http://www.caffrenchwing.fr AIRSHOW CAF FRENCH WING - BULLETIN MENSUEL - MONTHLY NEWSLETTER http://www.lecharpeblanche.fr

Volume 17 - N° 3 - March 2012

EDITORIAL

his issue of our monthly bulletin is Texceptional thanks to a man whose will power and obstinacy allowed him to make his dream as a kid come true, but also to remember and to honor as best as possible, the braveness of French aviators who fought with strength and courage during the Battle of France. This man, Jean-Marie Garric, is an example for us all. Therefore I invite you to read the article about the Potez 63-11 which is dedicated to him.

ollowing the call made last month F for volunteers who would like to help in obtaining the most beautiful hangar in Le Plessis-Belleville (!), I received a few propositions which really pleased me, but I admit I was expecting a few more… I hope that more members will offer to help in a way or another since, even from a distance, there is always a way to help, and that will be highly appreciated ! If you have none of the UNIMAGINABLE ! A POTEZ 63-11 has items we’re looking for, please sacrifice a little of your available time, and come been built by a french man resid- and help us with the construction of the mezzanine offices. And remember that ing in HARLINGEN (TEXAS), JEAN-MARIE your lodging is free if you come from the GARRIC, already known worldwide provinces. for his yak 3 PRODUCTION he same applies to our Piper Cub Twhich needs some serious help. As per today’s state of things, the plane cannot operate in a healthy financial way. I hope that our members’ faith in our goals, made THE FRENCH WING FLY-IN WILL TAKE of respect for those who sacrificed their life during WWII, is intact, and that they PLACE ON MAY 12, IN LE PLESSIS- will materialize it soon by renewing their BELLEVILLE. PLEASE BOOK THIS DATE sponsorship for this aircraft. I thank them warmly in advance. FOR THIS EVENT TODAY !

hope that you all made a note of the I date of our Fly-in on May 12, 2012, and I hope to see the maximum number of our TWO MORE PIPER CUB SPONSORS THIS members there. On the program we have : Beautiful weather, friendship, barbecue, MONTH ! THAT IS EXCELLENT BUT NOT local flights, nice classic planes, etc… See you all there ! ENOUGH… WE HOPE OUR MEMBERS WILL

Bernard WAKE UP SOON ☺

1 NEWS

PIPER CUB TWO MORE SPONSORS 2012 FRENCH WING “SPIRIT OF LEWIS” EVENTS We thank Bertrand Brown who The Piper Cub “Spirit of renewed his help to this project at the • The Carrefour de l’Air which Lewis” of our association level of Supporting Sponsor, and Hugh allows Associations to present their desperately needs more Alexander III who renewed his spon- work to the public and to establish sponsors if we want to see sorship at the level of Flying Sponsor. new links between themselves, will it fly this year ! take place in Le Bourget on March A big thank you to Bertrand and 31 and April 01. The French Wing will have its booth there and we Remember that the financing system Hugh. Thanks to their support we’re invite all members to come and see adopted since the purchase of this getting closer to our target, but there it like they did in 2011. plane is based on from our members is still a long way to go. Thanks in and friends. advance to all of you ! • The Piper Club France GA will take place in Amiens on April 14, 2012. Flying Sponsor AIR BRITAIN CLASSIC FLY-IN • The French Wing Fly-in will take Annual Premium 250€ and price per On June 9 and 10, 2012, this nice place on May 12, 2012 in Le Plessis- flight hour 25€ (Average cost over 10 Fly-in will take place in North Weald Belleville. hours of flight : 50€). (UK). There, will be celebrated the (Note : Approved pilots are all Flying Sponsors) 75th anniversary of the Piper Cub, We ask everyone who will come with and the 20th anniversary of the or without an airplane, and who can Restoration Sponsor Aeronca Club (GB). take part in the preparation and its good progress to make themselves Annual Premium 125€ and price per known ASAP. flight hour 45€ (Average cost over 10 The airplanes will include the French hours of flight : 57,50€). Wing’s and those residing in Le Plessis- Belleville or not too far from it : Supporting Sponsor • Piper Cub Annual Premium 50€ and price per • NC 856 flight hour 55€ (Average cost over 10 • Jurca Sirocco hours of flight : 60€). • MS 733 • Cessna 195 (60th anniversary) Non-Sponsors • Taurus • Jodel D120 Non-Sponsors do not pay any annual • Stearman premium but the cost for one flight • Christen Eagle hour is 80 euros. • Yak 18T We will soon start sending invitations We’re still missing 1250 € to cover the for other attractive historical planes fixed costs which amount to 5700 € For more information contact num- whose identity will be published for year 2012. ber +44 (0)1376-344441 or connect as soon as their presence will be yourself to : confirmed. In addition, we have We are looking into an alternative www.air-britain.com/flyin-about hopes to obtain the participation of system to finance this plane, but the very nice cars ! fixed costs are, alas, unavoidable, and, Tickets are £ 5.00 per adult, £ 5.00 per for the moment, we admit that we vehicle, free for the less than 18’s. On • Other events are still to be haven’t found any miraculous recipe. the program : Barbecue, gift shops, confirmed. We hope to participate in Therefore, we ask all our members flights, free camping area, free land- the La Ferté-Alais air show on May who were sponsors in 2011 to renew, ing fees, etc… And Duxford is a short 26 and 27, with our booth and at as well as the others… distance away from North Weald. least one airplane. 2 AT THE HANGAR DOORS

