Michou

From memory, in the late fifties and early sixties any equipment around a Valiant was blue. Ladders, bomb trolleys, tow bars, vehicles, were all in a shade of blue which we called "ground equipment blue" being unaware of any official designation. Mike

A rather poor photograph given to me by a colleague who served in the Armée de l'Air. Mike

A dramatic painting. A book which I picked up at the Geneva flea market several years ago. Mike

Thanks for all your kind remarks concerning my photos of "Hunters in the Snow". This is the logical follow-up. When the Hunter was withdrawn from Swiss Air Force service many were bought by individuals, museums and organisations. One such group is the Hunterverein Obersimmental which operates the "Papyrus" Hunter in a colour schmeme based on Fliegerstaffel 15's paper aeroplane emblem. Once a year there is the possibility to see the Papyrus and other Hunters flying. These photos were taken at St Stephan in 2008 and 2011. HB-RVS J-4015 F.58 Hunterverein Obersimmental HB-RVP J-4205 Hunter T.68 Verein Flieger Museum Altenrhein HB-RVR J-4201 Hunter T.68 Amici dell'Hunter HB-RVW J-4203 Espace Passion HB-RVU J-4086 Crossair Hunter Club The lady on the left wearing anti-g trousers is about to have a flight in a Hunter. In the Sabrina (link collector) is a video camera and she will receive a DVD as a souvenir of her flight. Claude Nicollier (The name at the bottom of the list) is Switzerland's astronaut. He participated in four Shuttle missions, two of which were for servicing the Hubble telescope. The Flieger Museum's T.68 with F-5s of the Patrouille Suisse. The cabin perched on a metal arm is St Stephan's control "tower". Mike

Herrenvogel BärenPark Finn

Those aircraft ARE old! - thirty-four years of service and about 2600 hours of flight time. Mike

The last Hunter Wiederholungskurs (annual training of the Swiss militia) took place in November, 1993 at St Stephan. The Sun may have been shining but it was cold! The aerodrome is 1000m above sea level and the temperature remained below zero all day. It was so cold that the batteries in my camera ceased working a couple of times and I had to warm them in an inside pocket close to my body. These are Hunter F.58s of Fliegerstaffel 15. Mike

Yes, and several other films. Check the Wikipedia "Battle of Britain (film)" for all the details. Mike

Thanks, Iain. Spelling now corrected. Mike

I took a couple of photos of the line up at Bovington and have posted them in the Aviation Photography forum. Mike

On a Saturday evening the BBC announced that the aircraft which participated in the film would be on display the following day. What they did not say was that the display was intended for the press. However, because such a large number of people arrived they were permitted to enter the airfield. Alas, I had only a few frames of unexposed film in my camera and it was impossible to buy anything on a Sunday in Britain at that time. These are the only photos which I was able to take. HA-1112 The lineup Spitfire Proctuka - A Percival Proctor modified to resemble a half-scale Ju 87. Too fragile for diving it was not used in the film. CASA 2.111 B-25 The camera platform. This was photographed at Biggin Hill. Mike

This particular Do 27 was written off (damaged beyond repair)in 1982. There is still one Do 27 on the Swiss register, HB-LEU, and several more around the world. Mike

A "Heinkel" on a grey Sunday morning at Bovingdon,1968. Mike

Colombier, Neuchâtel, 1980 A strong, north-east wind, Switzerland's infamous bise, was blowing straight down the runway. No problems while on the runway but when the aircraft turned to leave it... The wind started to lift the right wing in spite of full aileron. He lost it. The crowd look at the damage. A bent aileron and wing tip. A sad pilot taxis away. The aircraft is an ex-Swiss Air Force Dornier Do 27H-2. This is the version with the "wide" track undercarriage! Mike

Nothing! Zero, zilch, nada!! And I prefer it that way. I spent five years living next to an international airport and that was enough noise for a lifetime. In my current home I hear the occasional helicopter taking someone to the hospital in Bern and to the north there appears to be a military corridor and I see, from time to time, a Swiss Air Force Super Puma, Pilatus Porter or PC-21 passing by. In a normal (non-covid) summer, hot-air balloons have passed overhead. If I want to see noisy aircraft I go to an air show. Mike

This aircraft, F-AZJU, is frequently described as being a CASA 352L. However, when I saw it at Ecuvillens some years ago, a member of the crew told me that they had found the manufacturers' data plate during renovation which showed that it had been built in Germany. When Spain obtained the licence to build the Ju 52 they received this aircraft as a reference and so it is a genuine Junkers Ju 52. Mike

The three Swiss Ju 52s were delivered in October 1939 and were powered by BMW 132A engines. In later years there were problems in finding tyres for these aircraft and the tail wheels were replaced by Vampire or Venom nose wheels and I believe the main wheels came from DC-3s. Mike

An ex Swiss Air Force Junkers Ju 52/3mg4e operated by Ju-Air and photographed at Sion in Canton Valais, July 1985. Mike

Malta's Gladiator photographed in 1961. At this time it was housed in the Palace Armoury. Mike

Perhaps we have become more accustomed to looking at models than the real thing and there are a lot of modellers who tend to exaggerate different panel colours. However, if you look closely at my photos you can see differences. There are colour photos on the Web which were taken on the same day:- https://www.escadrilles.org/histoire-et-histoires/11-ec-1972/ https://www.airhistory.net/photo/77374/42138 https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/photo/003-6-5.htm It looks to me to be different metals or different surface treatment, but not silver paint. Mike

Wow! The finish on that Comet is absolutely amazing! Mike

A few photos from the 1972 Journée Portes Ouvertes at Toul-Rosières. F-100, EC 3/11. Insignia SPA69 T-33, 11 Escadre de Chasse T-33, 11 Escadre de Chasse F-100, EC 3/11 F-100, EC 1/11. Insignia GCIII/6-6e F-100, EC 3/11. Insignia SPA88 Mystère IV, EC 3/7 Vautour IIN, ECTT 3/30 F-100 42160. The first French F-100 to be camouflaged. Mike

The Venom was not around for very long - 1955 - 1962. It was discontinued most likely because of a damaged mould. I managed to find one in Norwich in around 1963 which I sent to a pen pal in the Philippines in exchange for a Japanese kit which was not imported to Britain. Mike

I am surprised at the interest in these old Frog models but Adrian's "Nostalgic Tribute to Frog Model Kits" ran to 40 pages, so, perhaps I should have expected it. Why I did not buy the Victor when it was readily available I shall never understand. Sorry, Adam, I did not know that XA891 was supposed to be silver. The box was labelled "Modelled from Official Plans" and I did not question it. Thanks for all your kind remarks. Mike

1:144 scale is just too small, 1:72 is too big, but 1:96 scale is right in the Goldilocks Zone. Why did it go away? A couple of old Frog kits which fit comfortably on my shelves. Vulcan Valiant Mike