Looking at the tail fin of the Crusader, now on it’s side, the worn insignia looks like it could be one used for a while by VMFA-122, the first squadron in the Marine Corps to fly the Crusader, which would make sense.
Also seems to have a French Navy roundel towards the rear of the fuselage on starboard side, as well as the US insignia near the nose, albeit the latter is on panels re-arranged in a haphazard fashion!
The story behind its journey to the Alps would be an interesting one.
I’m guessing that a local has recently bought those airframes, moved them there on lowloaders, and they’ve not yet appeared in any online chats. Unusual! I’ll ask around.
In a similar vein
And the story behind that Catalina wreck, with some beautiful photographs
Thanks!
It’s actually Gréolières-les-Neiges.
I think someone buys old aeroplane (parts) and makes sculpture/furniture from them.
With what success I don’t know, but seemingly some of the neighbours don’t approve, and there appears to be a desist order out against him from the council (although dated 2019, so not enforced with any urgency). I still don’t know quite how the planes got there, but it does explain why. Sort-of anyway.
A complete, empty Crusader weighs in at 8.5 tonnes, engine is 2 tonnes ish. No wings or ejection seat, and other stuff missing, I bet that aircraft fuselage weighs about 4 tonnes, probably less.
Easily transported by low-loader pulled by a Discovery, for example.
Interesting!
A few bits n bobs
I have not verified this but apparently:
“This is the only picture of a Concorde flying at supersonic speed. The image was taken by Adrian Meredith who was flying a Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado jet during a rendezvous with the Concorde over the Irish Sea in April 1985.
The Concorde had to slow down from Mach 2 to Mach 1.5-1.6 so that the Tornado crew could get the shot.”
I loved that the British Airways call-sign for any Concorde was always ‘Speedbird’.
If you were to substitute ‘Mig’ for ‘Concorde’ in that last sentence, you’d be left with a terrifying thought.
All British Airways flights (with the exception of some domestic shuttles) use the call sign Speedbird. The number that follows identifies the particular flight, hence Concorde to NY was always ‘Speedbird 1’.
The Americans developed a supersonic bomber, that could achieve Mach 3 , the Valkyrie
Hoping things improving
I worked on this very aircraft back in 1982 while at Honington. Now hidden in a corner while there’s some rearranging going on.
Buccaneer? Very cool.
Still in the pathway outside 29 Squadron’s hangar at Wattisham
Must have 29 Sqn Lightnings. In my time (F4s and Tornado F3s) 29 were at Coningsby
Yep
Love the orange Escort
