Legendary Moments in Military Aviation: CL415

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Saturday, October 15, 2022

Cognac BA709 Meeting National Airshow 2022

It was a long wait. BA709 at Châteaubernard (Cognac) has been selected to host the 2020 Armée del Air and Space Meeting National or National Air Force Airshow. A Worldwide COVID pandemic saw the cancellation of this, along with most other major events.

A new date was set for 2021. What could go wrong? Yet another wave of World sweeping COVID-19 witnessed the cancellation once again. By the time we reached 2022, it was anybody's guess as to what would happen.

As dates started appearing on the 2022 airshow calendar, it was announced. Cognac initially hosted that year's National Meeting intended for the previous two years at BA709 Châteaubernard airbase.

The last show staged at Cognac was back in 2013. Since that time, a lot has changed. The TB-30 Epsilon training aircraft have given way to Pilatus PC-21s, the civilian-registered Grob G120As operated by SOCATA/EADS, and the AdlA MQ-9A Reaper drones are also now based at Cognac.

12/709FN PC-21 seen landing back at Cognac.

532/33-EN MQ-9A Reaper ED.02.033 'Savoie'.

94/315-XK TB-30 Epsilon French Air Force

94/315-XK TB-30 Epsilon "Petit Prince" special marks, one of two preserved at Cognac, the other being 105/F-SEXV in the colours of the "Cartouche Doré" display team.

650/3-IA Mirage 2000D from EC01.003 at Nancy-Ochey arriving for the static display.

A footnote: after weeks of sunshine, the Friday arrivals day was to see overcast and misty conditions.

CE.16-01/11-01 EF2000T Ala 11 EdA. Arriving along with C.16-52/11-52 and C.16-40/11-40, both EF2000s also from Ala 11.

46+44 Tornado ECR TLG51 GAF.

F-AYSB F-86A Sabre marked as 01675/FU-675 ex 01+13.

Sunrise on Saturday morning, clear sky and temperatures reaching a sweltering 36°!

2802/SK EC725R EH01.067 AdlA.

H29 A109BA 1W BAF Special colours.

204 Mi-8MTV from Split/Divulge Barracks Croatia 345 ETH Helicopter transport Eskadrilla.

T.21-05/35-05 C295M 353Esc EdA.

C.16-52/11-52 EF2000 and CE.16-01/11-52 EF2000T on the Flightline.

059 PC-9M.'Wings of Storm's Croatian Air Force display team.

F-ZBME/44 CL415 Securite Civil.

322 M346A 150 Sqn RSiAF.

1381/ER TBM-940 DGA-EV.

510 and 538 F-16C 343 Mira HAF 'Team Zeus'.

510 F-16C 343 Mira early morning practice flight.

15/709FQ PC-21 with 04/709FF and 05/709FG from tactical demonstration team 'Mustang X Ray'

122/30-GA RafaleC EC03.030 of the Vautour tactical demonstration team from Mont de Marsan.

110/30-IN RafaleC EC03.030 of the Vautour tactical demonstration team from Mont de Marsan.

Seen landing 0110/F-RBAR A400M ET04.061 Sp/C.

109/115-YH Mirage 2000C EC02.005.

F-AZKM )V-10B marked as 155454/UU-26 USMC ex 99+24.

F-AZXV CM170 marked 479/2-HB.

French Air Force Team Mustang X-Ray taxi.

122/30-GA RafaleC EC03.030 Sp/C seen on Saturday before the Sunday unfortunate mishap when 110/30-IN clipped the tailplane. Both aircraft from the Vautour team landed safely, although a house sustained damage as debris dropped from 122/30-GA into a local village. Luckily, nobody was injured or worse.

The cause may have been a wind gust as a large storm was forecast for Sunday evening. Breaking the intense heat of the weekend.

136/4-GO Rafale Solo presentation coming from St Dizier.

2802/SK EC725R from EH01.067 'Pyrénées' from BA 120 at Cazaux.

The EC725R 'Caracal' is used by special forces, as was demonstrated.

PC-9Ms of the Croatian Air Force' Wings of the Storm' practise during Fridays' misty weather.

E80 Alpha Jet E DGA-EV leads Monday's departures. The weather had changed to heavy rain overnight, and it had not stopped by the time of the show's departures.

