Les chevaliers du ciel (1967 TV Series)

This page needs completing! This page has been identified as unfinished and with no recent activity. Anyone is free to work on it, new users can find more information here. Last updated on 11 April 2024.

Les chevaliers du ciel (1967 TV Series) DVD cover.

TV Series (1967-1970)
English title : The Aeronauts

Starring:
Jacques Santi (Michel Tanguy)
Christian Marin (Ernest Laverdure)
Michele Girardon (Nicole)
Roger Pigaut (Capitaine Merlet)

(Synopsis needed)

Season One

Dassault Mystère IV

Ep. 1.01
Dassault Mystère IV of 7ième Escadre (E.C. 3/7 Languedoc) (7th Wing, Squadron 3/7 Languedoc). CC was the code of aircraft s/n 191 in 1966 ... if this footage is not older.

Various Aircraft

Ep. 1.01
Two Dassault Mystère IVs with a Dassault Flamant on the left and a Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard in the background.
Tanguy was at the controls of 7-AU of EC 1/7 Provence (s/n 130) and his leader, Laverdure, was piloting 7-AI s/n 134, a Mystère built in March 1956 and destroyed on 28 February 1968 after 1,709 flight hours. Thirteen days before in the same area (Solenzara, Corsica), it was the same fate for Mystère IV s/n 130 after 2,034 flight hours !

Continuity error : Tanguy et Laverdure are pilots of EC 1/7 Provence (yellow stripe) but the mechanic of Laverdure is close a Mystère with a blue stripe of the sister squadron (escadron 3/7 Languedoc).
In the far background, we can guess (1) a SNCASO SO 4050 Vautour and (2) a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star.

Dassault Mirage III C

Ep. 1.01
2-LL and 2-LO are Dassault Mirage III C s/n 60 and 51 of EC 3/2 Alsace.

Ep. 1.02
Dassault Mirage III C s/n 33 which worn code 2-EC between January 1966 and April 1968.

Ep. 1.03
Dassault Mirage III C s/n 63 code 2-EN of EC 1/2 Cigognes between April 1966 and December 1968.

Used again in Ep. 1.04 to pursuit the stolen Mirage.

This line-up shows the right side (SPA 103) of the fighters of EC 1/2 Cigognes.

Ep. 1.04
Dassault Mirage III C 2-EF s/n 48 of EC 1/2 Cigognes. Given to be Yankee Papa (!) on the radio.

Ep. 1.06
Dassault Mirage III C 2-ET s/n 32.

Dassault Mirage III C 2-EA s/n 69.

Dassault Mirage III C 2-LF s/n 44 of EC 3/2 Alsace.

Dassault Mirage III C 2-EP s/n 12 or 85 (data bases give them with overlapping dates).

Ep. 1.07

Ep. 1.08
Dassault Mirage III C 2-EN (s/n 42 or 63 ?).

Dassault Mirage III C 2-EL s/n 65.

Ep. 1.09
Dassault Mirage III C 2-LD s/n 27 of EC 3/2 Alsace.

Dassault Mirage III C (2-LO or 2-LQ ?) with a tally of a dozen missile or target. A former testbed ?

Ep. 1.11
Dassault Mirage III C 2-EG s/n 82.

Ep. 1.12
Dassault Mirage III C 2-EJ of EC 1/2 Cigognes could be aircraft serial 18 or 61 (depending if filming was before or after July 1966).

Ep. 1.13
Dassault Mirage III C 2-ED s/n 91.

Dassault Mirage III C 2-EN s/n 63.

Dassault Mirage III B

Ep. 1.02
Probably Mirage III B s/n 227 which has worn tactical code 2-FP between June 1966 and December 1969. Note the Gull emblem of the SPA 57 (the other side is the Griffon -see bottom-) of EC 2/2 Côte d'Or.

Ep. 1.03
Dassault Mirage III B s/n 208 2-FS of EC 2/2 Côte d'Or (SPA 65 Griffon).

Ep. 1.04
Dassault Mirage III B c/n 209 2-FI of SPA 65 Griffon too.

And now Mirage III B c/n 227 2-FP.

Ep. 1.12
Four pilots are briefed to intercept the Vilain T-33 then board their plane and are taxiing. On in the air we will see four Mirage IIICs but on the taxiway they are two single-seat and these two two-seat:
Dassault Mirage III B 208 (see above Ep. 1.03).

Dassault Mirage III 2-FM s/n 206.

Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris

Seen in several episodes usually just after the opening credits.

Unidentified Aircraft

Ep. 1.06

Ep. 1.08

Dassault Super-Mystère B2

Ep. 1.06
Continunity error as seen instead of a Mirage.

