Paginatitel

Europe

by James Allan Anstruther, Fife, U.K.

The annual European fly-in took us this year for the first time to France, where we had a varied, interesting, and thoroughly enjoyable visit to the little airfield of Marmande. This is close to the famous wine region of Bordeaux and lies within sight of the spectacular Pyrenees mountain range that marks France's border with Spain. No fewer than 27 Grummans flew in to Marmande during the weekend, including one French aircraft F-BUOV, flown by a non-AYA member who was astonished to find so many planes like his already there. He was presented with an AYA membership form and should, we reckon, be a member by the time this appears in print. Even though Europe is becoming more unified these days, each country still uses its own registration system, and the Grummans present included a couple on the American N registrations, some Belgian 00-registered, Danish (OY-), French (F-), German (D-), Swiss (HB-), Italian (I-), and G- registered planes from each country within the U.K.: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Those who arrived early had an opportunity to fly across to Tarbes, which serves the Catholic shrine of Lourdes and also has an Aerospatiale factory. It is there that the Socata division plans to produce the new TB-360 Tangara twin (the revised GA7 Cougar) alongside the TBM-700, TB-9 Tampico, TB-10 Tobago, and TB-20 Trinidad singles. This AYA visit had been arranged through Aerospatiale's Paris office, but they had failed to inform the Tarbes plant, and everyone there was astonished when a stream of Grummans (including a Swiss AYAer's Cougar HB-LKG) started arriving while a formal demonstration of the Tangara (now powered by 180-hp engines), a TBM-700, and a TB-20 Trinidad fitted with the new Renault diesel engine was in progress in front of the chief executive and all plant personnel. The unexpected arrivals were all taken in good part, however, and AYA members were given an interesting tour of the production facilities. We were most impressed with the low noise level of the diesel powered TB-20. The demonstrated aircraft was producing 200 hp at 2,200 rpm. It now seems probable that the Tangara will enter production only when this Renault power-unit is available for it. To add to the excitement of the visit, AYA departures back to Marmande were interrupted by the unexpected arrival at Tarbes of a Boeing 747.

Dinner that evening set the scene for the culinary delights of the weekend. Everyone knows the French eat well, but our hosts in Marmande set new standards for us. They are known as L'Escadrille Orion (The Orion Squadron), a team of amateurs who restore vintage aircraft very professionally. We dined in their hangar under the wing of a French-built MS500 Fieseler Storch alongside a de Havilland Chipmunk and with a Nord 1203 Pinguin (French Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun), a T-28 Fennec (the French version of the Trojan) and other fascinating machines in the background. In charge of the cooking was Michel Metheraud, Orion Squadron member, owner and pilot of the Pinguin and a truly excellent chef cuisinier whose meals will long be remembered by everyone there.