Author Topic: French Air Force (Read 14038 times)

Frenchie · « **on:** 13 April, 2008, 04:14:01 pm »

Great low altitude video from the boys in Morocco, where I was stationed some 13 years ago now... The guy got grounded, although this type of flight is very much part of the French Air Force tactic (well, bar bar some of the manoeuvres!). Great sound track too!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2BYt91qcubw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/2BYt91qcubw&rel=1</a>

pcolbeck · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 April, 2008, 04:20:05 pm »

I like that. Nice flying. Do you know what the sound track is Frenchie as I really like that too ?

Frenchie · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 April, 2008, 04:27:16 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 13 April, 2008, 04:20:05 pm

I like that. Nice flying. Do you know what the sound track is Frenchie as I really like that too ?

On n'est pas comme ça! by Silmarils.

If you want some more, I have a few from Morocco and Tchad...

JonBuoy · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 April, 2008, 04:58:11 pm »

I bet the coach passengers got a shock about 15 seconds into the clip.

Adam · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 April, 2008, 05:04:55 pm »

Oo - that started my flashbacks....

Very good flying though (and the music).

pcolbeck · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 April, 2008, 05:06:45 pm »

Quote from: Frenchie on 13 April, 2008, 04:27:16 pm

Quote from: pcolbeck on 13 April, 2008, 04:20:05 pm
I like that. Nice flying. Do you know what the sound track is Frenchie as I really like that too ?

On n'est pas comme ça! by Silmarils.

If you want some more, I have a few from Morocco and Tchad...

Thanks. Thats a CD to look out for on my hols this year then.

Frenchie · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 April, 2008, 05:54:20 pm »

It is a nice track...

More. In Tchad (or Chad) this time. The French may have some old planes but they can fly them... And I love the F1.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/nltc_dq_VXI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/nltc_dq_VXI&rel=1</a>

Frenchie · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 April, 2008, 06:05:09 pm »

Mirage 2000.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ATAMJgRhTNc&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ATAMJgRhTNc&rel=1</a>

Some of the shots are taken from a recent French movie, based on a comics hero which I spent hours reading about as a kid and teenager.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 April, 2008, 06:22:37 pm »

I seem to remember such a comic strip. Maybe it was translated into English ?

By the way have you ever seen the seals at Royan Zoo doing their Mirage impressions ? It''s really funny.

Frenchie · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 April, 2008, 06:26:59 pm »

There are several (French) strips. The one on the French Air Force is Les Chevaliers du Ciel on which the movie (more below) is based. The other, based on the USAF, is Buck Danny. I prefer the former. Always did. Felt closer to "home".

Always wanted to fly but missed the entrance exam (after making the written and oral ones) on medical grounds (eye sight). Became an engineer (fluid mechanicist) instead and now work on aeroengines.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/3156AEdICMI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/3156AEdICMI&rel=1</a>

Watching this makes me feels all...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/qEtYNzI609U&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/qEtYNzI609U&rel=1</a>

pcolbeck · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 April, 2008, 07:04:16 pm »

I know where I remember this from now. They made a TV series of this in the 1960s and it was dubbed into English and shown on the BBC as "The Aeronauts". It must be 35 years since I saw that program ...

Frenchie · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 April, 2008, 08:18:57 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 13 April, 2008, 07:04:16 pm

I know where I remember this from now. They made a TV series of this in the 1960s and it was dubbed into English and shown on the BBC as "The Aeronauts". It must be 35 years since I saw that program ...

Yes!

It was (is) "Les Chevaliers du Ciel", The Knights of the Sky. My uncles were "brought up" watching it! Well, nearly. It was very popular and I saw replays later on.

There was a remake, or rebirth, of the series (poor) in the 1990s. And in 2007 a feature film with a poor storyline but great, great shots. Type "Chevaliers du Ciel" on YouTube and you may see various extracts and the trailer, some of which are in the links I provided above.

spesh · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 April, 2008, 09:59:10 pm »

Slight suspension of disbelief required on some of the clips from Chevaliers du Ciel, but ever so artfully done.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 April, 2008, 10:06:49 pm »

There was an interesting Wikipedia article about it that said they eventually relaxed the rules so they could fly 10m off the deck and with only 1 metre separation !

