477 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a 'Rene Peret'
T-33A 51-6520 HC 580-5852 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a old markings 314-WA also visible
T-33A (51-6524) OF 580-5856 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a old markings 8-OF also visible
T-33A 51-8693 13-TF 580-6477 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a
T-33A 52-9867 314-WL 580-8173 AF Paris-Massy (F) i/a
T-33A (51-6525) 580-5857 AF Paris-Massy (F) std
T-33A 53-5339 XC 580-8678 AF Paris-Massy (F) std
Main goal for this trip. Hangar 66 is the location for no less than four T-33s, wow! We were very early and could also take a couple of pictures. Later on this was forbidden. Two other T-33s were seen in a little building nearby. The missing serial was taken from the school website. According to this website 51-6524 arrived on 27 September 1982. Therefore the T-33A at St Dizier marked ‘16524’ should be fake.
29mar08 LFPN Toussus le Noble
AB47G-2 (111) 111 AF as OO-FBL civil
Bell 47G-2 (1638) 1638 AF as OO-LRL civil
Heli Union
AS350U-2 2851 F-ZLAI 2851 AF EPNER act with Heli Union
AS532UL 2324 - 2324 AR 1RHC act with Heli Union
AS555UN (5608) - 5608 AR EHADT act with Heli Union, primer
SA365N 91 6091 NY 35F act with Heli Union
AS365F-1 318 6318 NY 35F act with Heli Union
There were two more civil SolAir Dauphins, D2-EWF/F-WQSR and D2-EWG/F-WQRT and two more unidentified Dauphins (one in bare metal and one in primer with a dark blue top fuselage ) in bits and pieces.
29mar08 LFPZ Saint Cyr L’Ecole
L-4H (43-30435) 11725 AR as F-BFQN civil
29mar08 LFPX Chavenay-Villepreux
MS317 306 306 AF as F-BGUZ civil H17
Nord 1101 136 136 AF as F-BLQU civil H1 marked F-SCFM, ELP-47-markings
SV-4C (1148) 1148 AF as F-AZO(M) civil H18
L-18C (115476) 18-1476 AR as F-BOUF civil H17 Under restoration
Bulldog T.1 XX532 218 AF as F-AZOB civil H1
L-4H (43-30362) 11653 AR as (F-BDUV) civil H18
L-4H-PI (44-79571) 11867 AR as F-BFFP civil H18
Yak-50 (60) 812103 AF as (F-AZZA) civil H18
Yak-52 (150 ye) 8910303 AF as (RA-1115K) civil H18
In Hangar 1 a homebuilt JN760 F-AZJY was also present. The L-18C is an assumption, according to EMOOS it was under restoration in that hangar. EMOOS lists XX532 as XX533. The Yak50 was identified by its colour scheme. Besides the above two unidentified yellow Piper Cubs were also present in the hangar 18.
29mar08 LFPF Beynes-Thiverval
Mirage 3E 578 3-JM 578 AF Beynes (F) pres
A little maintenance was being performed which allowed us to check the construction number of this beast.
29mar08 LFXU Les Mureaux
N2501F 202 202 AF Les Mureaux (F) pres
MS733 129 129 AF as F-BNEC civil
Chipmunk Mk.20 1333 OGMA-23 AF as F-AZGP civil
The majority of the hangars was closed and the ones open held the above two.
29mar08 LFFC Mantes-Cherence
CM170 171 171 AF Mantes-Cher. (F) pres
L-19E (24522) 24522 AR as F-GFVA civil
As we arrived the Birddog was just being refuelled and prepared for another towing mission.
29mar08 LF46 Les Andelys
Mirage F1C (101) 30-MI ? AF Les Andelys (F) pres Special c/s
The museum is signposted and the F1 hard to miss in its bright colours.
29mar08 LFPT Pontoise-Cormeilles en Vexin
Devon C.2 (VP962) 04212 AF as G-OPLC civ
29mar08 LFPA Persan-Beaumont
Mirage 5J (33) 33 AF Persan (F) pres
Hughes 500C H-213 71-0213M AR as F-HDNK civil
Alouette II 253 1489 AF as F-GJPX civil
Cap10 (10) 10 AF as F-GPOP civil
SV-4C 357 357 AF as F-BNRZ civil
L-18C (115376) 18-1367 AR as F-BOML civil
Stearman ? ? AR as F-AZGJ civil c/n reported as 75SA28?
The Mirage 5 is now painted in a fantasy colour scheme. There was lots of activity around this little airfield. We were surprised to see the Danish chopper in its full c/s. We need to check J3c F-GGKB 14986 for its history.
29mar08 LFFE Enghien-Moisselles
L-4J (44-80508) 12804 AR as F-BTDX civil
SV-4A (247) 247 AF as F-BMMH civil
It was already becoming late and flying was coming to and end. Both were parked in the last hangar on the left.
29mar08 LF47 Taverny
Mirage 3C (64 2-EA) 64 AF Taverny (F) pres as '25'
Clearly visible from the main gate from the l’Armee de l’Air barracks.
29mar08 LF48 Argenteuil
Mirage 3E 570 570 AF Argenteuil (F) pres
This Mirage was not visible from outside according to EMOOS. Google Earth led me to believe it was and we were not disappointed. Although we had seen 570 both before at Châteaudun we wanted to check its identity. The tailrudder was painted in the French colours and was clearly marked 570. It was already getting dark so the picture s*cks a bit.
29mar08 Paris Planet Holywood
Saturday night, what better place to look for (pieces of) aircraft than downtown Paris. At the address mentioned in EMOOS a bar/restaurant was located, but it was not called Planet Hollywood and no C-123 was found.
