BA709 Cognac-Châteaubernard Airshow 2004, sunshine and fast jets

One of my first Cognac 'Meeting National' was the airshow of 2004, and how fortunate for me to be just an hour down the road, hidden away in this corner of Southwest France amongst the rows of "Cognac" and "Pineau" vines just like Base aérienne BA709, Cognac-Châteaubernard itself. So, it was time to venture out, enjoy fabulous aircraft, and catch up with good friends.  

The Armée de l'Air always put on a good display of aircraft types at their airshows, and no less at this 2004 Air display.

909 TA-4SU 150 Sqn RSiAF.

Sadly, these and all the RSiAF A-4 Skyhawks have been withdrawn today.

933 TA-4SU 150 Sqn RSiAF.

220/30-QK Mirage F1CT EC01. 030 'Normandie Niémen' special marks.

It was retired to the Chateaudun storage facility before being transferred to active service in Excenevex.

22/5-ND Mirage 2000C EC01. 005 'Vendee' special marks.

This aircraft was sold to the Brazilian Air Force as 4945.

89/AZ N.262D 00. 065 'GAEL' arrived from Villacoublay. It was withdrawn from use in 2004, and today, it can be seen in the Châteaudun Museum.

15/315UN TB-30 Epsilon from the home team at Château-Bernard EPAA00. 315.

This aircraft is in storage.

45/315VR TB-30 Epsilon.

Wfu.

32/315VE TB-30 Epsilon is wearing the grey paint scheme that was relatively new back then.

This aircraft is today stored at Alenco/Valframbert.

MT-13 CM170 11sm BAF.

Stored at Antwerpen for the Stampe and Vertongen Museum.

J-655 F-16BM 323 Sqn KLu ECATS marks.

Passed to the Chilean Air Force as 735.

45+20 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF.

Still active!

603/3-IM Mirage 2000D EC01. 003 'Navarre'

313/4-CR Mirage 2000N EC03. 004 'Limousin.'

685/3-XZ Mirage 2000D EC03. 003 'Ardennes'

F-ZBEY/07 Turbo Firecat (Sécurité Civille).

Wfu.

F-ZBEG/39 Canadair CL-415 (Sécurité Civille).

"Active"

E101/8-NQ Alpha Jet A ET002. 008 'Nice'

E134?8-MA Alpa Jet-A ET001. 008 'Saintonge' both arriving from their home base at Cazaux.

515/2-FT Mirage 2000B/-5 02. 002 'Côte d'or'

This aircraft was to be seen stored at Chateaudun on the "German runway".

61/CH Mirage 1VP 01. 091 'Gascogne' up from Mont de Marsan.

I believe this aircraft resides at St. Dizier airbase.

MM6286/46-51 C-130J Hercules Itaf. Support aircraft for the Frecce Tricolori.

The aircraft is active.

61/CH Mirage 1VP burners lighting up.

61/CH Mirage 1VP powering down  Cognac's runway 05.

933 TA-4SU RSiAF lineup for taking off.

909 TA-4SU RSiAF moving alongside 933 for departure.

685/3-XZ Mirage 2000D departs for its Nancy-Ochey base.

220/30-QK Mirage F1CT of the distinguished "Normandie-Niemen" Special marks.

In 1942, De Gaulle ordered a group of its pilots and mechanics to the USSR. On arrival at the Soviet airfield of Ivanovo, they were offered La-5s or the Yak-1 aircraft; they chose the Yak-1M and departed to the Western Front.

They flew 5300 combat missions in Russia, engaged in 869 dog fights and the shooting down of 273 enemy aircraft. In early 1944, they were involved in the liberation of Lithuania, and later that same year, they upgraded to the Yak-3.

Four pilots received the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union", with a total of 76 pilots being decorated with both Soviet and French decorations. The "Normandie-Niemen" air regiment was awarded the Red Banner and the Alexander Nevsky order for performance in battle.

In 1945, the Soviet government awarded the pilots their Yak-3 aircraft, and on the 20th of June 1945, witnessed the incredible sight of 40 Yak-3s touching down at Le Bourget airfield.

The "Normandie-Niemen" were home.

Today, they operate the Rafale B/C from their base at Mont de Marsan.

  

A Yak-3 can be seen in the museum at Le Bourget.


What a story?

Happy days!

RNAS Yeovilton International Air day July the 15th 1995.

Sadly, with the cancellation of the RNAS Yeovilton Airshow 2020, I decided to look back amongst my archives to reflect on what may have been the best show I have photographed in the more recent past. I go back a long way, Danish F-100s and more, all in Black and White and taken on a Kodak Brownie.