MEZZANINE This construction will be based on of 1/18 scale aircraft models to woodwork especially (Floor and decorate the offices and the Wing’s The intense cold period that we walls). For safety, the windows will Club House (F-18, Avenger, Hellcat, suffered for two weeks brought any be made of sheets of polycarbonate etc…). outside work to a halt, and the con- within a simple wood frame, and • Jean-Christophe Debuisson struction of the mezzanine was no the door which will allow us to hoist has donated a large model of the exception. large pieces of equipment will be 760 which will look nice made by ourselves. once we hang it from the hangar The recent milder temperatures roof structure. allowed us to get a more precise If you can participate in this con- • Hug Alexander III has donated a date of the mounting of this struc- struction, even if it is only one or bunch of old Confederate Air Force, ture by the employees of company two days, do not hesitate to con- posters which will help us decorate Baudoux : The manufacturing of tact us ! If you are only available the hangar. the beams will start Monday 27, on week-ends, we will adapt to • Fumiko & Bernard Delfino and their delivery and assembly will your availability. And if you have have donated a complete set of follow immediately after. Therefore, to travel over some long distance, aviation magazines which will one can hope to see this structure Roger Gouzon will provide you soon be part of the French Wing’s finished by the end of the first week with a bedroom, free of charge, library. in March. and the only money you will need to spend is your return trip. WANTED In view of this work, the NC 856 has been moved to Philippe Nonat’s Any member who will efficiently • To decorate the hangar, we are hangar, The complete equipment help us complete this project will be looking for large flags (About 3’ x has been stowed away from the rewarded with some free flying time 6’) of all countries where a member working area, and all we will need aboard the Piper Cub, like 30 min- of the French Wing resides : France, to do while the structure is being utes per effective working day. USA, Luxemburg, Belgium, United fitted, is to get the Piper Cub out Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. every morning, and get it back CONTRIBUTION FROM OUR inside in the evening. This construc- MEMBERS AND FRIENDS • We’re also looking for small trees, tion should not take more than two roses, bushes, flowers, etc… or three days. We are very pleased to say that gifts to the hangar are starting to accu- • Any large size model of a WWII THE FRENCH WING mulate. Here is an updated list : airplane will be accepted with great NEEDS YOUR HELP ! pleasure (Ed : Especially if it is Curtiss • Gaël Darquet has donated three P-40 B or C !). The building of the mezzanine new doors with their frames. rooms during March will call • Roger Gouzon has donated a • Any piece of furniture in a very for the presence of as many metallic spiral staircase to access the good state that you would not want members as possible. And they mezzanine level. any more, and which would be very do not need any special knowl- • The family of the late Léon useful in the offices, will be wel- edge to help. Manoukians has donated a bunch come.

