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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0859.PDF
3 July 1953 15 "FLIGHT" PHOTOGRAPHS THE TWENTIETH SALON Opening Phases of the Paris Show at Le Bourget and Prospects for the Grand Finale AT 10 o'clock on the morning of June 26th, with fitting /% honours, the Paris Aero Show (or Twentieth Inter national Aeronautical Salon, to accord it due dignity) was inaugurated by Colonel Cressaty, of the President's staff. For the first time since 1909 the focus was transferred from the well-remembered Grand Palais by the Seine to a new, impressive and permanent building on the historic airfield of Le Bourget. With its covered area of over 98,000 sq ft and frontage of 360ft this accommodates without constriction the stands of some 150 exhibitors. Liberal fenestration and coloured draperies impart a light and cheerful air, and con centrated around the perimeter, in a crescent-shaped open- air park, stood, last week-end, participating aircraft—French, British, American and Swedish. These were later to be joined by machines from Italy and Spain. Phased in with the scheduled transport services on Satur day, June 27th, were flying demonstrations by groups of light aircraft, including gliders, and on the Sunday a park of transport aircraft was at the disposition of the public. Hillers and Bells of the Helicop-Air and Fenwick concerns were plying daily between Porte de la Villette and an enclosure on the airfield, carrying two passengers per trip at 2,000 francs a head. The culminating displays will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th. By far the greater of the two— thanks to extensive NATO participation—will be Sunday's, when flying will continue from mid-morning until late even ing. French types to be demonstrated in flight will include the S.E. Mistral, Sea Venom, Alouette helicopter and Grognard twin-jet attack machine; the S.O. Djinn heli copter, Espadon turbojet/rocket fighter, Vautour transonic attack fighter and Trident jet/rocket supersonic research air craft; the Noratlas twin-boom transport; Dassault Mystere II and IV intercepters; Fouga C.M.170 and Morane-Saulnier Fleuret twin-jet trainers; Breguet Vultur Nene-plus-Mamba carrier-borne strike aircraft; Hurel-Dubois HD-31 transport, of extreme aspect ratio; S.E. Vampire with jet deviation; Sipa 200 Mini jet; Max Holste Broussard, and the new Potez 75 armoured attack aircraft. Britain will take the air with a Hunter, a Swift, a Shackleton 2, the Avro 707A, a Provost and a Canberra; Sweden with a Safir; Italy with a Macchi 323 and an Ambrosini Super 7; America with a Bell 47, a military Hiller and a Grumman SA-16; and Spain with a Cantineau helicopter. The NATO formations will be com posed of Sabres, Thunderjets, Vampires, Packets, Can- berras, Invaders and—awaited with exceptional eagerness— Boeing Stratojets. The "consecrated" days of Saturday and Sunday last were not marked by any great aerial spectacles, though the Sipa 200 gave two perfectly delightful demonstrations of its general performance and aerobatic ability. Distantly, and from certain angles, it looks and sounds for all the world like a Vampire or Venom. Gliders demonstrated were the Emouchet SA.I04, Castel CM.310P, Caudron C.8oo, Castel CM25 S, Fauvel AV.36, Fouga CM.7, Arsenal Air 102, Arsenal 4.III, and Breguet 900. Light aircraft included the Sipa 901, N.C.853, Stampe, Auster, Paul Aubert, Norecrin, Brochet 100, Boisavia Mercurey, Piper Pacer, a Cessna, the Turbi and Turbulent, a Minicab, the Jodel III and Jodel Beta. On Sunday the big transports—once they had taken their places in the park—remained static; which was as well because continuous crocodiles of Parisiens were weaving through their interiors. Number one attraction was Air France's first Comet IA —F-BGNX—the mirror-polished wing of which reflected the awe, interest (and beauty) of visitors. Nearby there was Air France's second Viscount—F-BGNL—of the "classe touriste"; the T.A.I. DC-6B which made the longest non-stop delivery flight in history (5,700 miles from Santa Monica, California to Part of the scene on Sunday, June 28th, with the Air France Comet and Viscount and the Pan American Strato- cruiser tn line astern. On the left is an R.C.A.F. Sabre. •*~*~>w ^^ ' ik^iftif * ^mHiMiM^^y^^''-:^ • ^'C^U„J*« 3 "jr '^TIBRHH ^'•' *LL*dtk III ' :\. .,: ft 'SB'
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