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Photographer: Jean-Michel Lefebvre ©
Date: 22
June 1972
Size: B&W
135 negatives
Subject: Cazaux
Armament & Weaponnery Center
Place: Cazaux
N° 120 French Air Force Base
Country: France
Caption:
Taken after take-off for Paris, this view gives an idea about the
important Cazaux area. Above the dark grey oblique line of the
runway 06/24 is a great part of the firing range. White, below
mid-runway, the central tower control at left of wich the parking
with the 5 or 6 Crusaders seen from rear in part one. A little
more left the main parking (were I did pictures of Canberra,
Meteor, Mirage 5F, Mirage IVs, Jaguars and towed Crusaders "35"
& "40" as seen in part one) in front of the Weapons
Test Center and Firing Range hangars and buildings and Strategic
Air Force zone, the whole very much extending left on the picture
with considerable quantities of avgas and kerozen, ammunitions of
all types from bulletts to AN-22 nuclear bombs for Mirage IVs
passing by all these, fully classified, being under
experimentation.
Below the tower, lined with the very long taxiway, the six or
seven buildings and hangars where is installed the 8th Fighter
Wing and its Mystere IV As pictured in this issue. All the low
part of the picture is shared between administrative offices,
barracks etc and at extreme right the officers mess where begins
the Cazaux Pond very appreciated by all for sailing, motor-boating
or possibly to ditch after a missed take-off...
EDITORIAL
Nothing to
highlight about this second part of a visit to the Cazaux Air
Base except the great interest of pilots and other specialists
during this unique occasion to watch and examine closely their
future combat materials. It's sure that in 1972 the aircraft
equipment of Armée de l'Air was becoming obsolete though Mirage
III and IV gave to France an unsurpassed position in Europe
concerning domestic-built combat aircraft. Ageing Vautour bombers
and night-fighters, Mystère IV As and Super Mystère B2s as so
as F-100 Super Sabres and also naval Dassault Etendards had to be
cleaned and replaced to give again to France consequent defense
and tactical means.
I remember one of my introducing papers about the 1973 or 1975
Paris Air Show telling my fear to see France's Armée de l'Air
becoming step by step a full-scale Air Museum and this with less
and less combat aircraft. Military people surely were not faulty
but successive Governments and Parliaments always had good
reasons to try to gain time and, though types and quantities of
new materials to acquire were fully established, persisted to
pass ridiculous yearly orders. With time elapsing, things became
worse and the most evident example is the Rafale fighter of which,
year after year, the introduction in AdlA and Aéronavale was
lated, this finally and surely introducing considerable increase
in the program costs and downing the technological advance which
melted as quickly as a finest of chocolates in a mouth...
I have not spoken about the Charles De Gaulle and a necessary
second nuclear carrier to maintain our Navy and Aéronavale at a
credible level... It's pity of pities!
JMJ Lefebvre