3 SAVED IN EXTREMIS

This wind tunnel model of the B-17 F used from 1940 was nearly lost for ever after it had been discovered in a Boeing warehouse a few years ago.

It was painted olive drab and medium gray like the standard scheme at the beginning of World War Two.

Since it could possibly have some Having established that this Above, the model photographed inside a historical value, it was sent to the model was really historical, wind tunnel in 1944. The propellers are Boeing archives for evaluation, several artisans brought their moved by electric motors which have also but an accident stopped it from expertise and know-how together, been restored. reaching its destination, and and they worked relentlessly for The photos below show the very high quality it was sent by mistake to the four years on its restoration. of the work done for this restoration. Note the leading edge slots on the left outer wing Museum of Flight in Seattle. leading edge, adopted on the Boeing 307 The museum personnel called The photos show the level of Stratoliner but not on the B-17. the historical department at quality of Boeing about this wood and the result. metal model which was in such Therefore, if a state that it didn’t seem to be you happen repairable. to go through Seattle during A close examination revealed your trips, go that it was indeed a model used and see this for aerodynamics studies which B-17 which is was used for the first time in displayed in November 1940, then, along the the very nice war to test the modifications Museum of done to this legendary bomber. Flight today.

4 A KID’S DREAM Article : Bernard Delfino

In October 1934 the Air Ministry asked the aircraft manufacturers to study and produce a three seat fighter capable of guiding other fighters during i n t e r c e p t i o n s , but also to escort bombers above enemy territory, and to be able to be used as a fighter during day time and night time too.

Such a program represented a task Potez 630 (The 630 Hispano Suiza engines are recognizable thanks to the air intake on top of the cowlings) which was almost impossible to accomplish since immediately revealed excellent only 80 aircraft. These engines, the criteria were not only drastic, flight qualities, and a great strength Hispano-Suiza 14AB10/11, were but also sometimes contradictory. despite a rather light structure. too fragile, and the Potez 630 was The airplane had to be very replaced with the Potez 631, better maneuverable, and therefore light, Mass production was very well powered by the Gnôme-Rhône but it also had to have a large organized since it was based on 14M 4/5. Also better armed, it range, a speed as high as possible, the assembly of 19 sub-assemblies represented the major part of the and a climb rate required for any produced by various workshops, heavy fighters during the Battle of interceptor. assembled into 6 main elements France. which made up the airplane. The Obtaining such a result could only total time for the production was Other versions were produced, the call for a compromise which rarely only 7500 man-hours, similar to main ones being the Potez 633 give full satisfaction. the 520, (Two seater bomber and attack), and far inferior to the the Potez 637 (Reconnaissance It didn’t discourage Morane-Saulnier 406 engineer Louis which required 18.000 Coroller (Right) and man-hours. his team. They got to work immediately with The plants at Méaulte such a celerity that and Les Mureaux they were able to start managed to produce the construction of the these planes with such Potez 630 prototype in an ease that the Armée Méaulte, in April 1935, the first de l’Air could not absorb them flight taking place exactly one year fast enough and the manufacturers later, and the production starting of accessories had the greatest another year later. difficulties in providing the parts.

Not only was the airplane beautiful Huge engine problems stopped the and perfectly streamlined, but it production of the Potez 630 after

5 with a belly fitted gondola for the observer), soon replaced by the Potez 63-11 also reconnaissance and liaison much better designed, with a large glass nose, better armed, and, finally, the most produced of all versions of the Potez 83, with 843 aircraft.

Several foreign countries ordered Above, the prototype of the Potez 63-11 with its rounded nose. Below, a line production of the Potez 63-11 with its extended and angular nose the Potez 63 with various versions : China, Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece, Czechoslovakia, and Switzerland In total, no less than 1395 aircraft were produced, including all versions, with 1115 of those taken on by the French forces.

