Aerodrome La Ferté Alais (France)

Le Temps des Helices

14 - 15 June 2016

Days of the Props
Already for the 44th year this time, an annual airshow was organised at the aerodrome of Cerny/La Ferté Alais, southwest

of Paris. For many European spotters this show, traditionally held during the Pentecost weekend, is considered to

be the opening of the new airshow season. The organisation is in the able hands of the local Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis

collection. The airshow is called ‘Le Temps des Helices’ or ‘The days of the props’. This name is only partially covering

the content as there is more to live up than only propeller driven aircraft. In fact ‘Le Temps des Helices’ presents a crosssection

of aviation including gliders, helicopters and aircraft ranging from a 1910 Bleriot monoplane to the modern French

Rafale fighter. It makes La Ferté the ideal occasion to bring your (non or less aviation minded) friends.

Static
In the morning hours, the static exhibition at the eastern end of the airfield could be visited (at some extra euros)

This was an excellent opportunity for close up photography of the show participants and visiting aircraft. Although

it was announced that it would do a ground taxiing performance during the show, Boeing B-17 F-AZDX ‘Pink Lady’ did

not leave its hangar and so could be closely seen there. In the same hangar the progress in the restoration of Vought

F4U-5 Corsair BuNo124724 (F-AZEG) of the local Casques de Cuir organisation was truly obvious. The aircraft looked

quite complete and allegedly the first engine run already took place. It is very likely that this fighter will be displaying

again next year. At the same time, before the show started at 11.30 hrs , pleasure flights were flown by Donau Air Service

Antonov An-2 D-FKME, Ju-Air Junkers Ju-52 HB-HOS and several helicopters.

Cold
During the airshow, a cold northerly wind was blowing, resulting in a strong crosswind over the runway. This wind did not

only chill the spectators, it also caused some display pilots to stay grounded. But not so for the opening of the airshow

by the daring pilots of two old and fragile aircraft Bleriot XI F-AZPC and Caudron G-III F-AZMB. It reminded of an old

movie: ‘Those magnificent men in their flying machines’.

Farewell
In November last year, famous French warbird pilot Marc ‘Leon’ Mathis lost his life in an ultralight crash. Mathis was

an extremely able pilot who was current on several warbird types (Yakovlev, P-51 Mustang, Ju-52 and Storch). He became

widely known for his skilful ditching of Jacquard’s Flugwerk FW190 F-AZZJ, after an engine failure off the cost of Hyeres

on 12 June 2010. He had a special affinity with the Czech built Zlin trainer, several versions of which Marc flew in his career.

To honour him, a group of five Zlins took off to perform a flypast. After their landing the pilots taxied to the crowdline

where they stopped their engines. They then left their cockpits and stood on the wing during a minute of silence to

salute their lost friend.

Civil aviation
On the civilian side, the period in between the wars was strongly represented. And not only by a group of well known

Stearmans and Buckers or the two Junkers Ju-52’s flying at the same time. One of the attractions of TDH is the variety

of aircraft types of those days, some of which are either very rare or even unique in Europe. It was our first encounter with

biplane types as the Laird LC-RW300 (NC4442) and the Travel Air 4000 (NC4418). Shiny red Stinson F-GPJS represented the

ultimate corporate transport of the Thirties. The Aer Lingus Charitable Foundation sent their jewel to La Ferté in the form

of De Havilland DH.84 Dragon EI-ABI. This traditionally (wood and fabric) built biplane was soon followed by two all metal

contemporaries, Beech 18 N2913B and Lockheed 12 F-AZLL. Even an airliner of our days, Corsair Boeing B747-400 F-HSEA,

made several low passes during its display. Although looking modern, this airliner itself is already 23 years old, so it perfectly

matched the show.

Firebombers
Highly appreciated by the spectators was the demo flown by Securité Civile. Simulating the handling of a forest fire the

first aircraft to arrive was EC 145 F-ZBQG. Hovering near the imaginary fire, this helo served as a Forward Air Control post

for the approaching waterbombers. As in the real situation Turbo Firecat F-ZBMA and Canadair CL415 F-ZBFS closely

cooperated. They both did two separate dropping runs, before closing in for a tight formation pass. Not part of the

Securité Civile display, but another (former) firebomber was N9767, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, owned by the France

Warbirds collection. N9767 is a true WW II veteran, in RCAF service responsible for the sinking of German U-boat U-342.

