Sad sight

[Antoine]

Googlemap linky

[CockneyCol]

Really very sad, looks a waste, I'd look after one of the Magisters if they are up for adoption!!

Cheers

Col'

[XV107]

Given the new era of Anglo-French defence co-operation, any chance of a Mirage IV (and a Magister and a Jag A) for the National Cold War museum at Cosford, M. Sarkozy?

[Julien]

Can I have a majister please!

Julien

[TonyT]

flown in one of them

[thx6667]

Bags me a Magister as well,

[stevehnz]

Sad to see this happen but I 'spose inevitable. It is to be hoped several at least will be preserved. In the google maps link, there is a compound/paved area to the left, rear of the mirage IVs, with a row of cigar shaped objects in it, scaled they would have to be 50ft/16m long at least. Any idea what they are anyone?

Steve

[pigsty]

Sad to see this happen but I 'spose inevitable. It is to be hoped several at least will be preserved. In the google maps link, there is a compound/paved area to the left, rear of the mirage IVs, with a row of cigar shaped objects in it, scaled they would have to be 50ft/16m long at least. Any idea what they are anyone?

Steve

There's what could be a rotor hub nearer to one end than the other. Super Frelon fuselages?

Did you see all the Frégates and Falcons on the other ramp?

[stevehnz]

I hadn't gone that far , heck theres a lot of spare aeroplanes on that field arn't there? As for the cigar shaped things, I thought of Super frelons, but then if you scale them against the Mirage IV overall length, they're bigger than the Mirage is long. Is the S.frelon this big?

Steve.

[Mike]

I think a Mirage IV for Cosford & Newark would be good

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I hadn't gone that far , heck theres a lot of spare aeroplanes on that field arn't there? As for the cigar shaped things, I thought of Super frelons, but then if you scale them against the Mirage IV overall length, they're bigger than the Mirage is long. Is the S.frelon this big?

Steve.

Wikipedia says that the Super Frelon and Mirage IV are both 23m long.

[RussTnailZ]

wow they havnt stood the test of time well they really should get a few passed on to air museums

Russ

[Antoine]

I hadn't gone that far , heck theres a lot of spare aeroplanes on that field arn't there?

Châteaudun air base is not really an operational air base, it is in fact a "dump" base for Armée de l'Air.

So it full of... Wrecks.

[Armadillos]

The problem with Mirage IV is the asbestos (at least i think its asbestos) within its airframe, this means that in this curent day and age to bring one to the UK involves dealing with the rules involved with handling and transporting such materials which are classed as dangerous.

Despite this difficult red tape hopefully there will be a Mirage IV on display in the UK soon although its taking quite awhile to sort but i guess good things come to those who wait.

[Davec_24]

Always sad to see aircraft in that condition, but let's hope at least a few of those end up in good hands with museums and/or private collectors.

[stevehnz]

Wikipedia says that the Super Frelon and Mirage IV are both 23m long.

I guess that makes the cigar things S.frelons for sure, I hadn't realised they were quite THAT big.

Antoine, thanks for that info, it seems like a huge waste but in view of post cold war downsizing & planes coming to the end of their service lives I 'spose its inevitable.

C'est la vie? (?)

Steve

[pigsty]

Sad though it is, I really don't think the retirement of a dozen or so time-expired airframes after forty years of useful service can be fairly described as a "waste". A waste of what, exactly?

[upnorth]

Sad though it is, I really don't think the retirement of a dozen or so time-expired airframes after forty years of useful service can be fairly described as a "waste". A waste of what, exactly?

History most immediately.

There's probably quite a few museums out there that wouldn't mind having a Mirage IV as part of their Cold War exhibit sections.

[upnorth]

Did you see all the Frégates and Falcons on the other ramp?

It also looks like there might be at least a couple of F-8 Crusaders on that same ramp.

[Antoine]

Where?

Not so sure, as Châteaudun is an air force base, and the Cruze belong to Aéronavale.

[stevehnz]

Sad though it is, I really don't think the retirement of a dozen or so time-expired airframes after forty years of useful service can be fairly described as a "waste". A waste of what, exactly?

I 'spose it depends on your definition of waste. By yours, I'd have to agree that its not a waste, by my far more emotive & wishy washy defintion then I still say waste, loosing the opportunity to see & hear these planes in the air & just to know they're about is special. Pragmatism has nothing to do with it, just the same as scrapping thousands of wonderful but no longer needed planes at the end of WW2 was also a waste to my mind. If sensible pragnatism was all that ruled we'd have none left at all now. Its the appeal to emotive wishy washy thinking & thinkers that has preserved them. I think.

Steve.

Edited September 12, 2010 by stevehnz

[ei-ylg]

Hiya, if you look further over to the west of the super frelon cigars, you will see a ramp area with lots of what look like n-262 and like small 1950's jets, that i cant think the of the name, or small falcon 20s, any ideas

[stevehnz]

It also looks like there might be at least a couple of F-8 Crusaders on that same ramp.

I couldn't find any of these, but hard to tell at maximum magnification. I did spot quite a few of what I would think were Mirage F1s, a similar shoulder swept wing to the Crusader but in most cases I could spot the side mounted intakes. I 'spose they could also be Jaguars.

Steve.

Edited September 12, 2010 by stevehnz