A French Airshow & Warbird spectacle – Melun Air Legend 2023

The “Air Legend” Airshow at Paris-Villaroche has now established a permanent place in the French airshow calendar. Scheduled for the second weekend in September 2023, the event was worth a visit again this year.
The announcement of interesting formations and aviation icons not only from the Second World War attracted countless enthusiasts to Melun-Villaroche in the south of Paris. Thousands of other visitors are also taking advantage of the high summer temperatures well above 30 degrees this weekend for a successful day trip. With the announced flight program and the best weather prospects, it was no wonder that the organiser was able to announce an impressive number of almost 49,000 visitors on both show days on Sunday evening.

Complete wrap-up of the French warbird scene

Frédéric Akary took first place on the podium for the most interesting formation of the weekend. He managed to bring together three historic jets. And among them were two unique flying aircraft in Europe: a Sabre and the Messerschmitt Me 262. The likeable Frenchman works as an airline pilot for a large French airline, but is probably better known in the warbird scene for his F-86 Sabre. In conversation, he always proudly points out that the jet fighter is a license-built Canadair CL 13B “Sabre” Mk 6 that flew for the German Air Force in the 1960s and 1970s. Incidentally, he would be only too happy to present the jet in this country, but rightly regrets that there is no suitable major event in Germany that could extend an invitation given the costs involved. During the Korean War, the MiG-15 was the opponent for the USAF Sabres, and this Soviet jet is also a regular on the Air Legend.

This year it was a Lim-2, the Polish-built licensed version of the MiG-15. It is run by the Polish Eskadra Foundation and came to Melun from near Warsaw. For Akary, it was more or less a given that there would be a dogfight in the skies of the former opponents during the air show. But when he found out in advance that the Messerschmitt Me 262 was also coming to Melun from Manching, he had much more ambitious plans: “I definitely wanted to have these three early jets fly in a formation, because the 262 was flying with its swept wings the foundation stone for all later fast jets, especially the MiG-15 and F-86 at the beginning”. The project remained exciting until the last moment, because it was the first time the pilots of the three jet aircraft met together in Melun. And before the big show on the weekend, they only had one attempt at training the formation on Friday. It wasn’t easy, as Geri Krähenbühl, the Airbus test pilot of the Me 262, remembers: “I was always supposed to fly a little faster for the other two, but I was already too close to my top speed for that.” I was the first jet fighter in use to be allowed to fly The “Schwalbe” was of course allowed to lead the formation, with “Sabre” and “Fagot” in tow. Looking down from the ground, the first test run didn’t go quite smoothly for the three, but after the subsequent briefing, the first appearance in front of a large audience on Saturday was perfect. The three pilots presented their aircraft to the audience in the bright blue sky in a slight arc and a close V formation. This sight of the three early jets was certainly the Air Legend 2023 moment for visitors.

And the organiser didn’t promise too little with other formations, because the Messerschmitt, MiG and Sabre were not the only flying highlight of the weekend. Countless other unique items were found in Melun.
Above all, the Junkers Ju-52 from Amicale Jean Baptiste Salis (AJBS) from La Ferté-Alais, the legendary airfield which is just located a few kilometers away. The plane is now Europe’s only flying “Auntie Ju” and will most likely carry this title worldwide. With the theme of the early Luftwaffe, it didn’t fly in formation, but at least did its rounds in the sky together with a Fieseler Fi-156 Storch and a Morane-Saulnier MS.505 Criquet.
Also unique in Europe is the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Sally B”, which made its grand appearance together with a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.-V as escort.
In any case, formations before the individual performances were more the rule than the exception this weekend. Among other things, there were also a Douglas AD-4N Skyraider and Rockwell OV-10B Bronco, two Vought Corsair types Vought F4U-4 and F4-5NL, two Hawker Hurricanes, the Curtiss P-40N and North American TF-51 Mustang from La Ferté-Alais, or a mustang duo consisting of the P-51D “Frances Dell” and P-51D “Little Rebel”.

The now very well-known “Classic Formation” came to France from Switzerland with its Douglas DC-3 and two Beech 18s. With a “Missing Man” they commemorated the aviation journalist and airshow moderation legend Bernard Chabbert, who was known throughout France last year, and also Jean Salis, the founder of the AJBS, who died at the beginning of June this year at the age of 86.

Air Legend once again showed how an airshow works. … In the afternoon, one flying highlight followed the next during the almost six-hour but still entertaining flight program without any major breaks.

The high-horsepower Hawker Fury Mk.II and Republic P-47D Thunderbolt must also be mentioned in the long list of warbirds present. Both came to Melun from Great Britain, as did the powerful Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat. In comparison, the Morane-Saulnier MS.406 was much less impressive. The only remaining flying example of France’s poorly built fighter is stationed in Switzerland and proudly and conspicuously bears the federal colors and national emblems. This warbird was of course a very special highlight, especially for the local connoisseurs of the scene, even if they might secretly prefer to see this guy with a French license plate and in the colors of the “Grande Nation”.

The modern French Military

Additionally to a lot of warbirds, Air Legend at Melun is also getting a lot of support from the French military, with the French Navy (Aeronavale) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) sending numerous display teams to Melun. A big surprise was a 3-ship formation of Aeronavale CAP 10 trainer aircraft, and of course the display block of an E-2 Hawkeye and two Rafale M did not leave unimpressed.

The FASF brought the Airbus A400M to Melun, the Rafale Solo Display (RSD) and the “Requin Mike” formation display of two Rafale two-seater jets. Especially the formation display is a rare sight and was a very welcome addition to Air Legend, even though they were only flying on the Sunday.

Air Legend – Already a French Airshow Classique…

Air Legend once again showed how an airshow works. With a varied program on the ground, lots of open spaces and therefore little crowd, the morning literally flew by.
In the afternoon, one flying highlight followed the next during the almost six-hour but still entertaining flight program without any major breaks. With the last landing, the temperatures were again in a more pleasant range, the sun was already shining a deep orange low above the horizon. And the crowds of visitors streamed back to the parking lots at sunset.
And this is where the only slight criticism of the event emerged, because the organiser still has to work on the traffic concept. The sometimes very long walk from the parking spaces to the show grounds made the last part of the journey more than strenuous, not only in the extreme heat, and kilometers of traffic jams on the way down stressed the visitors and did provide a happy end of an otherwise outstanding day.

For the fans of historical aviation, Air Legend at Melun and “Le temps des helices” at La Ferté-Alais are now two great shows in the Paris region that have a successful concept and are separated time wise so that no competitive situation arises. Visitors traveling further afield will probably be spoiled for choice every year, but you cannot go wrong with any choice, and it seems that Melun at the end of the French summer holidays has an almost certain guarantee of good weather.

Spotter tickets, a special recommendation
If you are an avid aviation photographer, you should consider buying one of the spotter tickets that are offered and will not only provide access to the airfield on Friday for the rehearsals, but also allow for an early entry on Saturday and Sunday for the sunrise. You will be allowed to enter well enough before the airshow openes to the public and also before the aircraft on the apron are fenced off. Rest assured that this will provide some great photo opportunities and will make the rest of the day more relaxed for you.

Melun “Air Legend” 2023 Photo gallery