The old amphibian was recently re-painted in a new white and yellow livery, vaguely reminding of the Catalina used by

the famous French oceanologist, Jacques Cousteau, N101CS.

Military contribution
Traditionally the French armed forces are faithful supporters of the event. The Armee de l’Air showed off an example

Transall 64-GK, which, despite its age (the first Transall was delivered in 1967) gave a spirited display. Most impressive

flying together. Privately owned Morane Saulnier MS760 Paris F-AZLT , Zephyr (the naval version of the Fouga Magister)

Military aviation
The actual airshow consisted of several themes, many of aviation. The thematic WW I display brought two SE-5A

fighters, a Fokker Dr.1 triplane and beautiful French Spad XIII F-AZFP in the air. Later in the afternoon, WW II was commemorated

with mixed formations of aircraft in a ‘Battle of Britain’, ‘Tora, Tora’ (Attack on Pearl Harbour), Luftwaffe,

and Eastern front display. The display by Battle of France veteran Curtiss P-36 Hawk G-CCVH, owned by the British

Fighter Collection, prompted commentator Bernard Chabert to an emotional reaction. He was both happy and sad to see

the Curtiss fly. Happy because it had been restored and sad because the restorer/owner is not a Frenchman. Is chauvinism

a French word?

Showtime
TDH also provided entertainment for the general (i.e. nonspotter) public. What to think of an aerobatic team consisting

of two Rutan Vari-Ezes and one Long-Eze? Or a sky-diver falling out of the rear cockpit of an inverted flying glider?

These show items were much appreciated, as were the performance of Extra 300 F-HXAL and Extra 330 F-TGCJ and the

show by two of Team Guinot’s Stearmans, N707TJ and N74189. On both days, the show was concluded by a jet aerobatic

team, the Patrouille de France with their Alphajets on Saturday and Patrouille Tranchant with their four Fouga Magisters

on Sunday. The organisers of ‘Le Temps des Helices’ had, once more, succeeded in bringing an airshow with much variety

and with excellent photo opportunities, as can be seen from the illustrations in this article.

Flying/Flypast:
14, 21	Rafale M	FN

21

ATL- 2

FN

30, 42

Rafale M

FN

124/4-GC

Rafale

FAF

R211/64-GK

C-160R

ET00.064

RS02

Sea King Mk48

40sq

D-EEBH

Zlin 526

D-EEDW

Stampe SV-4A

as FAF 245

D-FKME

An-2T

Donau Air Serv.

D-GTIM

Tecnam P2006T

EI-ABI

DH84

AerLingus Hist.

F-AYCO

Waco 10

NX8521’

F-AZBA

Bleriot XI(replica)

F-AZBE

AT-6C

as USAF 43-12127

F-AZCV

T-6G

as FAF 51-14456

F-AZCH

Chipmunk T10

as RAF WB557

F-AZCN

SE-5A (replica)

F-AZCY

SE-5A (replica)

as RFC A8898

F-AZDP

AD-4N

as USNavy 124143/RM

F-AZEI

DH-82

as RAF T6553

F-AZEJ

Beech E18S

as USAr 22428

F-AZFP

Spad XIII

as FAF 3836

F-AZGG

C1131E

ex E.3B-540

F-AZGR

N2S-3

F-AZHD

T-6G

as FN 79413

F-AZIY

N3202

as FAF 15/ZIY

F-AZJC

Waco UPF-7

F-AZJR

N2S-3

as US Navy 741

F-AZJU

C352L

as Luftw. AZ+JU

F-AZHK

AD-4N

as FAF127002/N

F-AZKG

Fennec

as FAF 82

F-AZKM

OV-10B

as USMC 55454

F-AZKU

P-40N

as USAF 2105915

F-AZLL

L-12 Electra

F-AZLT

MS760

as FN 32

F-AZLY

Yak-3UA

as RusAF 5/wh

F-AZMB

Caudron G-III(replica)

F-AZNF

N3N-3

as USAAC 2909/69

F-AZNN

Let C-11

as RusAF 14/wh

F-AZPC

Bleriot(replica)

