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![]() Text : Serge Van Heertum - Pictures : Patrick Brouckaert (others as mentionned) © sbap 2012 |
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Easter holiday in south of France, Patrick Brouckaert found some planes to be pictured. During this trip, he felt on two former Belgian Air Force Mirage V BA. An occasion to take pictures of them and why not make a little overview of the BA10 and BA43 career. |
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BA10 | |
The BA10 c/n 10 was
delivered to the Belgian Air Force in February 1971. The plane did a long
and discrete career under the colours of different Mirage V squadrons. |
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The early years under 2nd Squadron markings (Coll SBAP) | In the 1980s with the 1st Squadron (Coll Johny De Visch) |
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In 1991 wearing the 8th Squadron insigna (Serge Van Heertum) | Preserved at Orange in (wrong) markings of 5ème Escadre (Patrick Brouckaert) |
BA43 | |
The BA43 c/n 43 was delivered to the Belgian Air Force in June 1972. In 1987, the 2nd squadron commemorate his 70 years and the BA43 was especially decorated. This blue aircraft was known as "Milky Way". During the first Gulf war in 1991 the BA43 flown from Diyarbakir in Turkey as participant of the "Ace Guard" operation. After the authorities decision to stop using the Mirage, this one was also stored at Weelde. Like the BA10, the BA43 was sold to SAGEM in 1999 and transported back to France. Since 2010, the BA43 is located at the Orange air base museum reserve. |
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The early years on 2nd Squadron in company of BA24 (Coll SBAP) | Special "Milky Way" colour scheme (Serge Van Heertum) |
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In flight (Coll SBAP) | In 1990 with the 8th Squadron (Serge Van Heertum) |
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In the reserve of Orange air base museum (Patrick Brouckaert) | Sadly for the visitors the plane is bached (Patrick Brouckaert) |
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Quite good state 20 years after retirement (Patrick Brouckaert) | The wing fuel tanks are not mounted (Patrick Brouckaert) |
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Still with Belgian fin flash... (Patrick Brouckaert) | ...but without any squadron markings (Patrick Brouckaert) |