Sikorsky H-34

Ep. 1.06

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

Ep. 1.08

Ep. 1.12

Ep. 1.13

Gloster Meteor T.7

Ep. 1.09
The roundel is more British than French ... maybe a footage from Martin-Baker Co showing one of their two testbed Meteors.
If right, maybe the same aircraft seen in Ep. 1.7 Many Happy Returns of The Prisoner (TV Series) but not the same footage.

Agusta-Bell 47G-2

Ep. 1.09
Agusta-Bell 47G-2 c/n 197 of the Gendarmerie (French Military Police) with the code JAE.

Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II

Ep. 1.09
Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II F-MJAP s/n 1717 of the Gendarmerie. Seen again in episodes 10 and 12.

Ep. 1.10

Ep. 1.12
Seen here landing at B.A. 102 Dijon-Longvic (a French air base closed in 2016). Note the Bell 47G-2 JAE already seen and the unidentified white aircraft (Cessna ?) in the hangar.

Continuity error : just before F-MJAP was actually green with yellow code 343-ME (or MF ? s/n 1743) for few seconds !

Fouga CM170R Magister

Ep. 1.12

Transall C-160F

Ep. 1.12

Douglas C-47B-1-DK Skytrain

Ep. 1.12
Douglas C-47B-1-DK Skytrain c/n 25541 s/n 43-48280. On French Air Force in September 1944 with several Groupe de Transport (G.T. 1/15; G.T. 1/61; G.T. 2/64; G.T. 1/64 and then the squadron GLAM 1/60 dedicated to ministers people). From january 1964, on duty for four years with GTLA 2/60 asseen here : transporting Ministry of the Armed Forces personnel and foreign delegations, and carrying out medical evacuations for military personnel and civilians. Sold to Niger in May 1969.

Ep. 1.13

Airbase Life

Ep. 1.03
Training of the Fire Brigade with an Unidentified Dassault Mirage III C.

Atar jet engine testbed.

Radar Cyrano.

Rocket SEPR 841 on trial (used to boost interception performances).

And many others through episodes...

Season Two

Gloster Meteor

Ep. 2.01
A trio of Gloster Meteor. The type was no longer used by the EPNER (*) in 1968 but still by the CEV (Centre d'Essais en Vol / the French counterpart of the Royal Aircraft Etablishment). Moreover, the roundel is the British one !
(*) Ecole du Personnel Naviguant d'Essais et de Réception (the (French) Test Pilots' School) was based at Istres, near Marseilles, South of France where the action was filmed.

Dassault Super-Mystère B2

Ep. 2.01
Dassault Super-Mystère B2 but probably not the one used by the EPNER.

Fouga CM170R Magister

Ep. 2.01

SNCA Sud-Ouest 1221PS Djinn

Ep. 2.01

Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II

Ep. 2.01

Lockheed L-749 Constellation

Ep. 2.01
Reg. F-ZVMV Lockheed L-749 Constellation, c/n 2503. This Constellation is seen with a different paint scheme of those she worn in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Ep. 2.01
Nord 2501 Noratlas n°4 used by the CEV with a special radar nose ("AMOR" dedicated to telemetry operations during atmospheric re-entry of experimental missiles).

SNCASO SO 4050 Vautour II B

Ep. 2.01
SNCASO SO 4050 Vautour II B s/n 629 of 92ème Escadre de Bombardement.
The Dayglo tail of a Lockheed T-33 and a Dassault Flamand are in the background.

Various Aircraft

Ep. 2.01
A Fouga CM170R Magister is nearly hidding a Dassault Mirage III B (near the Dassault Super-Mystère B2).

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

Ep. 2.01

Stampe et Vertongen SV-4C

Ep. 2.01
Reg. F-BIHR Stampe et Vertongen SV-4C c/n 495.

Dassault Mirage III B

Ep. 2.01
Dassault Mirage III B 234.

SNCASO SO.30 Bretagne

Ep. 2.01
SNCASO SO.30 Bretagne (with a Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard in front of the hangar)...

... in flight ...

... and now both engines shut off.

(Ep. 02 to 13 still to be done)

Season Three

Lockheed F-104G Starfighter

Ep. 3.01

Captain François « Sus » Jacobs performing an incredible “touch-roll-touch-and-go” manoeuvre. On the 2 nd of September 1968, during the filming something went wrong and Susse was killed in spite of a last-minute ejection. This ultimate action is not shown but the aerobatic is edited in two times in order to show the missing landing.

Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter

Ep. 3.01
FC09 is one of the twelve TF-104G taken on charge by the Belgian Air Force. Sixteen months later, on 19 September 1969, after experiencing heavy purpoising just after take-off, the control over the aircraft was lost and the two pilots ejected. Airframe c/n 583G-5106 was a total loss.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV

Ep. 3.01
Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV gate guardian at Beauvechain. It's a composite of Supermarine Spitfire F.XIVe SG-3 for the wing (ex-RAF RM916; under the Belgian roundel from April 1947. Belly landing on 22 February 1950 after developing engine problems (reduction gear failure)) and fuelage of Supermarine Spitfire FR.14 SG-31 (Feb 1948 > Nov 1950) code MN-L then YL-B ex-RAF RN-201 crashed at Florennes due to engine problems on 5 October 1950). The former gate guardian was painted as SG-3 and was exchanged against Fairey Battle I R3950/HA-L (ex RCAF 1558) for the benefit of the Brussels Air Museum on May 1990. Now in flying condition as N201TB after G-BSKP.
Since 2021, the Beauvechain AB got again a Spitfire ... a 1:1 resin replica of a Mk IX.

Ep. 3.02
Supermarine Spitfire FR XIVe (ex-RAF RM951). To Belgian Air Force on August 1948 as SG-57 (code UR-N and later YL-N). Due to a technical malfunction the left undercarriage leg retracted while taxiing at Florennes airbase on first June 1950. Gate guardian at Florennes AB (1952-1986) wearing RAF roundel (WW2 area).
This aircraft is now preserved at Florennes on display inside the Spitfire Museum, painted to represent Spitfire SG-49/RL-D (which had a bubble canopy), the personal mount of famous WW2 Belgian pilot Raymond Lallemand, the first commanfing officer of the base (1947-1952).

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak

Ep. 3.02
FU-152 and 052 of the actually Belgian Air Force (Dutch: Belgische Luchtmacht; French: Force aérienne belge).

Scramble for 091 and 037; in another dispersal two other aircrafts (030 and 186) are too readied for taking off.

Unidentified Aircraft

Ep. 3.02
It's supposed to be a crashed cargo plane. Seems only parts (damaged wings and ?) from Republic F-84s...

Sikorsky HSS-1

Ep. 3.02
OT-ZKE Sikorsky HSS-1 of the Belgian Air Force code B5 c/n SA146 (built under licence by Sud-Aviation, France) and written off in 1985.

Dassault Mirage G

Ep. 3.03
A single prototype, powered by a single Pratt & Whitney/SNECMA TF-306 turbofan was built and fly-tested in 1968/1970 (first flight on 18 November 1967).
The Mirage G was developed into the twin-engine Mirage G8 of which two airframes were fly-tested : G8-01 was a two-seat and is now part of Musée de l'Air of Le Bourget (Air Museum Paris-Le Bourget) ; G8-02 was a single-seat and made its first flight on 13 July 1972. If the French Air Force eventually didn't ordered them, Dassault etablished tight links with Ling-Temco-Vought and they designed the Vought V-507 competitor for the US Navy's VFX programm (eventually won by the Grumman F-14).

Ep. 3.04

Dassault Mirage IV A

Ep. 3.03

Fouga CM170R Magister

Ep. 3.03

Ep. 3.04

Ep. 3.05
Fouga CM170R Magister c/n 531 code UD (for F-TFUD) from November 1969 to June 1974. Was still flying in 1992.

Fouga CM170R Magister c/n 481 F-TFTF (between November 1965 and May 1972). WFU in 1998 after 8,651 flight hours.

(L to R) TV; c/n 478 TG (WFU in 1994 after 7,114 flight hours); c/n 490 (F-TE)AS which ended in a crash in December 1985 after 6,432 hours. They are in front of a camouflaged Dassault Mystère IV (background right).

315-PE (not identified).

Beechcraft C-45 / Expeditor

Ep. 3.03
44-GR of ELA 44 Mistral which flew with several variant of the Expeditor (Canadian built) or C-45 (American ones).

Inside Hangar of Base aérienne 125 Istres-Le Tubé

Ep. 3.03

Lockheed L-749 Constellation

Reg. F-ZVMV Lockheed L-749 Constellation, c/n 2503 used as Turboméca engines test bed by C.E.V. between 1966 and 1974.
Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Robin DR253 Régent or DR300 (which subvariant ?)

(bottom) Engine covers removed showing the Lycoming four-cylinder piston engine.

Morane-Saulnier MS.1500 Epervier

1 : Seen with its cowling panels removed, showing its black thin turboprop in front of ...
2 : a C.E.V. (Centre d'Essais en Vol / Air Test Center) English Electric Canberra B6;
3 (and 6) : Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star;
4 : left boom and tail of a Nord 2501 Noratlas;
5 : DayGlo Orange tail of a Mirage III.