F-AZPF

CM175

as FN 28

F-AZRA

MS505

as Luftw 2E+RA

F-AZRB

SNJ-5C

as USN 90747

F-AZRV

Zlin 526

F-AZSB

P-51D

as USAF 411622

F-AZVD

Fokker Dr.I

as Luftw 525

F-AZVK

Bü-131APM

ex A-48

F-AZVN

T-6G

as RCAF 49-283

F-AZXZ

Yak-3UA

as RusAF 4/wh

F-AZYI

Br1050

as FN 59

F-AZZD

CM170

Grp. Tranchant

F-AZZM

AT-6 ‘Zero’

as Jap. Navy 170

F-BCGQ

Stampe SV-4A

F-BCXD

Stampe SV-4A

F-BDME

Stampe SV-4A

F-BKOI

MS733

as FN 74

F-BKOJ

MS733

as FN 138

F-BNMU

Zlin 526

F-BNRR

Zlin 526

F-BDME

Stampe SV-4A

F-CCJY

Scheibe SF-28A

F-GGKH

MH1521M

as FAF 32

F-GIMN

CM170

Grp. Tranchant

F-GKYF

CM170

Grp. Tranchant

F-GPJS

Stinson Reliant

F-GSYD

CM170

Grp. Tranchant

F-HAKZ

Zlin 526

F-HBOB

Pitts S-2

F-HDVD

PT-17 Stearman

F-HIZI

PT-17 Stearman

as US Army 55

F-HLEA

T-6G

as US Army 56

F-HSEA

B747-422

Corsair Int.

F-HXAL

Extra 300

Breitling

F-PREV

Rutan VariEze

Patrouille Reva

F-PJLB

Rutan Long Eze

Patrouille Reva

F-PYSM

Rutan VariEze

Patrouille Reva

F-TGCJ

Extra 330

F-WWMZ

Cap222

F-ZBMA/24

S-2T

Sec.Civile

F-ZBFS/32

CL-415

Sec.Civile

F-ZBQG

EC145

Sec.Civile

D-1060

LO-100

D-5793

LO-100

‘91YJ’

Jodel D.9

G-CCVH

Curtiss H75-C1

as FAF 82

G-IIFX

MDM-1

G-LFVB

Spitfire Mk.Vb

as RAF EP120

G-TPWX

Gomhouria 6

as Luftw TP+WX

HB-HOS

Ju-52/3m

Ju-Air

NC4418

Travel Air 4000

NC4442

Laird LC-RW300

N2913B

Beech D18S

Aero Vintage AL

N53018

Ryan ST3KR

as US Army 8

N9767

PBY-5A

France Warbirds

N707TJ

PT-17

Breitling ‘3’

N74189

PT-17

Breitling ‘2’

Static/not-flying/hangared:
F-AYBF	Bristol F2B	as RFC E2262

F-AYDR

Fokker Dr.I (replica)

F-AZAJ

MS138

as RFC E2262

F-AZAK

MS230

F-AZAV

Albatros C2(replica)

Luftwaffe cs

F-AZAZ

MS185

F-AZBQ

T-6G

as FAF15237/OH

F-AZCA

DH89A

as RAF ZC-A

F-AZCE

P2-06

as Luftwaffe >+7

F-AZCP

MS502

Aeronavale cs

F-AZDX

B-17G

as USAAF8846/M

F-AZEG

F4U-5NL

as USN124724/NP

F-AZFH

Pitts S-1S

F-AZJD

D-27

as FAF 290

F-AZLM

Fokker D.VII(replica)

F-AZMZ

Boeing E75N

F-AZNM

Sopwith 1 1/2

as FAF

F-AZOE

Cap20

F-AZRV

Zlin 526F

F-AZTT

C1131

F-AZXJ

Sea Fury FB11

as RAN 115

F-BCNL

MS317

as FAF

F-BEGD

L-4B

as ALAT 124724/NP

F-BGUV

MS317

F-GETT

L-18C

F-GJBF

MH1521M

F-GJSG

PA-18-95

F-GKTC

R-22

F-GMRF

SF260WL

as Burkina F. AF

F-GRCE

Bell 206B3

F-HAKZ

Zlin 526F

F-PACP

Jodel D.11

F-PBRI

Bü-133C

F-PJBS

Wag-Aero Sport Trainer

F-PRJJ

Leopoldoff L55

as Luftwaffe

F-PZLD

Cap10

HA-ABD

An-2P

Flying (visiting/joy flights):
F-BPGV	MS895

F-BSBZ

DR.360

F-GIBM

AS350B

F-GONH

R-44

F-HMEG

AS350B2

N450LH

Beech 95-B55

N2979S

Ce411A

Credits: Gert Jan Mentink and Jan Swart

The authors like to thank René Verschuur for kindly supplying

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