Well it is slightly historic – and I’m really chuffed.
Years of wanting after having been graciously allowed to turn one upside down 6 or 7 years ago, has led me to sleepless nights, cold sweats etc etc until it was no good – I just had to find one.
Today, I became a very happy boy after collecting RF4D G-BIIF from where it had lain in storage for some 18 years. She is complete, but heavily stripped and boxed. She’s three down on the rebuild list so not even going to start looking at her til next Spring, but when finished she’ll be flying as the works runaround to move me about the country (the mighty Honda will get jealous!).
Why the Historic thread, well shes number 47 off the production line, built in 1968 and only has 250 hours since new! More importantly though, she was one of the back up aircraft for the Skyhawks team that graced the airshow skies back in the mid-late 1980s, I’m sure many of you would have seen her then.
I would welcome any stories and or pictures of her that any forumites may have. Like I say its not going to be a quick rebuild as there are other priorities first, however it feels good to have saved another airframe from a permanent life on the ground…
Have a picture of her unloaded today (excuse mess in background – too much work on at the moment) and one in her glory days (red RF4 at top of formation!)
Fournier (one very happy) boy!
By: bazv - 5th November 2013 at 07:06
Sounds good FB (both visit and beer ; ))
rgds baz
By: Fournier Boy - 4th November 2013 at 19:20
Hi Baz
yep – it all went to (the grand) plan (apart from traffic!) – we need to build a stand for it at some point but pop back over when you get the chance!
Beer is always good and awaits in the George 😉
FB
By: bazv - 3rd November 2013 at 20:38
Well done FB – hope the euro trip went ok !!
cheers baz
By: Newforest - 3rd November 2013 at 18:59
Congratulations, one more step forward. Never realised that there was a ‘Fournier Forum!’
http://sbeaver.com/cgi-bin/fournier/cutecast.pl?session=PbM7JUJ8ajuEnUG0IdmOdF42iH#4
By: Fournier Boy - 3rd November 2013 at 18:18
[ATTACH=CONFIG]222613[/ATTACH]
Well its been a couple of years, but a massive step forward with the Fournier project last week with a fast trip to Germany to collect an RF4 wing (ex F-BPLT) to give us all the parts to get the machine in the air. Now we’ve managed to collect all the parts, we can start work soon and get the girl in the air next year…
FB
By: Propstrike - 29th July 2011 at 21:38
PM received !
I love ALL my magazines, all 3,000 of them, but it is going to take a hell of a wet weekend before I sit down and re-read them. 😉
By: Fournier Boy - 29th July 2011 at 20:46
That is incrediably kind of you Propstrike, PM coming your way!!!!
FB
By: Propstrike - 29th July 2011 at 09:48
You can have my copy, if you wish.
By: Fournier Boy - 29th July 2011 at 08:27
I’ve seen a scan of the cover, but nothing on the article itself – will aeroplane keep back copies???
FB
By: Propstrike - 27th July 2011 at 11:45
Stumbled across an Aeroplane Monthly from 1989 ( B17 on cover- Memphis Belle filming) .
There is 2 page article on the Skyhawks team by Joy Fraser, with some nice air/airs.
Have you seen/got this ?
By: Dr. John Smith - 24th July 2011 at 02:04
Fournier RF-4D G-BIIF
A dig around the French equivalent of G-INFO (at http://www.immat.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/immat/servlet/aeronef_juridique.html?CTRL_ID=30_83d37c1f&CTX=1kibMBjT409T0fyjwq1QqRQpj00LpSW0HQc5sOIvrT6biBaXXSsXDON051zh1mnPWqGC00aO02cnlOMH6OMDqRt9900bqQ79bSsXlR6HuS3z00000000CTmW0000G00000NG01aHFKrz9H7Do015gONPXBcnXRcSkIMvqPMTbSXBYeAJtWOSu0W01IG05Tc5iTMLuSW0GQc5sOIviOMvdBavrRM9bSeQibHqBbE2B0W00U70002aIU000) turns up this
Person Address City Date of registration
AERO CLUB WINGS Florentin AERODROME 89600 FLORENTINE ST 17/07/1974
Previous owners
Person Address City Date of registration
Leviel JEAN-LUC 22 RUE VICTOR GILBERT 28000 CHARTRES 06/08/1971
AERO CLUB Franche-Comté AERODROME DE DOLE TAVAUX 39500 TAVAUX 09/04/1968
Aircraft struck on: 25/06/1979 for the reason: SOLD ABROAD
Conclusion: French registered as F-BOXG from new, first owner from 1968 to 1971, second owner from 1971 to 1974, third owner from 1974 to 1979
By: Fournier Boy - 21st July 2011 at 17:34
Wow, thats brilliant WW, please pass on my thanks to Mrs White. I’m slowly building my picture collection of the beast, all very exciting! Just a few hours ago, I walked across that very refueling apron to get another 40 litres of Jet A1!
