Hi all,
Like many others we spent last weekend in France for the airshows at Pau and Cazaux. Those airshows have been reported already, but we did try to find a few wrecks and relics as well.
Cazaux, 6-6
As said I won't repeat the whole airshow log, but a few notes that I haven't seen widely reported:
Alpha Jet maintenance hangar:
Alpha Jet: E79/8-NA, E127, E140/2-FA, E154/120-AL, E176/8-MN, AT06, AT29, AT31, AT33
and also M.346 CMX617 whicvh was towed to the flightline later that day.
Hangar next to hangar with EMB.312's and civil stuff:
Mirage 2000's 115/103-YM, 316/(4-AU), 526/(115-YP), 609/3-IF, 650/(118-IA), 666/133-IQ
We asked and got a short guided tour through the "civil" hangar, and from here we could have a look inside the neighbour hangar as well....
Preserved at CEV end:
MS.760 100/NG
Mirage F.1 04
Stored:
Mirage IIIB 249/13-FE
This is stored (not preserved!) together with some old fire engines and cars in the south western part of the base. Shortly before we left the airshow we met another Dutch spotter who showed us a picture of this Mirage and gave some directions, so we decided to see if we could find this as well, and we did! A nice bonus.....
After the show we made a quick stop at the aerodrome of Arcachon-La Teste de Buch, where a Mystere-nose should be preserved with teh aeroclub. They indeed used to have this one we were told when we were there, but it was on loan from the Armee de l'Air, and a few years ago they had taken it back. No idea where it went of course.
Next day we did the airshow at Pau, which again has been widely reported already. After the show we went over to the civil side, where a few aircraft were seen.
Pau, 7-6
outside:
MD.312 177/319-.. std (F-AZEL)
in Locavions Aero hangar:
SA.316B 1144 std, ex ALAT
SE.3160 (A-407) std, for sale, no tail
L-18C F-GIRJ ex Greece 51-15313
outside with Turbomeca:
SA.365 unknown
This was in a dark green c/s, and was partly covered with plastic. The guard that saw us look at it with a telescope and make a note in our books went crazy; according to him it "was a secret". Then why put it outside when there is an airshow going on at your airfield....?? Anyway, if someone knows more about this one I would be very happy of course. I have already been told it might be Brazialian by the way.
All other Alouettes that used to be with Locavions have been sold to Africa by now by the way.Also in their hangar were SA.315B F-GDFX (c/n 2629) and Cap.10B F-GDTY (c/n 226), which probably both don't have a military past.
Near the airfield is a museum with a few aircraft as well.
Musee des Parachutistes, Pau, 7-6 (43 20 45.80 N, 0 23 11.30 W)
SA.330B 1075/BRY pr
N.2501F 161/63-BP pr
Both are preserved outside and are in reasonably good shape. Apparently the museum also has another Puma inside, but it was closed when we were there and nothing was visible through the windows.
On our way back to Bordeaux we made a quick stop in Tarnos.
Turbomeca, Tarnos, 7-6 (43 32 46.75 N, 1 29 36.45 W)
CM.170 (163) pr, Patrouille de France c/s
This is preserved at the gate and easily visible. They also used to have an Alouette II preserved here, but that has been removed because it was in a bad shape. The guard told us it will either be restored and put back or replaced by another aircraft, which of those we couldn't understand.
Finally we had a quick look around at Bordeaux before we brought back our rental car.
Bordeaux, 7-6
EC.145 F-ZBQF Sec Civile
Mirage IVP 11/AJ pr gate
Mystere 4A (306/8-MW) pr near gate
CM.170 ?? outside, near Dassault hangars
Nothing interesting with the Sogerma facility unfortunately, and at Dassault another guard went crazy when we tried to look inside through the lit windos to get some Falcons. The Fouga was actually seen next morning when we were taxiing out, some for the serial?
And that's it for this weekend trip.
Any comments, additions and corrections are welcome as always.
That's it folks!
Frank Mink
Hielko Overeem
Menno Teunisse
Patrick Dirksen
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