These two Air France pieces illustrate two successive periods of the French airline history and more, generally speaking, of the development of aviation at the tipping point between the ’50s and the ’60s.

The first item is a perpetual calendar, classic yet always very popular. It was published for the Airline by Gerrer in March 1957. The décor, on a blue-grey background, is a Super Constallation L 1049C registered F-BGNA and the various destinations serviced by Air France: Europe, North America, the West Indies, South America, Africa and Asia. The back casing is in wood.

The wheel used to switch months is a little hard but does work. The calendar is in perfect condition, bar a missing small element of the decor inside the ‘R’ of France.

Air France perpetual calendar with the Constellation, Gerrer, March 1957
Measurements : width 24 cm / 9.45", height 36,5 cm / 14.37", depth 3 cm / 1.18"

The second piece is a 1:100 agency model of the famous B-707 N Boeing. It is slightly older than the calendar. Still it marks the advent of the modern era, the transition from propeller to jet planes.

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All the Air France Boing 707 were named after castles. This one, registered F-BHSV is named ‘Château de Vincennes’. The model is in excellent condition except for a very few missing elements of décor. Naturally, as with all these types of models, the antenna at the top of the vertical stabilizer was broken. It was replaced in order to keep the signature features of the aircraft, such as the distinctive exhaust pipes of the Rolls Royce Conway engines. On that last point, a slight inaccuracy is to be noted, as the F-BHSV was equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines that didn’t have such exhaust pipes.

Following the Constellation that made and contributed to the development of air transportation across the world during the ’50s, the Boeing 707 was the symbol of a new era, providing speed and comfort during transcontinental flights. A rare and unmissable model!

Boeing B-707 Air France, 1/100, maker : Bourbon
Measurements : wingspan 44 cm / 17.32", length 46 cm / 18.11"