A popular legend says that the Germans copied the Potez 630 to produce their Messerschmitt 110. This is not true, and the only fact that their respective studies started uncomfortable and ineffective glass areas distorted the observer’s almost simultaneously proves it. gondola, a temporary palliative vision excessively looking down. On the other had, their strong until its replacement became They asked for a replacement of resemblance resulted in the Potez available. these curved panels with flat ones, being mistaken for the Me110, which resulted in a longer and more which explains why several of them The Potez 63 was the basis for the angular nose section. were the victims of ground fire air^lane, and only the nose section or “friendly” fighters, as well as was re-designed to give the observer Since the production rate had the adoption of long white bands the largest possible glass area. The reached 120 airplanes per month painted along the fuselage in order first flight took place on December in May 1940, Ratier, which to help distinguishing them. 31, 1938, and the plane behaved manufactured the three bladed with the same flight qualities as the propellers, was unable to produce POTEZ 63-11 Potez 631. them in time, and a number of Potez 63-11 were delivered with The Potez 63-11 was designed However, the Armée de l’Air temporary two blades wooden to replace the Potez 637 with its officials noted that the curved propellers with a fixed pitch. The flying characteristics were, of course, greatly impaired, and these planes could only fly very limited missions.

A notable characteristic of this aircraft is that the observer could use emergency flying controls comprising a pair of rudder pedals, a removable control column, throttle levers, magneto selectors, an air speed indicator, and an altimeter. This was sufficient to allow the observer to bring back the plane to friendly territory and crash land in case the pilot was unable to do so.

6 The normal use of this aircraft was UN POTEZ 63-11 AU TEXAS with a fighter escort. Alas, in May and June 1940, the latter were busy As incredible as it may appear, it is his great humility minimizes his elsewhere. This is why the losses in Texas, in Harlingen precisely, that achievements so much so that one suffered by the Potez 63-11 were a Potez 63-11 will soon take to the has the impression that everything the highest of all aircraft types used air thanks to a man, a French man is easy, and that he can produce Yak by the Armée de l’Air. And still… If established there for several dozen and Potez airplanes like a magician it were not for the maneuverability years, Jean-Marie Garric, already can get rabbits and doves out of a of the plane at altitude or near the known for his modifications of Yak top hat ! ground, and its capacity to sustain 11 into Yak 3. heavy damage despite a rather light Don’t be fooled ! The construction construction, losses would have Jean-Marie Garric is an exceptional of this Potez 63-11 is the result been a lot more important ! man, an outstanding mechanic of numerous years of reflection, able to maintain and restore long and thorough research, Finally, the capacity to easily warbirds, but also to manufacture and very hard work. It is a love increase the plane’s armament by the them. These faculties call for story, a passion for this airplane addition of supplementary machine unimaginable technical knowledge, which began when Jean-Marie guns firing forward or rearward, a know-how that very few people Garric was 15 years old. It is then allowed these planes to take part possess, and an extraordinary that this kid’s dream took shape in desperate attack missions on the determination to achieve the goals and developed gradually until enemy Panzer columns. that he gives himself, abilities that the moment when he made the only the greatest can have. However, decision to manufacture this Potez The Potez 63-11 was used on all when one discusses with him, 63-11, exactly like the original. front lines in Europe, North Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Numerous planes were captured by the Germans and used as trainers.

