We have found the history of this aircraft. We can now therefore affirm the exact Type of the machine and counter certain declarations made during the course of the restoration.Information extracted from the C of A addressed to the Bureau Veritas of Paris dated 5 March 1949.
Year of Build : - 1948
Designation : - MAUBOUSSIN CORSAIRE
Type : - M.129/48 CN 189/924
Build N° : - 70
Registration : - F-BCIT
Name and Address of Constructor : -
Ets. FOUGA et Cie - AIRE sur ADOUR ( Landes )
Engine : -
Manufacturer : - MINIE
Type : - 4DA 28
Power : - 70 hp
N° : - 1035
Base Aerodrome : - BREST – GUIPAVAS
Name and Address of Owner : -
Aéroclub du Finisterre ( Finisterre )
Extracts from the courier addressed to various official organisations, which allow us to follow the history of this aircraft.
12 December 1956 : - Letter of declaration of removing the MINIE engine and it's replacement with a CONTINENTAL A65 8 of 65 hp
18 November 1957 : - Letter to the Nantes District showing the Type Change, it went from 129.48 to become a 123.C ( C for Continental )
The serial number and registration remain unchanged.
13 February 1958 : - Letter from Les Ateliers Aéronautiques de la Côte d’Emeraude, Claude Rousseau, Aerodrome of Dinard – Pleurthuit, sent to Bureau Veritas for the issue of C of A, N° 19.158 of the Mauboussin F-BCIT for the modification of the Type to 123.C
7 January 1960 : - Letter from the Aéroclub du Finisterre to Bureau Veritas informing them that the Continental 65 A8 engine has been removed and fitted to a Piper J3. The aircraft will not be returned to flying condition and is removed from the books of the Aéroclub du Finisterre.
2 February 1960 : - Bureau Veritas is informed by the Owner that the “parts” have been sold to a Monsieur Simon GLOTIN of Nantes.
5 April 1960 : - Bureau Veritas informs the Service Aéronautique that M. Glotin has purchased the airframe of F-BCIT in order to replace the airframe of his Mauboussin F-PCEP damaged on 20/9/59
The Continental engine A65 8 N° 61 832-0-8 is refitted to the F-BCIT for the ferry flight to Nantes.
M. Glotin obtained the agreement of the SGACC to pass the aircraft from C of A to Restricted C of A.
22 August 1960 : -a letter from the Société AIR OUEST informs that a full C of A examination has been carried out on the aircraft F-WCIT
23 August 1960 We find a request from M. Glotin for a C of A for the F-PCIT
3 September 1960 The Document of Restricted C of A , dossier N° 700 gives the clearance for the registration Restricted C of A and a temporary permit for flight valid from 3/9/60 till 2/12/60 for the aircraft registered F-WJKQ
11 January 1961 the Secretary of the Civil Aviation transmits the document N° 3 allowing the issue of a Restricted C of A for the aircraft Mauboussin 123 N° 189
F-PJKQ
9 February 1961 C of A N° 270001 issued to aircraft Mauboussin 123.C serial N° 189 registration F-PJKQ
23 July 1968 : - letter from Bureau Veritas to the Service Aéronautique about the Mauboussin 123.C F-PJKQ, the engine from this aircraft has been removed and fitted to a Jodel N0 1194. It will be returned to flying condition and fitted with another engine.
19 July 1969 : - Letter from Bureau Veritas to Service Aéronautique about Mauboussin 123 F-PJKQ, it will be returned to flying condition by a group of young people to whom it has been ceded.
5 December 1969 : - Last letter from Bureau Veritas to Service Aéronautique. The team of young people who were going to return the aircraft to flying condition were lead by the CFI of the Aéroclub de la Loire Atlantique. This person has died and the team have abandoned the project.
No information sent to Service Aéronautique.
We questioned M. Glotin who stated that he was still the Owner of the aircraft, for which for the moment no decision had been made.
The engine was removed and the aircraft stocked in the hangar of the Aéroclub de la Loire Atlantique.
The aircraft was sold by M. Glotin to Ailes Anciennes of La Baule.
At this time M. Glotin informed us that no restoration work had ever been carried out. In order to give more space in the hangar the aircraft was stocked on the apron of the aerodrome of Nantes.
With the passage of time the Airport Authorities seeing the Mauboussin rotting, decide to ask the fire brigade to set fire to it to give a realistic fire-fighting exercise.
M. Glotin hearing of this, dismantled the aircraft and re-assembled it in a green-house belonging to a local horticulturist at Notre Dame des Landes.
Despite this shelter, time and weather got the best of the aircraft plywood, when we recovered the aircraft, it was too late.
We started to restore the fuselage with the hope of returning the aircraft to flying condition, but it’s poor state and the total absence of drawings discouraged the team.
It was only after exchanging the aircraft with the Musée de l'Air that we re-started the restoration which is now complete.
2.1 CONCLUSION
After questioning the members of the Aeroclub of Finisterre to know more about the disassembling of the aircraft and it’s sale as “parts”, the few pilots remaining in the club from this period could give no information whatever. No one remembered an accident giving rise to the sale in pieces.
In the same way, M. Glotin, ( now deceased ) was unable to give any reasons for the ceasing of flying of his aircraft.
As written, at the time of our acquisition of the aircraft, there was no engine, no instruments, no passenger seat, but no trace of any accident or incident was found.
We do not expect to find any answers to these questions. If however one day this information comes to us, we shall inform the Musée de l’Air straight away.
Chance dictated that a friend should find the dossier tracing the career of this aircraft and send us photocopies. This is how we are able to inform the Musée de l'Air that they really do possess MAUBOUSSIN M.123.C CORSAIRE N° 189 F-PJKQ |
-Aircraft Collection 
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