The trouble with life is you just become so old?

I decided on the airshow!

Twenty-five years ago! 1995, RNAS Yeovilton, and what a fabulous show it was, too, with flight lines of mixed aircraft types, squadrons, and units, many of which are decommissioned or scrapped today.
For all of us paying our £1 to stand in the field to the left of Pyle Lane, who will ever forget that Coningsby F.3 nearly took us with him? So tight was his launch he passed over the Fleet Air Arm church tower! That's like flying up Pyle Lane at no height on full re-heat! And the smell of JP-9, those were the days!  

ZE732/AS Tornado F.3 56 (R) Sqn RAF.

89+67 Sea King Mk. 41 MFG5.

Underneath in the downdraft, you can see the three 4 Gruppo SH-3D's MM5015N/6-13, MM5008N/6-06, and MM5016N/6-14, and Seaking HC.4 of 845Sqn RN.

XE601 Hunter FGA.9  A&AEE, from Boscombe Down.

VP955/G-DVON Devon C.2 ex 207Sqn. RAF.

The RNLAF 'Grasshoppers' with their Allouette helicopter team are seen behind.

ZE911/BE Tornado F.3 29Sqn RAF.

One of the two privately owned Sea Herons can be seen taxiing behind. Can I trust memory? Were n-34 and N-36 both on static display?

XX450/D Gazelle AH.1 3CBAS.

ZD608/717 Sea Harrier F/A2 899 Sqn RN.

ZE691/712 Sea Harrier F/A2 899 Sqn RN.

XX231 Hawk T.1 19Sqn RAF.

ZA314/F Sea King HC.4 845Sqn.

85-0155 RC-12K, 1st MIB, from the US Army.

77 EMB-121AN 11s FN.

38+18 F-4F JG-71 GAF.

45+41 Tornado IDS MFG1 GN.

ZD950 Tristar KC.1 216 Sqn RAF.

ZA143/D VC.10  K.2 101Sqn RAF.

252 CN-235-100MPA, 1Wing of the Irish Air Corps.

MT-14 CM-170R 33Sm BAF.

XX247/CM Hawl T.1A 100Sqn RAF.

R-01 AB.412SP SAR  RNLAF.

101 SA-321G  32F FN approaches for its landing at Yeovilton.

101 SA-321G  32F FN preparing to shut down.

ZD789/AM  Tornado GR.1 9Sqn RAF.

AT-03 Alpha Jet 9 Wing BAF.

It is seen in front of the two F. 3s from the RAF solo display team at RAF Conningsby and the pollution control DC-3C G-AMHJ from Coventry airport.

598/353 Su-27P TPS RusAF.

595 SU-27P and 158927/LF-927 P-3C VP16 USN can be seen beyond.

598/353 and 595 SU-27P TPS 

G-BVGH/VL-573 Hunter T.7 Ex XL573 of 230 Sqn and G-GAII/VL-861 Hunter GA.11 Ex XE685.

Side by side, Hunters!

ZE790/AO Tornado F.3 56 (R) SQN RAF.

ZE732/AS Tornado F.3 56 (R) SQN RAF.

The solo RAF  Tornado F.3.

What a display it was, too!

XZ107/H Jaguar GR.1A 41 Sqn RAF.

XX752/EQ Jaguar GR.1A 6 Sqn RAF.

45+41 Tornado IDS MFG1 GN departs RN Yeovilton.

MT14 CM-170R 33Sm BAF and MT36 head home.

ET-022 F-16B Esk726.

XX235 Hawk T.1 4FTS. RAF.

ZF124/24 (Junglie) Sea King HC.4 772Sqn, RN.

J-508 F-16A 312 Sqn RNLAF.

C-8 F27-300M 334Sqn RNLAF, gear up and display on.

Dassault MD.312 Flamant F-AZFX 282 316-KY is a true classic.

N167F/S-B6 P-51D Mustang ex 44-73877 from the Scandinavian Historic flight.

N167B/BC-602 A-26B Invader ex 43-4602 from the Scandinavian Historic flight.

XV252 Nimrod MR.2P RAF flying from and back to RAF Kinloss in Scotland.

As XV252 Departs for its home base at RAF Kinloss, I cannot help thinking of the song Lyric,
On our way home growing old?

What about that Commando assault.?

Look at the next post; I decided on 2016 as the year, with a transition mixture of Merlin's from the CHF  as all of the Sea King 'Jungelies' had been retired. 

Well, that's what happened Twenty-Five years ago; roll on 2021?

Rock and Roll, those were great times?

Happy Days.