After the end of WW II, all these planes were blindly scrapped by the authorities. Not a single one found its way to a museum… 7 The first step - and it wasn’t the are not like the original are the Pratt easiest - was to find the original & Whitney R985 engines borrowed blue prints of the aircraft. Jean- from a Beechcraft D-18 purchased Marie Garric naturally contacted for that very purpose, and some the Musée de l’Air in Le Bourget accessories for the electrical and which, by chance, had half of them. hydraulic systems. For the rest of He ordered a copy and started to the plane, it is perfectly in line look for the other half by contacting with the Potez production line, Louis Coroller’s nephew, Jean- which allowed Jean-Marie Garric Louis Coroller, co-author of the to temporarily give it the serial excellent book “Les Avions Potez”, number 844. who, unfortunately died on January 25, 2012, at the age of 81. The reader will have noticed that these engines are less powerful than the original Gnôme & Rhône engines by about 150 HP, but the lighter The three photos on this page were taken in 2009 construction of Jean-Marie Garric’s by Laurent Lecomte, a man fond of aviation Potez 63-11 without the armour who is a friend of Jean-Marie Garric and help plates and other accessories that are him as much as he can when he travels to Texas. Thank you Laurent for letting us publish these not required will allow the plane to photos which can also be seen on various forums be at least as good as the original. since they were taken.

Jean-Marie Garric discovered that Jean-Louis Coroller was the holder of the missing half of the blue prints he was looking for. Enthused by this project, Jean-Louis Coroller copied these blue prints and sent them to Jean-Marie Garric who could thus study them and was able to truly start this construction in 2005.

(Note : It was Jean-Louis Coroller himself who brought these blue prints to the Musée de l’Air and donated them to this institution, and it’s simply because of the size of his car boot that he was only able to bring half of them !).

Contrary to what one may think, the plane has been constructed perfectly faithfully to the Potez 63- 11 blue prints and follows them perfectly. The only elements which 8 At the time of the publication of this Newsletter, the first engine runs and taxi tests (Above) have been accomplished, and Jean-Marie Garric is only waiting for the FAA visit in order to get the Certificate of Airworthiness and do the first flight.

The fact that the engines drive twin bade propellers is not too surprising, especially if one considers that, as said above, the first airplanes delivered were fitted with temporary wooden fixed pitch twin blade propellers in replacement of the metallic Ratier three blade, variable pitch, propellers.

The choice of aircraft number 641 of GAO 515, which outlived the Battle of France, has no particular significance, except that it has a nose art on each side of the forward fuselage of the dwarf “Grumpy” to make it somehow special. The plane’s crew (Above) was Lt Laneyrie, Sergeant Vaillat, and S/Lt Lahaye.

And, as Jean-Marie Garric told us with a great sense of humor, “The choice of the dwarf “Grumpy” is, it appears, representative of my own character…” ☺ 9 An article introducing Jean-Marie Garric would not be complete with- out mentioning the Yak of which he produced several airplanes, like the one he owns, painted as the plane flown by Marcel Albert which can be seen on the beautiful picture above of the couple Potez/Yak. On the photo on the right, the hero of the Normandie- Niemen Marcel Albert, Ace with 23 victories, can be seen in company with Jean-Marie Garric on the right, and Laurent Lecomte on the left. What Jean-Marie Garric did for Marcel Albert at the end of his life is exceptional. A story we may tell you one day…

We wish to thank Jean-Marie Garric for the very warm welcome he gave us and for the photos he sent us. We also warmly thank Laurent Lecomte who allowed us to publish his pictures.

Réeferences : “Les Avions Potez” by Jean-Louis Coroller and Michel Ledet, éditions Lela Presse. Les Ailes de Gloire N° 9 “Potez 63” by Patrick Marchand and Junko Takamori, éditions d’Along. “Potez 63 Family” by José Fernandez, éditions Mushroom.

10 CAUDRON 760 Article & photos : Olivier Beyer

Built in the nineties by Jean off from two photographs of this airplane in many air shows but it was dis- Noan (An engineer working for which is the last one of the production mantled and stayed for some time company Bertin SRC), this rep- line and manufactured in April 1940. stowed in the hangar at Cerny-La lica of a Caudron C.760 is based When I decided to do this project I prob- Ferté Alais. on a Nord 3202 airframe, and is ably didn’t realize the amount of work it fitted with a 600 HP Renault en- represented”. The plane was bought by Philippe gine. Moniot at the end of 2008. it is Its accomplishment required 12 now based at Issoire where it is Very few documents were available years and 25.000 man hours of perfectly maintained and where it and Jean Noan explained: “I started hard work. The plane took part flies regularly.