120/115-KC Mirage 2000C from EC02.005.

120/115-KC Mirage 2000C from EC02.005, there were some fascinating, particularly marked aircraft.

109/115-YH Mirage 2000C EC02.005

136/4-GO Rafale C ETR03.004. Solo presentation team special marks.

322 M346A 150Sqn RSiAF Special colours, showing how bad Monday's conditions were. Not to mention how wet I was!

322 M346A RSiAF close-up of the special marks.

140/4-GS Rafale C ETR03.004 spare aircraft.

146/30-GY Rafale arriving at Cognac Monday morning from Mont de Marsan.

30 Rafale M FN Special colours.

198/XE Jodel D140E EIVV25.535 'Cordouan'. departing home to BA722 at Saintes/Thénac.

725/UV HK-36TTC also from EIVV25.535 'Cordouan'

510 F-16C 343Mira HAF.

538 F-16C 343Mira HAF.

A farewell wave from 'Mustang X-Ray'

To see the 2004 meeting, press the link below.

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/2021/04/cognac-sunshine-fast-jets-great-colour.html

Monday, November 1, 2021

Paris flypast 2021 practise day at Orléans-Bricy (BA123)

Orléans/Bricy airbase BA123 on Monday the 28th of June, the first aircraft observed was a departing CL415 from the 'Securite Civile', Not exactly what I expected early Monday evening ahead of the Tuesday's practice for the 'Paris defile' (Paris flypast). I had a bad feeling about its departure.

A quick look across the ramp revealed two Alpa jets from the "Patrouille de France." Closer were a Dash 400Q and B200 from the "Securite Civile."

Fingers crossed then for the Tuesday practice of the 2021 "Paris Defile" (Paris flypast).

Tuesday, the 29th of June, saw fine rain and threatening skies across the flat countryside surrounding BA123. This photo was taken after the departure of both the Dash 400Q and B200.

And yes, the flypast practice had been aborted due to the inclement weather conditions.

0033/F-RBAI A400M (Atlas)from ET01.061 'Toraine' VB101 'Tete de Hibou' at Orléans/Bricy holds for departure.

As 0033/F-RBAI A400M gets airborne, the sky shows why there will be no practice that day or, in fact, the following.

745/CV DHC-6-300 ET03.061. 'Poitou' F121 'Hibu aux Ailes éployées sure un Croissant de Lune' C/S F-RACV departs, and so did we for 48 hours!

Take two, Thursday morning, the 1st of July 2021. By 8.00 a.m., the Gendarmerie was taping off an area alongside the Rue du Bourg that is directly under the approach for runway 27.

Minutes later, we had our first arrivals and game on!

E149/8-RS Alpa jet E EE03.008 'Côte d'Or' SPA57 'Mouette de passant au natural' C/S F-UHRS arriving from Cazaux.

E46/8-RF Alpha Jet E EE03.008 'Côte d'Or' SPA57 'Mouette de passant au natural' C/S F-UHRF.

05/709-FG PC-21 EAC 00.315 arriving from BA709 at Cognac/Châteaubernard.

13/709-FO PC-21 EAC 00.315. Sadly, the P-21s are not yet? Wearing individual squadron markings.

04/709-FF PC-21 EAC 00.315.

07/709-FI PC-21 EAC 00.315. Two of the BA709 PC-21s have now formed a new aerial demonstration team.

F-ZBPP Eurocopter EC145 Sécurité Civille.

1372/F-WWRC TBM-940 SOCATA destined for the l'Armée de l'Air. This aircraft was part of the DGA-EV 60th anniversary (1961-2021), which supplied five aircraft types to the flypast.

1372/ F-WWRC TBM-940. The order for four TBM-940 will allow the DGA to carry out the same missions as their TBM-700s and carry out instruction flights as part of the training provided by the flight school of test and acceptance, all with the added benefit of not having to borrow aircraft from other services.

0727/JDD Eurocopter E135T2 Gendarmerie.

2897/F-ZAJB H225LP DGA-EV C/S FZAJB.

2897/F-ZAJB H225LP seen landing at Orléans?Bricy.

The DGA-EV 60th anniversary participants really made the trip worthwhile.

