May 2010 covers_Covers.qxd - World Airnews

Meanwhile, a 49% stake in Max Holste
was acquired by Cessna Aircraft Company
from the USA and the old company name
disappeared and it became Reims Aviation
SA producing various Cessna singleengine
models (mainly 150s and 172s) for
the European and Middle East markets
and later the twin engine Cessna 404.
In the Algerian conflict (1956-1962) the
Armée de l’Air deployed 140 Broussards for
aerial reconnaissance, artillery spotting and
medi-vac duties, the aircraft equipped with
four under-wing hard points and often carrying
a machine gun mounted in the leftside
entry door position.
At least 29 examples were lost in this
conflict, many of them in landing and
take-off accidents. By 1980 there were
only 75 Broussards active with the French
military, many examples having already
been distributed to French aero clubs and
parachute clubs. The last Armée de l’Air
example was retired in November 1987,
followed by a veritable ‘flea-market’ of
Broussard sales to private owners, mainly
‘war-bird’ enthusiasts in the US. The very
last French military Broussard was retired
by ALAT at Montauban, in south-west
France, on July 1, 1993.
When the featured example came to
the UK it was adorned in a gaudy, brightly
coloured scheme sponsored by the dairy
WHAT‘S A PZ?
THE PIÈZE (pz) is a unit of pressure
in the metre-tonne-second system
of units (MTS system), used, for example,
in the former Soviet Union
1933-1955.
It is defined as one sthène per
square metre. For all intents and
purposes, 1 pz is equal to 0,01 bar so
if you are planning on buying a
Broussard you had better brush up
on the MTS system.
company, St. Ivel, and advertising its
‘Shape’ yoghurt products, attending air
shows and fly-ins between 2000 and
2006.
It then reverted to this more modest
and authentic Armée de l’Air scheme,
coded ‘IR’ from its days at Tindouf in the
western Algerian desert – note the white
painted upper surfaces to provide some
deflection to the searing Saharan heat.
It is one of an estimated 20 examples
world-wide still maintained in airworthy
condition and most years European
Broussard pilots enjoy a ‘rassemblement’
at their aircraft’s birth place, French
champagne country at Reims. Q
WORLD AIRNEWS, MAY 2010. 53