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What jacket(s) are you wearing at the moment?

Pa12

Well-Known Member
This Saturday was the annual "Fly-In" BBQ of the French Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. A good opportunity to reunite with friends, have a drink (or a few), enjoy a nice 40's concert, see some great machines up close and take some of the gear out of the closet as vintage dressing is encouraged. Even had the luck to do a flight on board a Piper J-3, and so did the missus.

So, as far as jacket was concerned, I decided to go as a 9th Air Force pilot and get the good ol' Aero Leather 42-18775-P to match. And before any of you jump in, I know, I stupidly reversed the ranks and the collar device on my shirt... :p

View attachment 152021


I usually say, to people complaining about how they look on pictures, that "It's just a camera, not a magic box". Seems that having a professional photographer behind the lens can really turn it in a magic box!!
J-3’s are a blast. Was my old L-5E there by any chance? Pretty sure they still have it.
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member
tell me that those lovely ladies are NOT standing on the wing.

Don't worry, mate, nobody touches the plane without close supervision, and they were both standing on the walking boxes, as @Pa12 said :) .

It is, indeed, a DH Chipmunk (G-AOJR) based there, at Le Plessis.

@Pa12 which one was your L-5? We had a couple paying a visit in the afternoon, but they didn't stay for very long. I'm quite sure there's none based at Le Plessis at the moment.
 

Pa12

Well-Known Member
Don't worry, mate, nobody touches the plane without close supervision, and they were both standing on the walking boxes, as @Pa12 said :) .

It is, indeed, a DH Chipmunk (G-AOJR) based there, at Le Plessis.

@Pa12 which one was your L-5? We had a couple paying a visit in the afternoon, but they didn't stay for very long. I'm quite sure there's none based at Le Plessis at the moment.
Ours was the ambulance version. Don’t know the us registration on it. It was CF-DRG up here. We restored it in 1990 and sold it to them in 93. I loved that airplane. My brother flew it from Toronto to California. Lucky bastard Was between jobs at the time.
 

Pa12

Well-Known Member
Don't worry, mate, nobody touches the plane without close supervision, and they were both standing on the walking boxes, as @Pa12 said :) .

It is, indeed, a DH Chipmunk (G-AOJR) based there, at Le Plessis.

@Pa12 which one was your L-5? We had a couple paying a visit in the afternoon, but they didn't stay for very long. I'm quite sure there's none based at Le Plessis at the moment.
Sorry, missed the “France “ part.;) I was thinking of the outfit in California known previously as the Confederate Airforce.
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member
Do they have any affiliation with the CAF in the states?
Yes indeed, they are officially part of the CAF. I think there's 4 "wings" outside the US, France, UK, Switzerland and New Zealand. I don't know for the other countries, but the French Wing is keeping in close touch with the US ones, multiple visits per years, both sides, and, for example, the French wing organized the "Daks over LFA" event two weeks ago: All C-47 present for the D-Day commemorations were to be based for a couple days in La Ferté Alais, doing aircraft tours, rides in them and so on: https://theaviationgeekclub.com/epi...-the-80th-d-day-anniversary-at-daks-over-lfa/
 

Pa12

Well-Known Member
Yes indeed, they are officially part of the CAF. I think there's 4 "wings" outside the US, France, UK, Switzerland and New Zealand. I don't know for the other countries, but the French Wing is keeping in close touch with the US ones, multiple visits per years, both sides, and, for example, the French wing organized the "Daks over LFA" event two weeks ago: All C-47 present for the D-Day commemorations were to be based for a couple days in La Ferté Alais, doing aircraft tours, rides in them and so on: https://theaviationgeekclub.com/epi...-the-80th-d-day-anniversary-at-daks-over-lfa/
Very cool
 

Pa12

Well-Known Member
Yes indeed, they are officially part of the CAF. I think there's 4 "wings" outside the US, France, UK, Switzerland and New Zealand. I don't know for the other countries, but the French Wing is keeping in close touch with the US ones, multiple visits per years, both sides, and, for example, the French wing organized the "Daks over LFA" event two weeks ago: All C-47 present for the D-Day commemorations were to be based for a couple days in La Ferté Alais, doing aircraft tours, rides in them and so on: https://theaviationgeekclub.com/epi...-the-80th-d-day-anniversary-at-daks-over-lfa/
I checked them out on their website. They still have our old L-5E. Based in Odesa. Pretty sure that’s where my brother delivered it too. They’ve changed up the paint on the nose a bit, but other wise the same. Absolutely beautiful airplane to fly. Though the old Lycoming 0-435 engines had a bad reputation.
 

mulceber

Moderator
The mercury dipped, so carpe diem.
IMG_1779.jpeg
 
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