A big change at the museum.

Since 2018, visitors to the museum could see, our two Mirage-3 resting on wooden frames installed during the reassembly with the ADP team.

Unfortunately the final reassembly was very seriously delayed by the lack of funding and especially the pandemic.

During one of his visits, our friend Tamas Regert suggested that we contact two of his friends, former technicians from the Hungarian Air Force who would be happy to participate in the recovery.

The answer will not be long in coming Sàndor and Rudolf take a week off and arrive on Sunday June 19 from Budapest.

Monday will be devoted to the study of the documentation and the preparation of the cylinders which will ensure the landing gear in the extended position.

After the inventory of the parts, we take out the wheels fitted with new tires obtained from Châteaudun and brought back to the museum the day before lockdown.

Everyone is on deck first thing Tuesday morning, the crane from the LOCAGRUES Company arrives almost an hour early and the installation begins immediately.

For the reassembly of the cylinders we have scheduled two days. The chosen solution was to rest the planes on wooden pallets capable of receiving a load of 1500 kg.

To get an estimate, we contacted EPS Distribution and to our delight, Mr. MATHEY, who knew our planes, immediately offered to lend us 50 pieces for the duration of the work.

Well rested on the pallets the Mirage 3RD, the lifting rings are immediately dismantled and a few minutes later judiciously placed the crane capable of lifting 40 tons lifts the Mirage 3 B and turns it over to save a little space.

Less than two and a half hours the positioning of the planes is over and appointment is made for Friday afternoon...

Wednesday morning the gears are out and locked by the installation of the cylinders, we tackle the change of the wheels.

Some images of the wheels we received from the Air Force in Châteaudun.

And when you don't have the right tool to remove the central wheel nut, our Hungarian friends make one.

Nothing stops our friends from changing the reels, as it missed a thickness of pallets in height, a few blows of a pickaxe and shovel and it's solved...

Friday afternoon a new crane arrives and in record time the RD returned to its new position to welcome visitors.

3 B is placed on its damaged tires while waiting for the wheels to be changed.

Without speaking Hungarian, JP has become the indispensable assistant of our visitors. He could guess what tools they would need.

What about Sàndor and Rudolf… nothing stops them, and as they told us: “when you know how to maintain a Mig 21, you know how to refit Mirages too”.