COBI Alpha Jet Patrouille de France Set 5841

COBI's Alpha Jet Patrouille de France is a 1:48 model built from 387 blocks, 25.5 cm long, produced under licence from Dassault Aviation in the display team's colours. The cockpit opens for simplified pilot figures, and the landing gear detaches so the model can sit on the included display stand, which carries a plate with the team's emblem. Optional stickers are supplied for changing the aircraft number.

Nine aircraft, one formation, since 1953

The Patrouille de France traces its origins to 1931 and has flown under its present name since 1953, which makes it one of the oldest display teams in the world. Its nine Alpha Jets open the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs-Élysées every 14 July, trailing blue, white and red.

The smoke is not paint. It is paraffin oil injected into the hot exhaust, where it vaporises and condenses into a dense white trail; colour comes from dye added to the oil. Each aircraft carries enough for a few minutes of it, which is why a display is choreographed around when the smoke is on.

The formation flying is closer than it looks from the ground. Wingtip separation in some manoeuvres is a couple of metres, held by pilots watching a fixed reference point on the aircraft beside them rather than their own instruments — which is why a display team practises the same sequence for months.

In the COBI range

Set 5842 is the Alpha Jet in standard service colours at the same scale.

Specifications

Pieces: 387 · Scale: 1:48 · Licensed by Dassault Aviation · Optional stickers, display stand and plate included
Model dimensions: 25.5 × 19 × 10.5 cm (10.0 × 7.5 × 4.1 in)