11 WING PROJECTS

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SPIRIT OF LEWIS DONATEURS SPONSORS 2012 Lucienne FARNAULT Famille MANOUKIANS Noël BARANGE Bertrand BROWN Jacqueline CLERC Cédric CHANU Louis-Jean GIOUX Flying Sponsors Cédric MALHAIRE Bertrand BROWN Marie-Françoise LE CORNEC Hugh Alexander III Gaël DARQUET Gilles Avenel Stéphane DUCHEMIN NEW PX ITEM Christian WANNYN Michel Baloche Gaël DARQUET Eric Bellebon Camille MONTAIGU LA FERTÉ-ALAIS 2011 Didier CARDINAL Rémi Bellet ANONYME Jean-Yves Cercy Michel FLEURY John FRANCIS Gaël Darquet Alain JIMENEZ Bernard Delfino Jim LUX Lilian AYARS Claude Gascon Guy ROBERT Roger Gouzon Lewis BATEMAN Roy Grinnell William DAVIES Jean-Yves CERCY Irene Grinnell Arnaud CHATTON John Roeder Claude DE MARCO Roger GOUZON Michel PERRIN Jean-Pierre JOB Restoration Sponsor Jean-Christophe DEBUISSON Henri BOURRASSIER Hugh ALEXANDER III Bunty Bateman Sandy SANSING Cédric Chanu Regis URSCHLER George CHANDLER Michel Fleury Matt SIMEK CD Rom of 110 photos taken dur- Louis-Jean Gioux Guy BORTOLUS Patrick PIERRE-PIERRE ing the 2011 La Ferté-Alais air show. Eric BESANÇON 1600 pixels jpeg images that make a nice screen Supporting Sponsor Jean BARBAUD saver/wall paper, or which can be printed for person- Shirley BATEMAN David & Eileen BOTTLEY al use only (10 € P&P incl, or 8 € for our members) Anonyme 1 Marie-Françoise LE CORNEC Philippe DUFLOT Anonyme 2 Christian FALENTIN The CAF French Wing is a non-profit Association ruled by Bertrand Brown Barbara & Aubrey HAIR the 1901 law, and registered under number 2473 of the Journal Claude REQUI Officiel dated 10 July 1996. Jean-Christophe Debuisson Kim TOLFREE Fumiko Delfino Eric JANSSONNE Unit Leader : Col. Bernard DELFINO Christophe BASTIDE Tél & Fax : 01 48 69 04 57 - Mobile : 0680361717 Danielle Duflot David PRICE email : [email protected] Barbara Hair Fumiko DELFINO Executive Officer : Bertrand BROWN Bernard DELFINO Tél : 09 50 19 58 62 - Mobile : 06 16 97 55 06 Aubrey Hair Haruo TANAKA email : [email protected] Marcel Ledoux Eric REARWIN Finance Officer : Col. Claude GASCON Yves DONJON Tél : 03 29 86 71 00 - Mobile : 0675742596 Colette McAlester Roy & Irene GRINNELL email : [email protected] Bunty BATEMAN Adjutant : Noël BARANGE Jean-Claude Miniggio Tél : 01 30 96 68 53 - Mobile : 06 84 92 90 08 Camille Montaigu Marcel FRANCISCI email : [email protected] Dominique DEUDON Haruo Tanaka John & Anne ROEDER AIRSHOW is a publication of the French Wing of the Ron Wright Ronald WRIGHT Commemorative Air Force, Inc. - Any partial or complete re- Léon MANOUKIANS production of the articles and the illustrations published in this Aviation Club de France monthly Newsletter is forbidden without the agreement of the Georges MARCELIN FW. Please write to the Association at the following address : 19 Semaan SOUEID rue de Cannes 93600 - Aulnay sous Bois - FRANCE. 12