Just over 50 years ago, on 10 January 1973, the fourth Concorde – French pre-production aircraft 02, registered F-WTSA – made his maiden flight. In this issue we commemorate the 50th anniversary of this aircraft.
Between the first flights of the prototype Concordes in 1969 and the start of scheduled Concorde flights in 1976, the aircraft underwent significant developments and advances in form, systems, and capabilities. In particular, the two “pre-production” aircraft, 101 (GAXDN) for the UK and 102, or 02 (F-WTSA) for France, which followed the prototypes, were very different from each other as well as from their predecessors. F-WTSA was the first to embody the Concorde shape that would become familiar with the production aircraft, and in this issue Rowland White, a system engineer for the British Aircraft Corporation, looks at a couple of the technical features unique to this aircraft.
Alexandre Pozder, Vice President of Athis Aviation Musée Delta, who care for F-WTSA today, recounts the aeroplane’s history, including his achievements during his operational career and his later life as an exhibit at Orly and now at the Musée Delta.
This issue has come out a little later than usual, to incorporate the very latest news from Heritage Concorde regarding work on G-AXDN at Duxford.
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