80/BY TBM-700A DGA-EV C/S F-ZVBY.

5119/61-PC C-130H departs Bricy.

5119/61-PC C-130H from ET02.061 C/S F-RAPC.

133/30-GL Rafale 'C' EC02.030 leads the practice along with Rafale 'B' 324/30-HW.

R211/64-GK C-160R EEA01.054 'Dunkerque' C/S F-RAGK takes pride in place in the flypast.

Next were fast jets from the DGA; two Alpha jets flank 501 Mirage 2000B of the DGA-EV C/S F-JTX. This was the Rafale nose cone aircraft.

E-3F 204/36-CD heads up 4 Mirage 2000-5s and a Mirage 2000C.

Left to right.

Mirage2000C 124/115-YT EC02.005 'Ile de France'.

Mirage 2000-5's from GC01.002 'Cigognes'.

38/2-EI, 55/2-EU, 40/2-EX, and 67/2-MH.

E-3F 204/36-CD EDCA02.036 'Berry', SAL257 'Masse d'armes'.

6x Mirage 2000D from BA133 at Nancy/Ochey, all units are represented, and two aircraft have no marks.

The fighter groups are without their Tanker aircraft.

6x Rafael over the top.

109/4-IM Rafale 'C' ETR03.004 'Acquitaine' heads up...

142/30-GU Rafale 'C' EC03.030 'Lorraine' and 102/30-EF Rafale 'C' EC02.030 'Normandie-Niemen'.

Last wave top to bottom.

328/4-IC Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne'.

132/30-GK Rafale 'C' EC03.030 'Lorraine'.

314/4-HP Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne'.

E2C Hawkeye '2' + 8 Rafale M's. Aéronavale.

Rafale 44 leads 16, 3 and E2C, 2. Aéronavale.

Falcon 50 and a pair of Atlantic ATL-2's Numbers 13 and 4. Aéronavale.

0073/F-RBAN A400M (Atlas) from Bricys ET01.061 'Touraine'.

071/62-IE CN235M ET01.062 'Vercors' from Evreux. One CN235M (unknown).

5890/61-PR KC-130J ET02.061 'Frache-Compte'.

5890/61-PR KC-130J ET02.061 'Franche-Compte' Armée de l'Air.

F-ZBFK Beech B200 Séurité Civil.

45/F-ZBMF Canadair CL-415 Sécurité Civil.

Practise finished team leaders return to Bricy for the de-brief.

E80 (BO) Alpha Jet E DGA-EV.

E8 (BQ) Alpha Jet E DGA-EV.

668/3-IG Mirage200D EC01.003 from Nancy-Ochey.

109/4-IM Rafale 'C' ETR03.004 'Acquitaine' Armée de l'Air.

344/4-FK Rafale B EC01.004 'Gascogne' SPA37 'Charognard' St Dizier.

One not identified earlier.

16 Rafale M from 12F at Landivisiau.

What a great moment 501 Mirage 2000B from the DGA-EV has to go around again due to runway congestion.

5 Falcon 50MS cutting short for a fast landing.

5 Falcon 50MS 24F from Lann-Bihoué Aéronautque Navale. Just a friendly aircraft?

501 Mirage 2000B on finals.

108/115-LC Mirage 2000C EC02.005 'Ile de France'.

13 Atlantic ATL-2 Aéronavale. Making a steep approach ahead of some heavy aircraft.

13 Atlantic ATL-2 Aéronavale, from 21F at Lann-Bihoué.

5890/61-PR KC-130J ET02.061 'Franche-Comte'.

0073/F-RBAN A400M (Atlas) ET01.061 'Touraine'.

Beech 350ER/ACSR VADOR from SAL259 at Evreux.

F-ZBFK Beech B200, Sécurité Civil at Nîmes/Garons (Groupenment des Avions Bombardiers d'Eau)

45/F-ZBMF Canadair CL-415, Sécurité Civil at Nîmes/Garons (Groupenment des Avions Bombardiers d'Eau).

R211/64-GK C-160R EEA01.054 'Dunkerque' C/S F-RAGK.

The rotary participants now have their moment to practise. Some years, they practice before the fast jets and transports and others after. It is just great to see so many aircraft types flying.