Air Legends 2023 Villaroche

Part 1

Text:	Urs Schnyder
Pictures:	Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

It was the first time for us from wings-aviation to attend the Air Legend airshow held at the Villaroche Aerodrome near Melun. It was a fantastic and well organised event. The extraordinary good weather during the whole weekend of course helped immensely. It was well supported by the armed Forces of France as well as industry like Airbus and Taran (Dassault).

The flying program was varied with interesting formations. The display flying took place in such a way that some of the aircraft were flying in a half circle so it was possible to take pictures of their upper side. This is of course not possible with fast jets or big aircraft like the A400. For this report we have grouped single displays together that were not necessarily flying in this sequence.

Static

Before the flying started, it was possible for the public to visit the aircraft park where all the aircraft were parked that took part in the flying program. Surprisingly, even the Rafales were parked in there. The barriers protecting the aircraft from too close inspection were placed in such a way that it was still possible to take decent pictures without them showing in the picture.

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 F-AZHX (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 F-AZOO (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fouga CM-175 Zéphyr F-AZFP(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fouga CM-170 Magister F-AZZD (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Fouga CM-170 Magister F-GKYF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder) AZFN

Airbus (Messerschmidt) Me-163BS replica D-1636 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Airbus (Messerschmitt) Me-262B-1A replica D-IMTT (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Pilatuc PC-6B2-H4 F-MMCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Dassault Rafale M (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Line up of Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Aerospatiale SA-341F Gazelle F-AYSA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Marine Nationale

The Marine Nationale was out in force and opened the program each day with a formation of three Rafales and a Hawkeye. This was followed by simulated aerial refuelling from Rafale to Rafale and then a demonstration by the two Rafale display aircraft. The Aéronavale vintage flight of a Morane Saulnier Paris MS 760 and a Fouga Cephyr represented the past of Navy flying. With only three Machines in the inventory, it has to be appreciated that the Aéronavale could spare a Hawkeye to fly at the display on both days. The training section of the Aéronavale was represented by three Cap 10 that gave a short formation display.

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Dassault Rafale M (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Dassault Rafale M (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Dassault Rafale M (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Murdy CAP-10 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Murdy CAP-10 ((Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Murdy CAP-10 ( (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Murdy CAP-10 ((Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Aéronavale vintage flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Morane Paris MS 760 F-AZLT (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fouga CM-175 Zéphyr F-AZFP(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

In Gouvernment service

Besides the Armee de l› Air and the Marine Nationale, some other Government Services took part. L'Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre with their Helicopter Calliope EC-120 sometimes seemed to fly almost as high as the airliners. The Gendarmerie Nationale showed how they place and pick up again a dog handler and his dog with an EC145, while the pilotes d'essais showed their TBM_940 DGA.

Eurocopter RC-120B Colibri (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Daher TBM-940 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Eurocopter EC-145 F-MJBI (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Eurocopter EC-145 F-MJBI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Display Teams

The Classic Formation with its DC-3 and two Beech-18 is perhaps the display team with the biggest and slowest aircraft. However, they don’t seem to need more airspace for their display than the jet aerobatic teams.The Patrouille Fly & Fun with three Albatros L-39 we have seen for the first time at an air show while the Patrouille Tranchant with their four Fouga Magister is of course sponsored by the Casino company and exists a while already.

Classic Formation (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Classic Formation (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Fly & Fun (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fly & Fun (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Fly & Fun (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Fly & Fun (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Patrouille Tranchant (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Patrouille Tranchant(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Flying Bulls

The Flying Bulls from Austria had brought along their highly polished B-25 Mitchell, P-38 Lightning as well as their Corsair F4U-4 in spurious Navy markings. After some formation flypasts of all three, they split up with the B-25 doing its solo display, after which the Lightning and Corsair did some tight formation flying.

Flying Bulls Flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Flying Bulls Flight (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American B-25J Mitchel N6123C (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American B-25J Mitchel N6123C (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North American B-25J Mitchel N6123C (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Lockheed P-38L LightningN25Y & Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Lockheed P-38L LightningN25Y & Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed P-38L LightningN25Y & Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Lockheed P-38L LightningN25Y (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Early Battles

The Battle of France was represented by the only flying Morane Saulnier 406 in the world, albeit as a swiss built variant in swiss colours not that representative. We guess that many are looking forward to the first flight of the replica Bloch 152 being buildt by Dassault. The Battle of Britain was better served by two Hurricanes which actually bore the brunt of the actual battle despite the Spitfire taking all the glamour. The dark years of the german occupation of France were shown by a Junkers Ju 52 and two Fieseler Storchs, although one of them was actually a Morane Saulnier built example with a radial engine.

Morane-Saulnier D-3801 HB-RCF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Morane-Saulnier D-3801 HB-RCF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Hawker Hurricane Mk.1 G-HUPW & G-HHII (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Hwker Hurricane Mk.1 G-HHII (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Morane-Saulnier MS-505 Criquet F-AZRA (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Morane-Saulnier MS-505 Criquet F-AZRA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Morane-Saulnier MS-505 Criquet F-BEJF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Junkers Ju-52/3M F-AZJU(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Junkers Ju-52/3M F-AZJU (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Junkers Ju-52/3M F-AZJU (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

-	last update 5. October 2023	Written 13.Setember 2023	-	-
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