Aeroplane – June 2018

AEROPLANE JULY 2018 http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com 105

even if it was a delight to see

such as the Casques de Cuir’s

Hispano-Suiza-engined Bristol

F2B and Albatros C.II replica

joining the throng. The 1940

scenario played out in reverse,

the Air Leasing-operated

Spitfire FRXIVe, with Richard

Grace at the helm, being set

upon by Steve Jones in the

two-seat HA-1112-M4L Buchón

before The Fighter Collection’s

Hawk 75A-1, in the hands of

new TFC pilot Andy Durston,

engaged the ‘enemy’. On its

first public airshow outing since

being re-engined with an

R-2800, TFC’s Sea Fury T20

was put through its paces in

the fashion that most befits it,

Nick Grey storming past with

glorious exuberance while

Bruno Ducreux flew smooth,

smoke-enhanced aerobatics in

Christophe Jacquard’s single-

seat FB11 version of the

Hawker fighter.

Yes, some regular elements

of the La Ferté line-up were

missing this year — there were

no Yaks, no Bückers — but a

change is as good as a rest.

Other items were given a

chance to shine instead: acts

as diverse as the zippy Bede

BD-5J Microjet of Nicolas

Charmont, which mixed with

SF-28 motorglider Irène and a

Druine Turbulent in one of the

traditional opening tableaux,

the mesmerising stylings of

Swedish glider aerobatic

maestro Johan Gustafsson in

his SZD-59 Acro, or a neatly

executed French Army

SA342M Gazelle

demonstration. And many of

the show’s staples were

present and correct in each

day’s six-hour schedule, the

Tora! Tora! Tora! T-6 Texan/

Harvard horde and the Cessna

Skymaster, T-28, Bronco and

two-Skyraider Vietnam piece

proving to be their usual

pyrotechnic extravaganzas.

All who were there, whether

pilots or enthusiasts, seem

unanimous that there was

something special about the

2018 ‘Temps des Hélices’. Last

year’s air force Rafale display

pilot — and now coach for his

successor — ‘Marty’ Martinez

told me, “Oh, La Ferté. It was

great, wasn’t it?” Yes, that just

about seems to sum it up.

Ben Dunnell

The Armée de l’Air Rafale C

pulls away from the SPAD XIII

after a memorable flypast.

BEN DUNNELL

ABOVE: Gordon Brander in the

Sopwith Triplane chased by the

Fokker DrIs of Peter Bond and Alex

Truman. BEN DUNNELL

Swiss fighters old and new, exemplified

by D-3801 and F/A-18C. BEN DUNNELL

C-47, Flamants, DC-3

and Beech 18s made

up a marvellous heavy

combine. BEN DUNNELL

Christophe

Bruneliere’s Skyraider

in the thick of the

Vietnam scenario.

BEN DUNNELL

The Transall’s tactical landing kicks

up the grass dust. DAVID HALFORD

The Fighter Collection’s Hawk 75, in the hands of Andy

Durston, breaks away from the Air Leasing-operated

Spitfire XIV and two-seat Buchón. BEN DUNNELL

Sunday’s opener: the Patrouille de France,

Christophe Jacquard’s Sea Fury and the P-51D

of France’s Flying Warbirds. DAVID HALFORD

104-105_AM_EVENTS_July18_cc C.indd 105 04/06/2018 07:19