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The Centenary of the Aéronautique Navale: 1910-2010

On 12th and 13th June 2010 at the Hyéres Airbase the French Marine celebrate the Centennial of the “Aeronautique Navale”. To celebrate this important event they has invited representatives from all naval aviation. To respond to this important invitation were: the U.S. Navy, the Italian Navy, the Royal Navy, the Spanish Armada, the German Navy, as well as some fans who keep flying, with great efforts, their splendid wardbirds ex-French Navy. The location choice was not random at all, in fact at Hyères/Palyvestre on February 26, 1924, was founded the "Centre d'Aviation Maritime" (CAM)  that, with the “Escadre d'Aviation en Provenance de Saint-Raphael”, which annually trained the new naval aviators.

The Aéronautique Navale

The French Marine Aviation was born in January 1910, when the first seven pilots were trained. However, only on December 26 the first aircraft, a Maurice Farman biplane was delivered. In 1911 the cruiser “Foundre” was modified to take on board the seaplanes. However, after further changes in 1914 there was the first takeoff from a ship, with an airplane on wheels. But only on the 1920 there was the first on board landing. With the outbreak of World War 1, the French Navy pilots increased from 14 to 630 pilots, and 1260 seaplanes. In 1927 was delivered the first aircraft carrier, the Béarn, also equipped with catapults. During the 2nd World War the French navy took part in the clashes, initially trying to slow the advance of the Germans directly hitting Berlin, following on both sides. The component of the Free French, gathered in 340 Squadron "Ile De France" in English and American Française Escadre, took part in a number of fighting, such as the landing at Dieppe in 1942 and some operations in the Atlantic. The soldiers who remained with the France of Petain in three occasions fights with allies at Mers el-Kebir (03.07.40), Dakar (23.09.40) and in Syria in June 1941.
With the end of World War II, the Allies supply the France, between 1945 and 1953, with four carriers. During the same period France and consequently its navy were forced to fight in Indochina. The naval aviation, however, was mostly used from  land bases, nevertheless had a significant importance in battles such as the Dien Bien Phu. Domestically, in 1952, for the first time an helicopter was used for maritime rescue, and given the significant capacity of the vehicle, in 1954 was formed  the first helicopter group of the Aeronavale. The group called 23S, based on Saint Mandrier flying Piasecki HUD-2. The 50s also saw the introduction of the first jet aircraft, the Aquillon, but was found too heavy to operate from the old France ships. In the second half of the 50 the French fleet was then used along the Suez Canal, to protect the free passage on the channel, as well as in Algeria. In the same period was then introduced Alouette 2, the first French helicopter equipped with a turbine. It remained in line until 1997. In 1959 the Breguet Alizé was introduced, he could act as anti-submarine warfare, ELINT, radio relay and air guide. Following the Alouette III was also introduced (still in service) as was introduced  the aircraft carrier Foch. Over the years, the Dassault Etendard was acquired and put operative, then upgraded to the Super Etendard standard, the Vought F-8 Crusader and Super Lynx helicopters and the Super Frelon was also acquired. Also introduced there was a second aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau.

With these new vehicles in 1982, the French Navy was called to respond to the attacks suffered by the French people in Lebanon, operations that fell under the Mission Olifant. The French forces, operating from aircraft carriers Clemenceau and Foch, were also used in the former Yugoslavia, with the operation Balbuzards on Bosnia and operation Trident on Kosovo. With the new millennium, the naval aviation was further upgraded with the introduction of the Grumman E-2C (which replaced, the Alizé) and Dassault Rafale F1 on the 12th Flotille (after 4 years they reached 4000 flying hours and 2000 carrier landing). In 2001, the new nuclear aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, and the on board aircraft were sent to the Indian Ocean to take part in Operation Héracléres. In addition to that, the French Navy was also entrusted with the maritime patrol of the Persian Gulf and of Aden’s Gulf, operating from Djibouti.

