CANOPEE Museum, Châteaudun Airbase 13/08/2018
Aug 19, 2018 0:19:05 GMT 1
Beemer, viscount, and 13 more like this
Post by spitfire250 on Aug 19, 2018 0:19:05 GMT 1
I was lucky enough to visit the French Air Force's storage facility at Châteaudun airbase on Monday for a tour of the private CANOPEE museum on site, where a number of unique and rare French airframes are stored, having been saved from the scrapheap by a team of 10 people. Whilst photography of the military section of the airbase is prohibited, there were many rows of countless Mirage 2000s, Nord 262s and Transall C160s in pieces, with yet more rows of Jaguars in a seperate section of the airbase, destined as spares for the Indian Air Force. The museum was great, with the ex-air force guides unlocking many of the aircraft to give access to the cockpits and allowing me behind the exhibits to photograph some of the undisplayed items (Several newer Alpha Jet fuselages, parts salvaged from the Nords and the Transalls, along with the fuselage of an MD-315 Flamant) and then driving around the base to see some of the various CANOPEE aircraft which were on the grass. ('pots de fleurs' in French) Although there was some bureaucracy involved with getting inside the base and inside the museum in the first place, it's definitely worth a visit, especially given Châteaudun is set to be demolished in 3 years, with the museum having an uncertain future.
33-TP (Gate Guardian) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Magister by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Vautor IIB K (615) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Nordatlas 171 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Nordatlas 171 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Magister 538 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Tucano 498 (312-UQ) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage F1 30-FG by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage IIIE 4-BF by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Lockheed T-33A (314-YG) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Vautor IIN (30-SC) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage IIIC (2-FD) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mystere 2-SC by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage IIIB2 247 (DQ) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mystere (8-MB) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Alphajet E-66 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Jaguar A-91 (11-YG) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
52-9117 (1-EQ) F-84 Thunderstreak by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Jaguar E-12 (339-WI) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
MS-760 (LD) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Dassault Mystere 20SP (339-JA) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Dassault Mystere 20SP 339-JA (F-UKJA) by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Note the Mirage IV panel on the right as the Mystere SP was used to train it's crews
Mirage IV Navigator position in Mystere 20SP by spitfire23001, on Flickr
To accommodate for wiring, the cabin floor was raised, meaning it was only possible to kneel in the seating area
5-OM by spitfire23001, on Flickr
89 (AZ) Nord 262A by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Nord 262 Cockpit by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Nord 262 Cockpit 2 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
315-VZ Socata TB-30 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
5318 UF Ecuereil by spitfire23001, on Flickr
67-CE Alouette III by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Jaguar E22 by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage 2000 Tail by spitfire23001, on Flickr
AP Mirage IV by spitfire23001, on Flickr
Mirage IV Underside by spitfire23001, on Flickr
MD.315 Wing by spitfire23001, on Flickr
33-TP (Gate Guardian) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMagister by spitfire23001, on FlickrVautor IIB K (615) by spitfire23001, on FlickrNordatlas 171 by spitfire23001, on FlickrNordatlas 171 by spitfire23001, on FlickrMagister 538 by spitfire23001, on FlickrTucano 498 (312-UQ) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage F1 30-FG by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage IIIE 4-BF by spitfire23001, on FlickrLockheed T-33A (314-YG) by spitfire23001, on FlickrVautor IIN (30-SC) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage IIIC (2-FD) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMystere 2-SC by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage IIIB2 247 (DQ) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMystere (8-MB) by spitfire23001, on FlickrAlphajet E-66 by spitfire23001, on FlickrJaguar A-91 (11-YG) by spitfire23001, on Flickr52-9117 (1-EQ) F-84 Thunderstreak by spitfire23001, on FlickrJaguar E-12 (339-WI) by spitfire23001, on FlickrMS-760 (LD) by spitfire23001, on FlickrDassault Mystere 20SP (339-JA) by spitfire23001, on FlickrDassault Mystere 20SP 339-JA (F-UKJA) by spitfire23001, on FlickrNote the Mirage IV panel on the right as the Mystere SP was used to train it's crews
Mirage IV Navigator position in Mystere 20SP by spitfire23001, on FlickrTo accommodate for wiring, the cabin floor was raised, meaning it was only possible to kneel in the seating area
5-OM by spitfire23001, on Flickr89 (AZ) Nord 262A by spitfire23001, on FlickrNord 262 Cockpit by spitfire23001, on FlickrNord 262 Cockpit 2 by spitfire23001, on Flickr315-VZ Socata TB-30 by spitfire23001, on Flickr5318 UF Ecuereil by spitfire23001, on Flickr67-CE Alouette III by spitfire23001, on FlickrJaguar E22 by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage 2000 Tail by spitfire23001, on FlickrAP Mirage IV by spitfire23001, on FlickrMirage IV Underside by spitfire23001, on FlickrMD.315 Wing by spitfire23001, on Flickr
