The 2004 Cognac-Châteaubernard Airshow at Air Base BA709 featured sunshine A-4 Skyhawks and Mirages galore.

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Sadly, these and all the RSiAF A-4 Skyhawks have been withdrawn today.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

Status: It was retired to the Châteaudun storage facility before being transferred to active service in Excenevex.

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

Status: 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 It was withdrawn from use in 2004.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.

Status: This aircraft is in storage.

45/315VR TB-30 Epsilon.

Status: Wfu.

The 32/315VE TB-30 Epsilon is wearing the grey paint scheme that was relatively new at the time.

Status: This aircraft is today stored at Alenco/Valframbert.

MT-13 CM170 11sm BAF.

Status: Stored at Antwerp for the Stampe and Vertongen Museum.

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

Status: Passed to the Chilean Air Force as 735.

45+20 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF.

Status: 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 civile).

Status: Wfu.

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

Status: "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'

Status: This aircraft was stored at Châteaudun on the "German runway".

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

Status: I believe this aircraft is located at Saint-Dizier Air Base.

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

The aircraft is active.

61/CH Mirage 1VP burners are 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 the"Normandie-Niemen", led by a group of its pilots and mechanics, to the USSR. Upon arrival at the Soviet airfield in Ivanovo, they were offered either La-5s or Yak-1 aircraft; they chose the Yak-1M and departed for the Western Front.

They flew 5300 combat missions in Russia, engaged in 869 dogfights and shot down 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 presented the pilots with their Yak-3 aircraft, and on June 20, 1945, they witnessed the incredible sight of 40 Yak-3s landing at Le Bourget airfield in France.

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!

Mirage 2000 Heaven at Dijon's Base Aérienne back in 2004.

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'Armée 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.                              

The 72 Mirage 2000-5F was written off on 27 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.

Today marks a complete stop, as this aircraft is now an Instructional airframe at Base Aérienne 721 at Rochefort-Saint-Agnant airbase.  

Sadly, the weather was starting to haze as more Mirage 2000s arrived overhead for the break.

A four-ship of Dijon-based Mirage 2000-5F's 

42/2FH, 48/2-FX, 49/2-FF and 58/2-FO EC.02.002 'Cote de Or'.

More Dijon Mirages with 46/2-EN and 59/2-EV EC.01. 002 'Cigogne'.

Additionally, another wave of Mirage 2000s followed, with 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 at Dijon.

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 infamous tail marks.

Dijon's best EC. 01.002 'Cigogne' coded (2-EA etc) and EC.02.002 'Côte d'Or' coded (2-FA etc).

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.