'Cuvée Spéciale' - Label made by Serge
BaseCo at Beauvechain Airbase
"Lt. Col. Avi. 'Paul' Rorive in the backseat of MT26
Lt. Col. Avi. "Lange" Smets, pilot
of the chase plane MT40...
Special Château Magister - Cuvée Fouga MT26
CM 170 Fouga Magister MT
26's
Last Flight
Text ©Marc ARYS
Photographs : ©Serge VAN HEERTUM and ©Marc ARYS
After more than 45 years of dedicated service, CM170 Fouga Magister MT26 was 'decommissioned' on December 15, 2006, when she made her 'Last Flight' at Beauvechain homebase. MT26 entered service in November 1960 as a primary jet trainer for the new student pilots of the Belgian Air Force (now Belgian Air Component) until 1979 when the Alpha Jet took over. Even though this last aircraft drove the Fouga to the second place, the CM170 remain in use, but not as a primary trainer anymore.
MT26 did her duty with grace and beauty and to commemorate the 46 years and 249.000 flighthours of the Fouga era, she received a special paint scheme based on the renowned 'Red Devils', complemented by the emblems of all the Fouga operators in Belgian service as well as repainted wingtip tanks (see our Fouga page).
As such she was flown by Lt. Gen. Avi. Jean-Paul 'Pedro' Buyse together with MT48 flown by Lt. Col. Avi. 'Paul' Rorive forming the last Belgian "Fouga Pair".
On December 19, 2006, 3 Fouga Magister are still airworthy in the Belgian Air Component (MT35, MT40 and MT48). These aircraft will be retired in the next months with the last one in September 2007. The very last solo display on this fine machine will be held at the Belgian Defence Days 2007 at Koksijde Airbase on June 30 and July 01, 2007.
Serge and Marc of S.B.A.P. witnessed this last flight and share it with you all. A similar tribute page will be done upon retirement of each remaining CM170 Fouga Magister.
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'Cuvée Spéciale' - Label made by Serge |
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| Last moments before taking to the air. Isn't she lovely ?? |
'Driver' of the last MT26 flight, Col.
Avi. Thierry Deschrevel, BaseCo at Beauvechain Airbase |
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"Lt. Col. Avi. 'Paul' Rorive in the backseat of MT26 |
Lt. Col. Avi. "Lange" Smets, pilot of the chase plane MT40... |
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| ... and his backseater, Adjt. Eddy 'Bink' Kellens, photographer | All set and ready to go... | |
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| ... and there she goes for the last time... | ||
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Special Château Magister - Cuvée Fouga MT26 |
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| Back on the apron | ||
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| "50 years from now' | ||
A complete book on the career of the CM170 Fouga Magister in Belgian service "Whistling Turtles in Belgian Skies" is being made :
Text ©Marc ARYS
Photographs : ©Serge VAN HEERTUM and ©Marc ARYS