RAF Waddington hosts French Air Force invasion of Mirage 2000Ns and Jaguar Jets seeking a splash and dash during Brilliant Foil 1994 Exercise

Brilliant Foil 1994 was held at the beginning of October 1994, coinciding with the ACMI deployment of French Mirage 2000s at RAF Waddington and a deployment of Spanish EF-18s at RAF Coningsby. It was the first Brilliant Foil exercise, replacing Exercise Priory and Elder Forest. The French Air Force, AdlA, flew multiple missions to the UK during Brilliant Foil 1994 with Mirage 2000Ns, Mirage F1Cs, and Jaguar aircraft from the French Tactical Air Commands EC.3, EC.4, EC.11, and Mirage F-1Cs from EC.33. 

On October 4th, 5th, and 6th, they made quick turnaround landings at RAF Waddington for a Splash and Dash before heading home to their home bases. RAF Waddington was the preferred base for refuelling the Brilliant Foil 1994 participating French jets as there were already French Air Force ground crews present for the ACMI deployment that was in progress.

For the few aviation photographers and enthusiasts who lined the perimeter hedge at the runway 21 end (20 Today) on those October mornings, it was an exciting wait to see these multi-camouflaged jets, as many were still wearing their 1991 Desert Storm (Gulf War) sand coloured camouflage.

I photographed two Spanish Ala 15 EF-18As from Zaragoza Air Base at RAF Waddington, so they were also there for ACMI training. They were not from the five seen at RAF Coningsby from Ala12 Madrid/Torrejón.

Just to complete the picture, German Marine Tornados down the road at RAF Cottesmore and Norwegian F-16s up at RAF Leeming were all participating in Brilliant Foil 1994. 

The images below come from Slide film and were mainly taken on the 4th of October in some reasonable sunshine. The Mirage F-1Cs from EC.33 were on the 6th and not photographed. I hope you will enjoy a look back at those great times.

A160/11-RT Jaguar A EC.11Armée de l'Air.

A89/11-RE Jaguar A EC.11 Armée de l'Air.

A94/11-RN Jaguar A EC.11 Armée de l'Air.

A135/11-RJ Jaguar A EC.11 Armée de l'Air.

335/4-BJ Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

342/4-AG Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

372/4-BR Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

336/4-BP Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

332/3-JQ Mirage 2000N EC.3 Armée de l'Air.

348/3-JA Mirage 2000N EC.3 Armée de l'Air.

358/3-JG Mirage 2000N EC.3 Armée de l'Air.

342/4-AG Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

335/4-BJ Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

335/4-BJ Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

344/4-AJ Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

336/4-BP Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

In the jelly zone and one away.

Number two rolling.

Number two is airborne, number three is rolling, and I'm moving before number four re-heats.

C15-35/15-22 EF-18A Ala 15 EdA.

What a great time that was!

Happy Days, and thanks for looking.

St Dizier Airshow 2022 "Journées Portes Ouvertes" at Base Ariene BA113.

With the "Meeting National" 2022 staged at Cognac Chateaubernard, it was now time for BA113 at Saint Dizier/Robinson airbase to open their gates to the public with "Journées Portes Ouvertes."

Saint Dizier/Robinson is home to the French Air Force 4th Fighter Wing (4e Escadre de Chasse), which comprises three squadrons.

EC01.004 'Gascogne' EC02.004 'La Fayette' and ETR03.004 'Aquitaine' which is the combined Rafale training unit or 'Escadron de transformation' and includes Rafale M from the Marine alongside AdlA Rafales. 

Although JPO is secondary to the "Meeting National", it did not feel like it at St Dizier on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of June 2022. Blessed with relatively good weather on Friday, the 24th of June, we were treated to various military aircraft arriving from across France and Europe.

On Saturday, with an early start, we toured the base, photographing the flight line and preserved aircraft found stored around the base. It was also interesting to visit the maintenance hangers and see the levels of work being carried out on some of the Rafale jets.

Here are the results of a great weekend.

313/4-HI Rafale B ETR03.004 "Bison" seen recovering to  BA113 at Saint Dizier/Robinson.

A lineup of mixed Rafale types from ETR03.004 'Aquitaine' and the combined training unit  'Escadron de transformation'  lined up in the static display and armed with the varied armaments they could be seen to deploy with. 

The Patrouille de France arrived overhead St Dizier escorted by two home-based Rafales.

326/4-HY Rafale B EC01.004 "Gascogne" ESC BR66 "Faucon Eygtian".

314/4-HP Rafale B EC01.004 " Gascogne" SPA37 "Charognard".