7 : tail of a Dassault Flamant;
8 : unidentified; maybe a Piel Emeraude (or derivative) ?

Unidentified Aircraft

Ep. 3.04

Morane-Saulnier MS-880B Rallye Club

Ep. 3.04
Reg. F-BPHS Morane-Saulnier MS-880B Rallye Club c/n 1198.

Dassault Mystère 20

Ep. 3.04

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina

Ep. 3.04
Reg. F-ZBAZ Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina Pélican noir when on strengh with (French) Sécurité Civile as a water bomber (1968-1973).
Built for the U.S. Navy Bureau Number 64064 as Consolidated PBY-6A. Converted to PBY-5A for Canadian certification at some point and was registered to Trade Ayer, Inc on 28 May 1956 as N10011 before export to Canada (20 July 1957).
Next civil identities were CF-IZZ, F-ZBAZ (both several times due to pre-sale rental periods), then EC-940 and ventually EC-FMC.
Consensus seems to be that this aircraft was built as a PBY-6A without an allocated MSN.

Transall C-160F

Ep. 3.05
61-ME (F-RAME) Transall C-160F s/n F5 left the production line in September 1967. On active service with the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) from March 1968. Was the ship with a special livery to celebrate the 500 000 flight hours / 20 years in May 1985 (special paint worn several year). Later upgraded to R05. WFU in 2005. Used as a training airframe for paratroopers until 2019 (at least).

Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II

Ep. 3.05
166-RU Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II c/n 1308 with CIEH Maurienne insignia.

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Ep. 3.05

Ep. 3.06

In the far background, cargo clamshell door open.

Dassault Mirage III C

Ep. 3.06

Dassault Mirage III C of EC 2/5 Ile de France (5-OL and 5-OI) hide Mirage IIIC s/n 82 (5-NI) of EC 1/5 Vendée.

Dassault Mirage III C 5-OA of EC 2/5 Ile de France was airframe s/n 22 (02/1968 - 08/1969).

Fitted with supersonic tank.

Ep. 3.07
A Mirage III launches a Matra R530 medium to short range air-to-air test missile.

40

Dassault Etendard IV

Ep. 3.06

21.

43 (seen again in 3.07).

21 & 43.

45.

36.

Ep. 3.07

40.

Breguet Br 1150 Atlantic

Ep. 3.06
Breguet Br 1150 Atlantic s/n 46.

Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III

Ep. 3.06
Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III matricule 29 (c/n 1029) taking off the French Aircraft Carrier Foch (R99).

Dassault Etendard IV and Breguet Br 1050 Alizé in the background.

Ep. 3.07

Other aircraft replaced ...but so numerous onlookers!

Breguet Br 1050 Alizé

Ep. 3.06
Breguet Br 1050 Alizé #8 and #64, two of the seventy five used by Aéronautique Navale (French Fleet Air Arm).

Ep.3.07
Breguet Br 1050 Alizé #22.

Breguet Br 1050 Alizé #9.

Breguet Br 1050 Alizé #40.

Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader

Ep. 3.06
Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader #16

Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader #19

Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader #41

Ep. 3.07

Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader #38

Pilatus PC-6/A Turbo-Porter

Ep. 3.08
Reg. F-BJSZ Pilatus PC-6/A Turbo-Porter c/n 525.91 of Air Alpes named Courchevel. It was the first Pilatus fitted with a turboprop Turbomeca Astazou IIE in May 1961. In service with Air Alpes for fifteen years (25 January 1962 - 13 May 1977).
In fact, probably stopped following the accident which occured on Sunday 9 June 1974 at Saint-Jean-d'Ardières near Lyon, France (two fatalities on the eight on board).

Sud Aviation SA 313 Alouette II

Ep. 3.08
Alouette II 68-RZ of Armée de l'Air (French Air Force).

Unidentified (F-MJAW ?) Alouette II of Gendarmerie Nationale (French Military Police).

Sikorsky H-34

Ep. 3.08

And now flying with two Alouette IIs.

Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard

Ep. 3.08

(episodes 3.08 to 3.13 coming soon)

[[Image:|thumb|500px|none|]] [[Image:|thumb|500px|none|]] [[Image:|thumb|500px|none|]] [[Image:|thumb|500px|none|]] (...)

Back To:

• Movie/TV List
  
• Top

See also

• Les chevaliers du ciel (1967 TV Series) at IMDb
• The Aeronauts (TV Series) at Wikipedia
• Les chevaliers du ciel (1967 TV Series) at French Wikipedia (more detailed)
• Les chevaliers du ciel (1967 TV Series) at IMCDb