Potentially the Fournier project is going to make a BIG step forward shortly, will post to the forum the grand reassembly picture (if it all works out!)
FB
By: DavidS - 10th June 2011 at 10:52
Of course. May take me a while. They’re all slides and need digitizing.
I’m curious how the Taunton vet used the aircraft. Presumably he wasn’t doing world tours in those days.
By: DavidS - 10th June 2011 at 00:42
Thought I’d seen it! At Taunton. Not sure of the date yet but will find it over the weekend.
Pretty sure I’ve got one of IIF as well but that’ll take a bit of searching.
By: Dr. John Smith - 9th June 2011 at 23:40
Fournier RF4D G-BIIF
Having looked at G-INFO I may have a photo of the aircraft under its previous reg. Certainly rings a bell. I’ll have a delve tonight.
I also had a look at G-INFO, and quickly realised that G-BIIF and G-BVET are, in fact, one and the same aircraft!
Your Fournier (c/no 4047) was G-BVET for just over one year, from 31 Oct 1979 to 25 Nov 1980. See http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?
catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=reg&fullregmark=BIIF
It also had the French registration F-BOXG, before that, presumably from 1968 to 1979? A quick google search turnns up this entry (in French)
Immatriculation Propriétaire Constructeur Modèle d’aéronef Port d’attache
F-BOXG AERO CLUB LES AILES FLORENTINOISES SPORTAVIA FOURNIER RF 4D ST FLORENTIN CHEU
By: Dr. John Smith - 9th June 2011 at 23:17
Fournier RF4D G-BIIIf
You may have already done this, but did a quick search, finished up on You Tube, quite a few film clips of displays, one a formation of eight aircraft.
Too many clips to post links to, but might be of interest.
Well, here are a few to get you started:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnixjAKF1VA : 3 x Fournier RF4Ds doing formation aerobatics to the tune of Pink Floyds Shine on You Crazy Diamond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJngdbHAXyg&feature=related : A day in the “office” for a Fournier pilot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKZg842hZo&feature=related : Fournier G-AWGN displaying at Shuttleworth
Plus a large still picture of G-BIIF at Ferte Alais (LLFQ) on 10 June 1990 at http://tagazous.free.fr/affichage2.php?img=14934
By: Fournier Boy - 9th June 2011 at 23:06
Yep – I’ve seen most of the videos, and have collected a wealth of information about the RF4. I’m currently trying to find some factory photos, in particular those involving wing construction.
I’m just desperatley short of G-BIIF pictures!
FB
By: silver fox - 9th June 2011 at 20:32
You may have already done this, but did a quick search, finished up on You Tube, quite a few film clips of displays, one a formation of eight aircraft.
Too many clips to post links to, but might be of interest.
By: Fournier Boy - 29th December 2010 at 20:43
PP
I know G-AYAY well, I’m afraid it was me that helped Pete export it to Japan back in 2004. He loved it dearly but it had to make way for the new Silence Twister we built
FB
By: pobjoy pete - 29th December 2010 at 13:16
G-BIIF “repair”
I seem to recall an RF4 “looping” into the ground at an airshow in the s/east many years back.
If it was stored at Biggin then that would indicate it may have been one of the Sportair machines at some time.
Apart from the “not unknown” wheels’s up incidents there was a slightly more spectacular arrival during this airshow (poss Rochester)
We had one at Redhill for some time (G-AYHY) which i was sensible enough to book for our “very cold” new years day breakfast patrol in the 70’s.
I saw somewhere that this machine has migrated to Japan !!!
I can think of no better combination of a low power VW engine married to a sleek sculptured form (that also flies well).
There was an alternative version of the fuel filler / gauge that prevented a screen wash during rolls !!!
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July 1, 2010 at 5:14 pm