Runway 33-15 of Saint-Mathieu de Beloeil airport

Delivered to the Swiss Air Force in 1939 as A-701, and still flying almost 80 years later! It's been advertising the IWC Schaffhausen watch makers since 2006, and was recently painted in their new colour scheme.

Not a Magister but a Zéphyr, which was far less common. The Zéphyr basically is a Magister adapted for operations from aircraft carriers, the most notable difference being the sliding canopy hoods. Only 32 of the type were built, and this example was restored to flying condition in the mid 1990s by the Association Les Ailes de l'Aéro. It first became F-WQCF in Aug 1995 for testing, following which it was officially registered to them as F-AZPF on 6 Dec 1995.

Following years of storage at Nîmes-Garons, this Alizé was acquired by Alizé Marine and restored to flying condition. First post-restoration flight at Nîmes-Garons was on 18 May 2013 as F-WZYI, and it was registered to Alizé Marine on 6 Jun 2013 as F-AZYI.

The CL-415 prototype (ex C-GSCT). Delivered to the Sécurité Civile in July 1995.

Turbo Firecat just starting its demonstration drop. Ex US Navy 136552, withdrawn from use in 1980 and stored. To N4477Z in 1984 and to C-GQCW with Conair the same year. Converted by them to Firecat airtanker and delivered to the Sécurité Civile in June 1985 as F-ZBEX/9 (using F-WDSX as ferry reg). To F-WEOL in Sep 1995 and flown to Conair in Canada. Stored at Abbotsford awaiting conversion to Turbo Firecat. Became C-GFZG in May 2000 for testing and re-delivered as Turbo Firecat F-ZBMA/24 in Jun 2002 (again using F-WEOL as ferry reg).

Ex Luftwaffe 9924. Acquired by the Amicale des Avions Anciens de la Drôme in 1991 and following restoration it was registered to them on 5 May 1997. The Bronco initially flew in authentic Luftwaffe markings as 9924, but was repainted in these very nice but fake US Marines markings in 2012/2013.

A Yak 3 replica, constructed at Harlingen, TX in the 1990s from an unknown Let C.11 retrieved from Egypt in 1985. Still carries its former registration N3YK on the rear fuselage, just below the French registration. N3YK was cancelled 24 Feb 2006 on export to France.

Brand new acquisition for AVA, arrived at La Ferté-Alais on delivery 10 May 2016, only 4 days before this photo was taken. This immaculate Beech was delivered in 1953 as N2913B, and has carried that registration during its entire career. In 2016 it had registration F-HLOS reserved, and by July 2016 this had also been painted on the tail, but it was never actually registered as such and by June 2017 it had been removed from the aircraft. The Beech was offered for sale in 2019, and registered to Qualitair in Michelstadt, Germany in May 2020.

Ex USAF 49-2983, French Air Force 92983, Moroccan Air Force Y61501, Tunesian Air Force Y61-501. It never served in Canada so the markings in this photo are very nice but totally fake (except for the serial on the fin). This aircraft is one of six Texans recovered from Tunesia by Didier Chable and brought to France in the mid 1980s. Restoration of this Texan started in the 1990s, and it was first registered as F-AZVN in 2001.

One of several Harvards converted by Jean-Baptiste Salis into A6M Zero or NA-68 replicas. This one started life as USAAF AT-6C 42-84227, converted to T-6G 51-14367 in the early 1950s, then to the French AF in 1957 as 114367. AJBS acquired it in 1978, and it was registered to them as F-AZBK on 1 Dec 1982. In 1987 it became F-WZBK, for conversion into a A6M Zero replica for use in the movie "Empire of the Sun" (with new "c/n" SAM2-367). Reverted to F-AZBK in 1989. In 1992 it was again converted, now to the NA-68 replica seen in this photo. On 2 Dec 1992 it was falsely registered as "North American NA-68" F-AZHD, with new "c/n" SA-30. In fact only one real NA-68 survives worldwide (N840 c/n 68-3061).

This former US Navy trainer (ex BuNo 2909) became N45712 in March 1963. In 1987 it was sold to Belgium as OO-JUS, registered as such 7 Apr 1987, cancelled 27 Apr 2006. It was sold to France and initially became F-WZNF. It was registered to Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis as F-AZNF on 3 Oct 2006.