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Text: |
Urs Schnyder |
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Pictures: |
Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
Boeing B-17F Sally G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17 and Sptfire (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Tide turns in WWII
The B-17 is not known for leaving England very often. Therefore Air Legend are to be applauded for bringing it to the Airshow. Together with its Spitfire V escort it symbolised the first bombing missions by the 8th Air Force. The Spitfire XIV stood for the return to the offensive of the Allied Forces in Europe with attacks across the English Channel.
Operation Overlord, the Allied landings in the Normandy was fittingly represented by the workhorse, the Douglas C-47 which was used for dropping paratroopers and supplies. According to Eisenhower it was the one aircraft in their inventory that played a decisive role.
With the Allied offensive also appeared the so called L-Birds, light aircraft that were used in the forward air control and cooperation role. In this case an Aeronca L-3B and a Stinson L-5. A Yak-3 in the colours of the Normandie Niemen Group represented the French volunteers who fought on the eastern front together with the Soviets.
Boeing B-17 and Sptfire (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17 and Sptfire (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17 and Sptfire (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17 and Sptfire (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17F Sally G-BEDF(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17F Sally G-BEDF(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIVG-SXIV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV G-SXIV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V G-IBSY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V G-IBSY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V G-IBSY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-47B F-AZOX Chalair (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-47B F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-47B F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Douglas C-47B F-AZOX (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Stinson L-5 an Aeronca L-3 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 an Aeronca L-3 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 an Aeronca L-3 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 an Aeronca L-3 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Aeronca L-3 (O-58) F-AYTH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Aeronca L-3 (O-58) F-AYTH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 F-AYLV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 F-AYLV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Stinson L-5 F-AYLV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Yakovlew Yak-3UA F-AZOS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlew Yak-3UA F-AZOS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlew Yak-3UA F-AZOS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Yakovlew Yak-3UA F-AZOS (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The evolution of Fighters
The Curtiss P-40 flying in formation with a P-51 Mustang was an interesting pairing, as the performance of these two are a bit different. The Mustang Duo was of course matched well. The highly polished surfaces of the aircraft showing the opposition in the war who now had the superiority in the sky.
Compared with the Mustang, the Thunderbolt is of course rather akin to a lorry with its sheer size. However, it was not to be underestimated and many German pilots paid the price for their error in judgement. Just too late to see action in WW2 was the Hawker Sea Fury. It was however used in the Korean War as a carrier borne fighter by the Royal Navy. The example flying was in the colours of the prototype.
Curtiss P-40N F-AZKU) and North Amerivan TF-51D Mustang (G-CLNV) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Curtiss P-40N F-AZKU) and North Amerivan TF-51D Mustang (G-CLNV) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Curtiss P-40N F-AZKU) and North Amerivan TF-51D Mustang (G-CLNV) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Curtiss P-40N F-AZKU) and North Amerivan TF-51D Mustang (G-CLNV) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Curtiss P-40N F-AZKU) and North Amerivan TF-51D Mustang (G-CLNV) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Nellie-B G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Nellie-B G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Nellie-B G-THUN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Nellie-B G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Nellie-B G-THUN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Two North Amerivan Mustangs (G-CLNV and N51ZW) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American P-51D Mustang N51ZW (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American P-51D Mustang N51ZW (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American P-51D Mustang N51ZW (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American P-51D Mustang N51ZW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Hawker Sea Fury Mk.II G-CBEL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hawker Sea Fury Mk.II G-CBEL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hawker Sea Fury Mk.II G-CBEL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hawker Sea Fury Mk.II G-CBEL (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Hawker Sea Fury Mk.II G-CBEL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Conflicts in the Far East
The Catalina was being used in the Pacific area of WW2 for many different missions, from Rescue to attacks on shipping. The Corsair was one of the few aircraft that saw combat in both the second World War and the Korean war, from Land bases and from Carriers. The Vietnam War was the last big confrontation in the Far East and brought back propeller driven aircraft like the Skyraider and the Bronco.
Catalina PBY5A G-PBYA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Catalina PBY5A G-PBYA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Catalina PBY5A G-PBYA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Catalina PBY5A G-PBYA (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The two Corsairs (OE-ESA and F-AZEG) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The two Corsairs (OE-ESA and F-AZEG) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The two Corsairs (OE-ESA and F-AZEG) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Vought F4U-4 Corsair (OE-ESA) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Vought F4U-5NL Corsair F-AZEG (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Douglas Skyraider and North American Bronco (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas AD-4ND Skyraider F-AZFN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas AD-4ND Skyraider F-AZFN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Douglas AD-4ND Skyraider F-AZFN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North Ameeican OV-10 B Bronco F-AZKM (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North Ameeican OV-10 B Bronco F-AZKM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Early Jets
This was surely the highlight of the whole airshow. Having seen the Me 262 flying once before in Germany, very far away and straight and level only, it was stunning to see it in formation with a Mig 15 and a Sabre. They were not just flying in straight lines in front of the crowd, but in a big halfcircle, so that it was possible to take good pictures. The solo display of the Me 262 was also a positive surprise in showing this machine at low altitude doing rolls.
Equally, the simulated dogfight between the Sabre and Mig seemed as realistic as possible taking into account the low altitude and the restrictions necessary on these historic aircraft.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Messerschmitt Me-262 (D-IMTT) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Messerschmitt Me-262 (D-IMTT)(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Messerschmitt Me-262 (D-IMTT)(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Messerschmitt Me-262 (D-IMTT)(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 and Mig15 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 and Mig15 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mikojan-Gureviisch MIG-15 (SP-MIG) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mikojan-Gureviisch MIG-15 (SP-MIG) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mikojan-Gureviisch MIG-15 (SP-MIG) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 (Canadair CL 13B) Sabre (F-AYSB) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 (Canadair CL 13B) Sabre (F-AYSB) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 (Canadair CL 13B) Sabre (F-AYSB) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American F-86 (Canadair CL 13B) Sabre (F-AYSB) (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Armeé de l'Air
Like the Marine Nationale, the Armee de l’Air was present in strength to support the Airshow. The A400M was displaying on both days and showed off its agility and good handling properties at low level. Due to a technical problem during the Sunday display it had to leave prematurely however. The Patrouille de France in their 70th anniversary year only featured on Saturday’s program with its usual precision aerobatics. On Sunday there was instead a display by the Patrouille Requin Mike, that showed a tactical formation of two Rafales in combat.
The last item on each day’s program was the Rafale solo display. On Sunday this took place at 19:20 when the sun was already very low. As a consequence the Rafale took on a golden hue which was quite a fitting end to a great Airshow.
Airbus A400M Atlas F-RBAI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Airbus A400M Atlas F-RBAI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Airbus A400M Atlas F-RBAI (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Airbus A400M Atlas F-RBAI (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Airbus A400M Atlas F-RBAI (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale C pilot is Captain Bertrand Butin (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Patrouille de France (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale B (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Dassault Rafale B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
As mentioned at the beginning, The Airshow was well organised. This also showed when it was finished. Leaving the venue was reasonably fast despite only one exit from the airfield and a lot of people wanting to get out at the same time. After everybody left, the spectator areas were also noticeably clean, with no rubbish lying around, which is not yet the case at all airshows.
This is clearly an airshow with the photographer in mind, as most aircraft flew attractive patterns.
We would like to thank Iza Bazin for arranging press facilities.