29mar08 LF49 Paris-Balard
Mirage 3E 529 3-JS 529 AF Paris-Balard (F) pres
Beautifully lit was this Mirage 3 painted in the old colours.
30mar08 LFPO Paris-Orly
Canso A (9767) 21996 NY as CF-CRR civil as C-FCRR
This Canso was lingering among the big cargo birds on the cargo area of Orly.
30mar08 LFPV Villacoublay
MS760 (113) 113 AF Villacoublay (F) pres
N262D (78 78 AF Villacoublay (F) std
The Paris is pole mounted near the main gate in special colours while the N262 is stored near the control tower.
30mar08 LFPY Bretigny
H-34A SKY421 68-OF 58-0421 AF Bretigny (F) pres
Jaguar A A15 A15 AF Bretigny F) pres
Mirage 3R 02 2 AF Bretigny (F) pres
Vautour 2N (355) 125 AF Bretigny (F) pres
Again Google Earth helped to find the way to the Eurocontrol main gate where we found the H-34. The Vautour can clearly be seen from the east side of the airfield. We also tried to get a peak on the group of preserved aircraft on base but this was impossible, too many buildings. The Jaguar is a new addition to the Mirage at the CEV main gate.
30mar08 LFPM Melun-Villaroche
Vautour 2N 337 84 AF Melun (F) pres
Gomhouria 321 145 AF Melun-Villaroche (F) std
Gomhouria ? ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) std
? 122 ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) std
Nord 1101 ? ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) std
AD-4NA Skyraider (37) 7798 AF as (F-AZKY) civil as ('USN 126937')
MS505 (654) BE+JF 654 AF as F-BEJF civil Luftwaffe c/s
MS733 110 110 AF as F-BLYG civil
AD-4N Skyraider (11 22-DG) 7609 AF as (F-AZFN) civil as 'AdlA 125716'
C-53D (42-68810) 11737 AR as N49AG civil
T-6D (51-14387) 182-74 AF as F-AZEF civil as 'USN 14387'
B-17G 44-8846 DS-M J 8246VE AR as F-AZDX civil 'The Pink Lady'
TBM-3E Avenger (85869 SK-401) 2688 NY as F-AZJA civil
Yak-50 ? ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) civil
Yak-52 ? ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) civil dark green c/s
Yak-52 ? ? AF Melun-Villaroche (F) civil dark green c/s
This was supposed to be another highlight but nobody was present at this hangar or the complete airfield for that matter, on this Sunday morning. Through holes in the former CEV hangar doors and windows of the little workshops we still managed to see a lot of aircraft. We could use some help with identifying a couple of French aircraft which were under restoration. I took a couple of pictures through the windows. Also seen was a bright yellow Tiger Moth The Vautour is preserved at the nearby SNECMA factory, not on the airfield. The B-17 and C-53 were both in the hangars on the left, when entering the airfield. If anyone can help with identifying the below three it would be very much appreciated. All three were located in little workshops one the side and back of the hangar. Pictures were taken through the windows.
30mar08 LFAI Nangis-Les Loges
Cap10B 18 18 AF as F-GUMI civil
Cap10B 126 126 AF as F-GUMI civil
30mar08 LFFK Fontenay-Le Compte
Br763 (306) 6 AF Fontenay-Le C. (F) pres as 'F-BACC'
30mar08 LFPL Lognes-Emerainville
AT-6D (H-103 RD-2) 88-14510 AF as F-AZRD civil as 'AdlA 114906'
An-2T (452) 173(473)09 AF as F-AZHB civil
C-45G (51-11908) AF-465/02 AF as F-AZZF civil modified to Sferma PD-18S with c/n 02
Yak-50 (05 bl) 832507 AF as F-AZYZ civil
Yak-50 (55) 812008 AF as F-AZYP civil
Yak-52W (07 ye) 899310 AF as RA-01070K civil
Yak-52 (111 ye) 889009 AF as RA-1529K civil
Yak-52 (124 ye) 878107 AF as RA-K1474 civil
Another busy airfield with nice bits and pieces in several hangars and outside. Inside the Aero Club Paris Est and unmarked Nord 1002 was noted in bare metal. Outside was a yellow/blue AN-2 SP-FVM (1G188-35) and black Mi-2 RA-1149K (549532125).
30mar08 Paris-Porte de la Villette
According to a friend the Mirage was visible from outside, but the glare from outside prevented us from doing so. There was a very long line for the ticket booths so we gave up and have to return another time.
30mar08 LFPB Paris-Le Bourget
B727-282/S27 XT-BFA 22430/1715 GV Government act
L-100-30 HZ-129 4957 AF 1 Sqn/Royal Flight act
DC-8-72F 45819 F-RAFC 45819/238 AF Paris-Le Bour. (F) std
Da20C (22) CS 22 AF Paris-Le Bour. (F) i/a
30mar08 LFPG Paris-Charles de Gaulle
A310-304 (422) F-RADB 422 AF ET03.060 act
A340-211 (081) F-RAJA 081 AF ET03.060 act
30mar08 LFPC Creil-Senlis
Mirage 4P (59) CF 59 AF Creil-Senlis (F) pres Special c/s
Super Mystère B2 139 10-RE 139 AF Creil-Senlis (F) pres
Mirage 3E 565 565 AF Creil-Senlis (F) i/a
Mirage 3R 322 TB 322 AF Creil-Senlis (F) i/a
CN235M-200 (160) 62-IS C160 AF ET01.062 act
30mar08 EB24 Antwerpen
F-84F FU-36 ? AF Antwerpen (OO) pres