Adrian · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 April, 2008, 10:19:09 pm »

It does have the advantage of not alowing too long to regret a mistake.

nuttycyclist · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 April, 2008, 10:58:39 pm »

Quote from: JonBuoy on 13 April, 2008, 04:58:11 pm

I bet the coach passengers got a shock about 15 seconds into the clip.

My campsite in the Lake District once got buzzed like that by the RAF.

The plane went through the field next door (about 50 feet away from me) on its side and with its underside towards me. It was amazing to see all the weapons etc. The wing tip must have been about 15 foot off the ground.

Nick H. · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 April, 2008, 12:08:00 am »

That's all I ever wanted to do. If I hadn't failed the medical it might have been Jaguars fifty feet over Germany for me!

Oh well. I suppose motorcycling and skiing and diving have been some compensation. And I haven't tried skydiving yet.

Has anyone tried one of these?

Frenchie · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 April, 2008, 12:29:16 pm »

Quote from: spesh on 13 April, 2008, 09:59:10 pm

Slight suspension of disbelief required on some of the clips from Chevaliers du Ciel, but ever so artfully done.

Indeed, but the first clip is 100% genuine stuff as is the Chad one. Sigh... A Mirage is really a beautiful thing!

Frenchie · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 April, 2008, 12:42:48 pm »

I don't know about the UK: French Air Force level is a 5 yr degree in engineering (2-3 yrs of mathematics + 3 years of engineering level course in fact). You join the AF after the math course on a selection exam (written+oral) and a severe medical w/out any specific affectation. Once in the AF engineering school only the best students join la chasse and many others end up in transport and helicopters. The Navy has a separate training school, equally demanding. So these guys are fairly smart cookies as well as athletes.

Nick H. · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 April, 2008, 12:52:30 pm »

When I applied to the RAF there was no requirement for a degree in anything at all. And I don't remember my arts A levels presenting a problem. I recall that the RAF believed that one's reflexes begin to slow down at 28. So maybe they thought that youth was as important as academic qualifications?

Frenchie · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 April, 2008, 01:00:09 pm »

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Chevaliers_du_ciel

Quote

Les Chevaliers du Ciel was filmed in co-operation with the French Air Force. Initially the standard safety rules applied, but eventually the minimum allowed altitude was reduced to 3 m (10 ft) and the minimum distance between aircraft was reduced to 1 m (3 ft). The filming of these flight sequences seen in the movie were mainly done from the air, as opposed to Top Gun where most of the filming was done from the ground.

Frenchie · « **Reply #21 on:** 14 April, 2008, 01:05:24 pm »

Quote from: Porkins on 14 April, 2008, 12:52:30 pm

When I applied to the RAF there was no requirement for a degree in anything at all. And I don't remember my arts A levels presenting a problem. I recall that the RAF believed that one's reflexes begin to slow down at 28. So maybe they thought that youth was as important as academic qualifications?

There are very, very few opportunities w/out a degree in France as Chasse pilots are all officers and officer schools require either a degree or a lot of experience (and time which such pilots don't have much of). When they join their units they will typically be 24. A few years ago one of the best Polytechnique female (our super OxBridge) applied in her qualifying year and made it. She was also a top triathlete and very pretty!

Frenchie · « **Reply #22 on:** 14 April, 2008, 01:07:20 pm »

More Wiki on the comic strip: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanguy_et_Laverdure

Jakob · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 April, 2008, 03:49:18 pm »

More madness.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z9Ze_g9y2Es&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Z9Ze_g9y2Es&rel=1</a>

I also grew up reading Les Chevaliers du Ciel (Can't remember what it was called in Danish), but the movie still fell a bit short (And I had very low expectations!)

Frenchie · « **Reply #24 on:** 14 April, 2008, 05:01:21 pm »

The storyline was poor... but the flight images are rather good.

Didn't you like the first clip I posted filmed in Morocco? That was smashing! i see your link contains soem of the Chad images.

PS Love the flight at ca. 1:50.

PPS The Etandard or Super Etandard crash at 2:45 is a, hum-hum, German pilot (Oct. 2002).

Author Topic: French Air Force (Read 14038 times)

Nick H.

Nick H.

Jakob