Avord open day 1982

Serving at this time with 63ET/CIET based in Toulouse-Francazal;

This Noratlas was taken on charge on 23 Nov 1956 and struck off charge on 20 Aug 1987. The next day it was flown to Merville, on delivery to the Institut Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange for instructional use. It was still there by mid 2017. The remnants of one of the aircraft's previous codes, 63-VL (carried from 1 Dec 1978 until 2 Feb 1982 while serving with ET 1/63), are still vaguely visible on the tail boom.

Taken on charge on 2 Mar 1960 and converted to RNR version (Radio Navigation Radar, hence the nose radome) in Apr 1970, as one of six aircraft to undergo such conversion. Struck off charge in Jul 1986 and flown to Nancy on 3 Nov 1987 on delivery to the Musée de l'Aéronautique de Nancy. That museum and its collection sustained severe damage during a storm in Dec 1999 and was forced to close in 2000. The Noratlas remained in the closed museum until at least Feb 2004, but by Aug 2004 it had moved on to this museum in Albert. The aircraft is still showing code and badge of Groupement École 316 (GE 316), with which it served from 20 Apr 1970 until 29 Jul 1986. The aircraft's name refers to the Battle of the Viombois farm on 4 Sep 1944.

This Noratlas was taken on charge on 22 Dec 1954 and struck off charge on 4 May 1984. It went to the Musée de l'Aéronautique de Nancy in that same year, and from here on its history matches that of sistership N° 97 at the same museum. The museum and its collection sustained severe damage during a storm in Dec 1999 and was forced to close in 2000. Both N° 54 and N° 97 remained in the closed museum until at least Sep 2003, but by Aug 2004 the pair had moved to the Musée de l'Epopée et de l'Industrie Aéronautique in Albert.

This Noratlas was taken on charge on 11 Apr 1956 and struck off charge on 23 Aug 1982. It went to the Musée de l'Aéronautique de Nancy in that same year, but the museum and its collection sustained severe damage during a storm in Dec 1999 and was forced to close in 2000. The Noratlas remained in the closed museum until at least Sep 2003, but by Aug 2004 it had moved to the Musée de l'Epopée et de l'Industrie Aéronautique in Albert. It is seen here showing the remnants of various earlier codes 340-VQ (carried Jul 1974-Jul 1978), 55-KB (Oct 1980-Jul 1981) and 63-WB (Jul 1981-Feb 1982) on the right tail boom.

Taken on charge on 23 Sep 1959 and struck off charge on 26 Nov 1985. This Noratlas was then initially preseved at the Musée des Ailes Anciennes de l'Anjou at Angers-Avrillé (noted in 1996 and July 1998), but by Oct 1999 it had moved to the Bétrancourt collection/Musée de l'Epopée et de l'Industrie Aéronautique in Albert.

Pictured 50 years ago at Oran La Sénia French Air Force air base N° 141. The aircraft has the markings of Transport Squadron 2 / 62 "Sahara" (GT 02-062). In the background stand a Constellation from search and rescue unit EARS 99. The picture is supposed to be taken in the begining of 1961.

Taken on charge on 23 Sep 1959 and struck off charge on 26 Nov 1985. This Noratlas was then initially preseved at the Musée des Ailes Anciennes de l'Anjou at Angers-Avrillé (noted in 1996 and July 1998), but by Oct 1999 it had moved to the Bétrancourt collection/Musée de l'Epopée et de l'Industrie Aéronautique in Albert.

This Noratlas was taken on charge on 11 Apr 1956 and struck off charge on 23 Aug 1982. It went to the Musée de l'Aéronautique de Nancy in that same year, and from here on its history matches that of sistership N° 54 at the same museum. The museum and its collection sustained severe damage during a storm in Dec 1999 and was forced to close in 2000. Both N° 54 and N° 97 remained in the closed museum until at least Sep 2003, but by Aug 2004 the pair had moved to this museum in Albert. This photo shows N° 97, still with remnants of earlier codes 55-KB (carried Oct 1980-Jul 1981) and 63-WB (Jul 1981-Feb 1982) on the left tailboom.

Taken on charge on 22 Oct 1956 and struck off charge on 15 Jun 1984. The fuselage of this aircraft initially went to the Musée du Para at Orléans in Mar 1990, but it had moved here by 2004.

BA 702 Avord Open day 1982. With GE 00-312 markings and fitted in paratroopers "Phoenix" team dropping configuration (rear fuselage buckets removed).

LTG62 aircraft. The unit integrated into LTG61 a year later.

This Noratlas was delivered to the Armée de l'Air on 22 Dec 1954 and struck off charge on 4 June 1976 with 10,284 flying hours. During that time it served with nine units, the last of which was the storage handling unit Entrepôt de l'Armée de l'Air 601 (EAA 601) in May and June 1976. In this photo it carries their designation on the fin. The aircraft was transferred to the Musée de l'Air at Le Bourget and trucked there on 4 June 1976. On 22 July 1987 it was trucked to the Stade de la Rose des Vents stadium for display, as seen here. Fake code "50-CB" was never carried and its origins are unclear.

Served at this time with CIET / 63 ET "Vercors". This aircraft is still flying with a French private association and is registered F-AZVM.

Served at this time with CIET / 63 ET "Vercors".

A Norrie of GI312 unit mostly accompanied the Patrouille de France