Sheltered Rafale 326/4-HY  EC01.004 "Gascogne" ESC BR66 "Faucon Eygtian". 

345/4-FL EC02.004 "La Fayette" SPA81 "Levrier".

351/4-FR Rafale B EC02.004 "La Fayette" N214 "Tete de Soiux". 

Patrouille de France catches some attractive light as they arrive from Base 701 Salon-de-Provence in Southern France.

T-785 Falcon 900EX arrives early ahead of the two FA-18C's SwissAF.

J-5014 F/A-18C SwissAF is making a fast descent across St. Dizier.

643/3-JD Mirage 2000D  EC03.003 "Ardennes" BR44 "Sanglier assis" from Nancy-Ochey.

643/3-JD Mirage 2000D  EC03.003 "Ardennes" BR44 "Sanglier assis" holding the nose up for the photographers.

16/709FR PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

Flying for the"Mustang-Ray" demonstration team.

17/709FS PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

09/709FK PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

ET-613 F-16BM RDAF touching down at St Dizier. (Have Glass V colours).

55/2-EU Mirage2000-5F EC01.002 "Cigognes" SPA103 'Cigogne deFonck".

55/2-EU Mirage2000-5F Sadly, they will soon be withdrawn from use.

55/2-EU Mirage2000-5F makes the photographers happy with a brake chute. 

E176/8-MB Alpha Jet E from EE03.008 "Côte de d'Or" at BA120 Cazaux in the Southwest of France.

They are some of the last still flying and are used in the aggressor role.

78/XE TBM700A CEAM.

117/XN TBM700A ET00.043 "Médoc" ECA43 from BA106 Bordeaux/Mérignac.

198/64-HF CN235M from ET03.062 "Vercors" at BA105 at Evreux.

Patrouille de France practise display.

E48/6 Alpha Jet E EPAA 20.300/PdF.

FA-67 F-16AM "Dream Viper" 2Wing BAF.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tete de Hibou".

I made the best display on the Friday practice and earned well-deserved applause from the photographers.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tete de Hibou". In action over St Dizier.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tete deHibou". Passing with a tremendous coloured sky behind.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tete deHibou". Landing after its display.

A124/11-RJ Jaguar A, EC 11

A113/7-HT Jaguar A, EC7. Both Jaguars are in front of the tower.

52-8997/1-PA F-84F. Near the main gate and marked as 29094.

046 CM-170 Magister.

16524/338-H T-33A

347/30-FB SO.4050N Vautour EC30.

16/AO Mirage 1VA is one of two preserved at St Dizier. The second one can be seen in photo number six under the landing Rafale, serial 61/CH Mirage 1VP and belongs to the Aeroclub Vol Moteur collection.

Access to the collection is from the other side of the airfield.

16/AO Mirage 1VA FAF.

Early morning at St Dizier.

16/AO Mirage 1VA and 0019/F-RBAG A.400M ET01.061.

16/AO Mirage 1VA and 0019/F-RBAG A.400M ET01.061.

55/2-EU Mirage 2000-5F EC01.002.

198/64-HF CN-235M.300 ET03.062.

The Patrouille de France.

Rafale taxiing.

ET-613  F-16BM FWS RDAF is taking off for its display.

ET-613  F-16BM FWS RDAF. (Dannebrog colours).

J-5002 F/A-18C Swiss Air Force display complete.

046/F-UJCL A330MRT ERVTS 01.031

046/F-UJCL A330MRT ERVTS 01.031 and 313/4-HL Rafale B ETR 03.004.

Very different flying speeds 313/4-HL Rafale B and F-GEKD a Robin DR400 from the St Dizier flying club.

 

F-AZTK as 3198/DL-UI Luftwaffe SK-15A Ex Swedish airforce 5020.

F-AZKT MD-311 ex 260/316-KT FAF.

N52533 PT-17BW  flying as 2390/297 USN and ex-USAAF 41-8831.

 

F-AZHR T-28A as 517749/749 USN ex FAF.

F-AZVN Havard T-6G as 49-2983/983 RCAF ex FAF.

F-AYFM TB-30 as 67/315-WJ Special colours EALA 9/72.

F-AYPT M-62A-3/PT-19 as 163 RNorAF, ex RCAF EW477.

F-BNDD MH1521M ex 240/330-IN.

F-GKJT MH1521M ex 106/33-JT.

F-AZCQ Havard T-6G ex SpAF E.16-193.

350/4-FQ Rafale B.

That's it from a great airshow 2022 at St Dizier.

"Happy days indeed".