Dijon, the former home of the Dukes of Burgundy and, of course, the outstanding Burgundy wine, comes from the vines growing all around the area, and then there's Dijon mustard (Well, the recipe is from there), so what's not to like?
Oh! And, of course, there was Base Aérienne BA102, home to Escadron de Chasse 01.002 'Cigogne' (Stork) and 02.002 'Côte d'Or' (Golden coast), both flying Mirage 2000-5F.
As one of Frances's oldest airbases, created in 1914, the Second World War saw Luftwaffe units seizing control in 1941. The USAAF later bombed it with its B-17s before being assigned to the USAAF in 1944 as an operational base.
Back to the mission: visit BA102 for their airshow, which was held back in June 2004 and witness the show highlight of at least one Mirage 2000 from almost all the de l'Armee de l'air units operating the type in their many variants, all culminating with the arrival of the 'The King' a Mirage 1VP and its support KC-135 tanker aircraft.
"Bring it on."
42/2-FH Mirage(5F), 122/12-YA(C), 367/4-AW(N), 91/12-KC(C), 659/3-XR(D), 72/2-EE(5F)SpM, and 59/2-EV(5F) part of an awesome line up of Mirage 2000s gathered at Dijon 94.
72/2-EE Mirage 2000-5F Escadron de Chasse. 01.002 'Cigogne' (Storks) sporting Special marks.
72 Mirage 2000-5F, eleven years after the event, was written off on the 27th of February 2006.
659/3-XR Mirage 2000D EC.03.003 'Ardennes' arrives from BA133 at Nancy-Ochey.
659/3-XR taxies with its 'Hure de Sanglier-Berre Bleue' (Wild Boar Head-Blue Bar) tail markings.
Today, it is still active.
367/4-AW Mirage 2000N EC.01.004 'Dauphiné' arriving from BA116 at Luxeuil/St Sauveur.
367/4-AW Mirage 2000N full stop.
It is a full stop today as this aircraft is now an Instructional airframe at Base Aérienne 721 at Rochefort St Agnant airbase.
Sadly, the weather was starting to haze as more Mirage 2000s arrived overhead for the break.
A four-ship of home-based Mirage 2000-5F's
42/2FH, 48/2-FX, 49/2-FF and 58/2-FO EC.02.002 'Cote de Or'.
More home team with 46/2-EN and 59/2-EV EC.01. 002 'Cigogne'.
Also, another wave of Mirage 2000s and another run and break.
516/5-OL Mirage 2000B and 9/5-OJ Mirage 2000C, EC.02 005 'Ile de France' from BA115 down at Orange.
122/12-YA Mirage 2000C EC01.012 arriving from BA103 based at Cambrai-Épinoy, it later became 315-YM.
48/2-FX Mirage-5F EC02. 002, it later became 2-EW and is still active.
42/2-FH Mirage-5F becoming 2-EY and still flying.
122/12-YA Mirage 2000C EC01. 012.
91/12-KL Mirage 2000C EC02. 012 becoming 188-YR and today stored at BA279 at Châteaudun.
58/2-FO followed by 49/2-FF, both from the EC02.002 home team.
She looked as good then as she does today.
Before the storm, temperatures were blistering as the air filled with aviation fuel.
49/2-FF joins the lineup.
Getting up close with those sacrament tail marks
Dijon's best EC. 01.002 'Cigogne' (2-EA etc) and EC.02.002 'Cote d'Or' (2-FA).
46/2-EN Mirage 2000-5F EC.01. 002. 'Cigogne' completes the lineup.
Pilots and ground crews attending their Mirages whilst we await the 'King' of Mirages!
736/93-CH KC-135FR from ERV00. 093 'Bretagne' based at Istres/ Le Tubé delivers the 'King.'
23/AV Mirage 4P ERS01. 091, formerly based at Mont-de-Marsan.
23/AV Mirage 4P downwind at Dijon.
23/AV Mirage 4P taxing as the first large spots of rain start to fall. This is still the Iconic photograph of that great day out!
Happy Days! Indeed.