 
                Text byMarco Sommacal
Aircraft Type Serial Number Code Group Wing Base Note
Super Etendard 8 8 17F   BAN Landivisiau, France Did Not Fly
Super Etendard 16 16 17F   BAN Landivisiau, France Flying Display
Super Etendard 18 18 11F   BAN Landivisiau, France Special Color
Super Etendard 23 23 11F   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display
Super Etendard 33 33 17F   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display
Super Etendard 61 55 17F   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display
Super Etendard 67 61 11F   BAN Landivisiau, France Full Gray C/S Afghanistan
Super Etendard 76 72 17F   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display
Super Etendard 35 35 11F   BAN Landivisiau, France Maintenance Hangar
Rafale M 16 16 12F   BAN Landivisiau, France Flying Display
Rafale M 17 17 12F   BAN Landivisiau, France Flying Display
Rafale M 24 24 12F   BAN Landivisiau, France Flying Display
Rafale M 28 28 12F   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display, Full Loaded
E-2C FMS 165456 2 4F   BAN Lorient/Lann-Bihoué, France "1 Siecle D'Aeronavale"
Atlantique 13 13 21F   BAN Nimes-Garons, France Flying Display
NH-90-NFH   2 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Delivery, Static Display
Falcon 10MER 32 32 52S   BAN Landivisiau, France Static Display
Lynx HAS2(FN)   068 274 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Maintenance Hangar
MS893-100S  2469 69 50S   BAN Lanvéoc Poulmic,France Static Display
CAP10B 215 215 50S   BAN Lanvéoc Poulmic,France Flying Display
SA321G 118 118     BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Stored
HSS-1 SA182 182     BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Stored
SE3160 1244 244 35F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Flying Display
SA319B 2303 303 22S   BAN Lanvéoc Poulmic,France Flying Display
AS565SA   6452 452 36F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Static Display
AS565SA 6507 507 36F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Maintenance
AS565SA 6522 522 36F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Static Display
Lynx HAS2(FN) 109 623 34F   BAN Lanvéoc Poulmic,France Maintenance
Lynx HAS4(FN) 245 801 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Static Display
SA319B 2347 347 22S   BAN Lanvéoc Poulmic,France Flying Display
SE3160 1013 13 35F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Static Display
AS365N3 6510 F-GVHN 35F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France SAR Mission
AS365N3 6540 F-HCHN 35F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Static Display, special c/s
AS565SA 6362 362 36F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Flying Display
Lynx HAS2(FN) 074 276 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Flying Display
Lynx HAS4(FN) 268 804 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Flying Display
C-2A 162143 44 VRC-40 Det. 4   Norfolk NS, Virginia, USA Static Display
SH-60F 164610/70-1799 AC-610 HS-7   NAS Jacksonville, Florida, USA S/C "Beware of Dogs",Static Display
E-2C-200NP 165648 AC-603 VAW-126   Norfolk NS, Virginia, USA Flying Display
F-18F 166667 AC-105 VFA-32   NAS Oceana, Virgina, USA Flying Display
F-18F 166669 AC-106 VFA-32   NAS Oceana, Virgina, USA Flying Display
F-18F 166794 AC-115 VFA-32   NAS Oceana, Virgina, USA Static Display
F-18E 166650 AC-400 VFA-105   NAS Oceana, Virgina, USA CAG S/C, Gunslinger, Flying Display
F-18E 166651 AC-401 VFA-105   NAS Oceana, Virgina, USA S/C, Gunslinger, Flying Display
AV-8B+ mm7217 1-11 GRUPAER 1   Grottaglie, Italy Static Display
AV-8B+ mm7221 1-15 GRUPAER 1   Grottaglie, Italy Static Display
EH101-110 mm81726 2-23 GRUPELICOT 1   Luni/Sarzana, Italy Static Display
EAV-8B+ VA.1B-25 01-915 Eslla 009   Rota, Spain Static Display
EAV-8B+ VA.1B-39 01-927 Eslla 009   Rota, Spain Static Display
GR-9 ZD406 35     RAF Cottersmore, Great Britain Fly Navy 100 s/c, Static Display
GR-9 ZG502 73     RAF Cottersmore, Great Britain Static Display
Jetstream T2 XX486 CD-567 750sq   RNAS Culdrose, Great Britain Static Display
Merlin HM1 ZH858 38 829sq   RNAS Culdrose, Great Britain Static Display
Br1150 SIGINT   61+03 MFG3   Nordholz, Germany Static Display, S/C
Lynx HAS2(FN) 075 275 31F   BAN Hyeres Le Palyvestre, France Maintenance Hangar
TB-30 118 315-YI EPAA00.315   BA Cognac/Châteaubernard, France  
Fw 190 A8/N 990013 F-AZZJ       Crashed During the Display
MS-760A   F-AZLT       Aeronavale
C-53D 11737 N49AG       S/C
N2501 62-SI F-AZVM/105        
MS406C1 138          
AT-6G 115113 F-AZAU        
AD-4NA 187009         Aeronavale
F4U7 133704 F-AZYS       Aeronavale
CASA 352L AZ+JU F-AZJU        
MS-500 BB+UG F-AZDA        
N1101 67 F-GMCY       Aeronavale
NA-68 7/11F-2 F-AZHD       Aeronavale, Replica
CM-175 28 F-AZPF       Aeronavale
C-47A   F-AZTE        
CAP10B 61 F-BXHE        
CAP10B 122 F-GOUM        
Airbus 321   F-GMZE       Air France
TBM-3R 6 HB-RDG       Aeronavale
Spitfire mk XIX UM-E F-AZJS       Malaysia Air Force
TF-51D TF-871 D-FTSI        
MS317 6527 F-BONE        
Fairchild Argus   F-HEXX        
   

Galleria 1

Galleria 1

    
     

Acknowledgements

      

I would like to thanks all the BAN Hyères personel and the 31F,35F and 36F for the amazing day that they let us to spend with them.