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A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:08 pm
by Skyrider
Hey guys,

the last two months I spent many days in France to catch various different fighters, choppers and transport aircraft on several different locations.

First of all some pics of the arrival day for the Airshow at Nancy-Ochey in the end of June.
It was a well organized spotter day with nice spotting locations just a few meters next to the runway. :thumb:

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Mirage 2000D after takeoff with the small church of Ochey in the background.

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My last picture of a Mirage 2000N before the official retirement this summer.

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Special colred Mirage 2000C from Orange-Caritat.

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Very nice to see the old Breguet Atlantic at Nancy.

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In the beginning of July I visited a small airshow at Chambley (near Metz, Lorraine), it was definitely worth to go for the Army choppers and the new Rafale Solo Display jet in great lighting conditions.

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After the show this Tigre departed just a few meters in front of the crowd.

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This Army Gazelle performed a small flying display in the late afternoon.

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Breathtaking Rafale Solo Display.


Just a couple of days later I went to Paris for the famous Bastille Day to catch the choppers at the heliport and the Esplanade des Invalides after the big air parade.

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NH-90 on approach at Paris-Issy-les-Moulineaux.

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Gazelle with a camera team on board.

Five helicopters were displayed in the park Esplanade des Invalides, including a Caracal and a Dauphin of the Navy.

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Nancy-Ochey was closed for three weeks until the beginning of august and therefore many Mirage 2000D operated out of Luxeuil instead.
I spent three very busy days at LFSX and saw two or three sorties during the afternoon with six or eight Mirage 2000D per wave plus some local 2000-5F.

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Special colored Mirage 2000D on approach.

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Clean Mirage 2000D.

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Of course the local Mirage 2000-5F were also active that time.

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The airport of Karlsruhe/Baden actually isn't in France but just next to the boarder and got a very rare visitor last week...
A C-160G Gabriel made a short fuel stop on the way back to Évreux. :O

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I hope you like my pics from France this summer and don't hesitate to leave a comment. :whistle:

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:33 pm
by DanBeeden
Those Mirage 2000D/N models really do look the business. And to top it off, the Armee de l'Air continue to roll out some truly magnificent paintschemes on them. Lovely shots - Nancy looks like a great place to visit.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:50 pm
by DeanW
Awesome. The Transall is an awesome catch and it's nice to see some images from Luxeuil too.
DanBeeden wrote:
Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:33 pm
Those Mirage 2000D/N models really do look the business.
Apart from the one without the tanks! It looks way too weedy without them.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:32 pm
by iain s
Wow lovely set, lovely images.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:51 pm
by Blue Diamond
A very nice set indeed. Those special markings put our RAF100 scheme to shame.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:40 pm
by Ross Forsyth
Stunning set of images,great clarity in all of them,looks like you had a great summer!

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:14 pm
by jpickers56
Superb set, everyone a winner but those Mirage 2000’s so do it for me, thanks for sharing. Must do Bastille day next year.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:00 pm
by wezgulf3
Stunning set!

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:26 am
by paddyboy
That is one cracking set there :thumbs:

I, for one, will never tire of the M2000: I just remember all those fab displays at Mildenhall back in the day ;)

Thanks for posting :thumb:

Paddyboy :clap:

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:39 am
by steved
Brilliant clean shots, and some rare ones too. :clap:

Great shots of the Transall, the clean 2000 and the special 2000s. :clap: :clap:

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:51 am
by fisherman
Great set Skyrider, nice to see the C-160G, well done you.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:56 am
by nightwatch
Great set of shots. The 2000's always looked great at Waddington (sadly missed), and that Transall is the business. Thanks for sharing.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 1:19 pm
by TonyO
That Gabriel is a great catch, nice work.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 1:42 pm
by slogen51
Great set

The Mirage 2000 is definitely in my top five aircraft.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:00 pm
by 3Greens
Excellent selection of aircraft and quality shots :thumbs: Thanks very much for posting Skyrider :clap:
How we miss all those beautiful Mirage 2000 - we enjoyed them regularly in big detachments at the ACMI Waddington

Thanks again
3Greens :thumb:

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:27 pm
by F3
Lovely set. Loving the special schemes on some of those Mirages esp the black + red job on #2 which is spectacular.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:41 am
by Skyrider
Thanks guys for the all the answers and the positive feedback, I appreciate it. :thumbs:
Indeed I was very lucky to catch the rare C-160G at one of my local airports. I still can't believe they chose Karlsruhe/Baden for the fuel stop, normally we hardly see military visitors here...

DanBeeden wrote:
Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:33 pm
...Nancy looks like a great place to visit.
The pictures were taken during the spotter day for the Nancy Airshow, it was a guided tour without fences. On a regular day outside the base taking pictures is rather difficult as the police is more nervous here than around Luxeuil for example...

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 3:06 pm
by PeteF
Thanks for posting an excellent Gallic set. Nice catch with the C-160G-can recall one on static at RIAT 15 years or so ago!

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:53 pm
by mikee115
Cracking set of photos. Especially like the helicopters.

Re: A french summer - Nancy, Bastille Day in Paris, Luxeuil...

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:25 pm
by venom
all stunning no other words
colin