Le Bourget - Normandie Nieman

In 1942, Gen DeGaulle decided that the Free French should be more visible in the fight against Germany. He sent a group of French pilots to Russia. This group became known at the Normandie Nieman Regiment. They flew Yak 3s like the one below with Russian support crews. They completed 5,240 missions with 273 confirmed kills and 36 probable. (Link). Unfortunately, the descriptive plaque is in French but I think it describes the damage to the aircraft and its original paint. Anyway, it's a piece of little known history.

Le Bourget - A4D (Oops, AD4) Skyraider

This Skyraider is in the WW II section, probably because they didn't know where else to put it. It came too late to be in WW II (it first flew in March 1945) but it did fight in Korea and Vietnam. France purchased about 100 of them in 1959. This one is painted in the colors of a unit that served in the Algerian War. (note the drip pan under the hydraulics)

Head Count

Saudi Arabia only managed 3 executions in April. All of them were drug related. Their year to date total is a measly 25.

Le Bourget - Motors

There are lots of motors. The coolest ones are from the pre-WW II area. 

Le Bourget - Uboat Gyrocopter

Almost hidden in the rotary wing section of the museum was this 1 man gyrocopter. It was carried by German U Boats and used to get a lookout to a higher elevation. I wonder how effective it was and what the captain would do if he had to make a crash dive. I suspect the lookout would go swimming. Only 12 of these exist in museums around the world (2 in the US) and this museum is lucky to have one.

Le Bourget - Prototypes

There is a hall where they display prototype aircraft from the 50s and 60s. Included in there is the VTOL version of a Mirage. Here are some pictures. The descriptions were all in French so my understanding of them is somewhat weak.

This thing is truly like strapping on a jet engine.

Early personal rocket

Another personal jet pac

A mini jet

Don't know what this is except an idea to strap a jet onto something.

The plane in the center set some sort of speed record.

Le Bourget

This is a teaser for aviation pron that's coming.