The jerky ballet of the blades stirs the air and the ovoid cabin is slowly torn from the deck of the frigate Prairial.
In this month of June 2022, off the green coast of French Polynesia, the Alouette III of Flotille 34F begins its final voyage.
When the ship returns to the port of Brest, a few weeks later, the helicopter will remain frozen on the ground forever.
Today, his last traveling companions, established for the most part on the naval aeronautics base of Lanvéoc-Poulmic, in Finistère, still take off occasionally.
But December 9 will mark the final withdrawal from active service of the venerable machine.
Commissioned in 1961, the Alouette III was a remarkable tool for the three French arms, civil security, the national gendarmerie and customs.
In 2011, it entered the very restricted family of aircraft over 50 years old.
But technological progress is ruthless.
The Lynx, then the Dolphins, more modern, more sophisticated machines…
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