The Concorde with an Identity Crisis

Concorde is an aircraft that continues to wow the world. Its sleek lines and ability to traverse time zones faster than any other aircraft in its class are still the thing of legend, and it often doesn’t seem real that it’s no longer with us.

Since its retirement in 2003, which followed a fatal crash 25 years ago in July 2001, the small number of Concorde aircraft built has been scattered across the globe to museums and airports.

These are usually places related to the development and operational life of the aircraft, be it Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Filton, Toulouse or New York.

However, one aircraft – one of the prototype Concordes – has wound up in a tiny museum in the Paris suburbs, close to Orly airport where the type didn’t typically operate very often.

The Concorde With Two Identities

F-WTSA during her testing career. Photo (c) Clive R Martin

The fourth Concorde built, with construction number 102, was F-WTSA. It was built in Toulouse, and notably was the first Concorde to feature the final shape and exterior length that would be used on the production Concordes that would enter service with Air France and British Airways.

Alongside G-AXDN in the UK (now at Duxford), F-WTSA was used in the testing and certification stage of Concorde’s development. It was particularly used in testing supersonic flights across the Atlantic and was, notably, the first Concorde to land in the United States.

This took place in Dallas, TX, on 20 September 1973.

However, one unusual feature of F-WTSA was its dual identity. For much of its life, it has worn the liveries of both Air France and British Airways; one on each side.

F-WTSA Today

Like all of the prototype and pre-production Concordes, F-WTSA’s operational life was limited. It flew a mere 314 flights, with 656 hours in its logbook, and was retired on 20^th May 1976 when it landed at Orly airport to the south of Paris.

For many years it was on display at Orly itself. It had its interior testing equipment replaced by a conventional passenger cabin, and many of its parts were removed to use as spares for the active Air France fleet.

In 1988, the aircraft was earmarked to be scrapped. However, Athis-Paray Aviation stepped in to save it, and the aircraft was relocated the short distance to what is now the Musee Delta just outside the Orly airport perimeter.

The starboard side of F-WTSA features British Airways livery.

Today you can visit F-WTSA, which once again wears dual Air France and British Airways liveries. The aircraft has been undergoing a slow, ongoing restoration.

Musee Delta is open on Wednesday and Saturday from 2pm-6pm. See https://museedelta.wixsite.com/musee-delta/home

Concorde Timelines

For more on the history of Concorde, and the timeline of its development, operational life, and retirement, check out my book: Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde Timelines, out now.

Buy a Copy Here