Air Legend 2024
- Kris Christiaens
- 25 minutes ago
- 3 min read
For aviation enthusiasts and photographers, Air Legend 2024 was a weekend worth travelling for. Held on 14–15 September at the Melun-Villaroche aerodrome, the show brought together an impressive collection of historic aircraft. The event attracted more than 47,300 visitors over the two days and the weather was perfect. While the crowd was below the attendance of the 2022 edition, the atmosphere around the airfield was still impressive thanks to the impressive demonstrations of the many beautiful vintage airplanes and warbirds. Located just north of Melun, around 40 kilometres southeast of Paris, the aerodrome became an important centre for aircraft testing and development after the Second World War. It was particularly associated with Dassault Aviation and with the flight testing of a long line of French military and civil aircraft. Over the years, many prototypes took to the skies from Villaroche before entering service, making the airfield an important chapter in France's aerospace story.
P-40 Warhawk Supermarine Spitfire Yakovlev Yak-3 AT-11 Kansan DC-3 & C-45 Expeditor Hawker Sea Fury
The biggest highlight was undoubtedly the collection of Second World War fighters. The Flying Bulls P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang and F4U Corsair flying together was one of the weekend's standout moments. Seeing these three very different American fighter aircraft in formation was a reminder of just how much character these aircraft have. The Corsair had a particularly strong presence, with two examples taking part, while two P-40 Warhawks added another link to the Pacific War. For warbird fans, watching these aircraft fly rather than simply seeing them parked on the ground was the real highlight. Another unusual visitor was the Douglas DC-6. The four-engined airliner brought a completely different flavour to the show and was a welcome reminder that aviation history extends well beyond fighters. There were also two Douglas C-47 Skytrain Second World War transport aircraft, one of which was flying in formation with three C-45 Expeditors.
F4U Corsair Douglas DC-6 Flying Bulls (Lockheed P-38 Lightning & F4U Corsair) North American T-28 Trojan Douglas A-1 Skyraider Flying Bulls
The Air Legend airshow also looked beyond the Second World War. The Sea Fury, Douglas A-1 Skyraider, Lim-5 (MiG-15), Lockheed T-33 and the North American F-86 Sabre represented the transition into the Korean War and early jet age. The contrast between piston-engined fighters and the first generation of jet fighters was particularly interesting. The modern military presence was somewhat lighter than in previous editions. The Patrouille de France and Rafale Solo Display were absent, but the four Fouga Magisters of the fantastic Patrouille Tranchant provided an excellent French contribution. The French Army also brought its Tigre attack helicopter and NH90 tactical transport helicopter, while an A400M military transport aircraft of the French Air Force provided an impressive modern finale.
North American F-86 Sabre Lim-5 (MiG-15) Lockheed T-33 de Havilland Vampire
In addition to the many warbirds and vintage jets, there were also numerous other spectacular demonstrations by unique participants, such as an Aérospatiale Gazelle, an Aérospatiale AS 313B Alouette II, an Extra EA 300SC and the rare Minijet CJ-01, which flew in formation with a Socata TB 30 Epsilon. Although the organizers had announced that the iconic Messerschmitt Me 262 would be participating in the show—and this was also shown on the event poster—this vintage jet was unable to reach the Melun-Villaroche airport due to technical problems.
NH90 TTH (French Army) Patrouille Tranchant Eurocopter EC120 Colibri (Helidax) Mustang X-Ray PC-21 (French Air Force) Eurocopter Tiger (French Army) Airbus A400M (French Air Force)
What makes the Air Legend airshow so special and great is that, in the morning, the crowd can walk among the planes, chat with the pilots, or take photos with one of the many reenactors who bring the past back to life. During the 2024 event, numerous reenactors from the well-known French group Pilotes de Guerre were present, in collaboration with the Belgian group The Irvin Squadron. This resulted in some unique and fantastic reenactment photos.
The Irvin Squadron Pilotes de Guerre The Irvin Squadron Pilotes de Guerre Pilotes de Guerre Pilotes de Guerre
Text & photos: Kris Christiaens
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