Thanks to your generosity, we have met our first target of €10,000. Help us reach Mach 2!
It is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable aircraft in the collections of the National Air and Space Museum of France. 17 years after the end of the Concorde programme, Concorde F-BTSD Sierra Delta reminds us of an extraordinary era in aviation history, when passengers flew at Mach 2 - twice the speed of sound!
Sierra Delta is the 13th of 16 production aircraft built. Lighter than other Concordes, this airliner became famous by setting the record for commercial aircraft speed twice - in 1992 and then in 1995 - during around-the-world flights. The Museum displays this technological masterpiece in the Concorde Hall, where it stands alongside Concorde prototype 001 F-WTSS.
Sierra Delta is one of the final Concordes to have flown with Air France livery. It was given to the Museum on 14 June 2003 having served for 4,282 flights since 26 June 1978. (To learn more about F-BTSD, see the file on the Museum’s website.)
Concorde is the true crossroads of engineering and design. It is an exceptional piece whose revolutionary technologies and status as both a design icon and product of “French excellence” inspire a sense of wonder. More than that, Concorde represents a history of innovation and the visionary spirit that led to its creation.
The National Air and Space Museum of France has embarked on a mission to offer a new museum interpretation medium that honours the ingenuity of this pioneering aeroplane. A mission that naturally makes the most of today’s innovative technologies!
The first step has been taken! Thanks to the support of the Association des Amis du Musée de l’Air, a scan of Concorde Sierra Delta was done in September 2020.
It all begins with a complete 3D scan of Concorde Sierra Delta. Summum 3D, a company specialised in 3D scanning of heritage and artefacts, is carrying out this unique project.
The aim is to produce - by digitising more than 300 m2 of surfaces - a 3D model true to the aeroplane on display at the Museum. Very high definition images and the Museum’s scientific documentation will come together to construct a 100% authentic digital replica.
This use of 3D imaging technology is a first for the Museum. It will enhance the Concorde exhibit and support knowledge sharing.
We need your support for what is to come!
The Museum wants to integrate the new 3D model into a digital device set up in front of Concorde Sierra Delta in order to enrich the experience of visiting this legendary aeroplane. An interactive touchscreen display will bring the perfect copy of the Sierra Delta to visitors’ fingertips, enabling them to see it in a new way. The device will be entirely accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.
Visitors will learn all there is to know about Concorde and see, for the first time, an immersive image of the aeroplane. The interactive display will make it possible to discover Concorde’s technical innovations. By means of short animations, visitors will be able to view internal processes and gain a better understanding of Concorde’s technical features.
This new way of seeing the “great white bird”, with a wide view of the entire aircraft body, will provide an opportunity to appreciate Concorde’s unique design: its “neo-gothic” delta wings, long, pointed nose and curves … Distinctive elements that make this incredible machine a visual treat.
The touchscreen device will present the rich history of this unparalleled aeroplane in a clear and captivating way. Visitors will discover both the project leading to Concorde’s creation - through milestones that changed the course of aviation - and the flights conducted by the Museum’s Sierra Delta.
Specially created for the National Air and Space Museum of France, the device promises a unique Concorde experience. Novices and long-time enthusiasts alike will “get connected” with the great white bird.
Digitising Concorde Sierra Delta adds a new dimension to efforts to preserve and promote this exceptional heritage for future generations. Given the unique nature of the project, it will draw new interest to Concorde.
Once completed, the 3D model will enable the Museum to share its collections in a novel way and reach new audiences by means of digital or printed reproductions.
The museum hopes to inaugurate the interactive display in early 2021.
Our minimum goal is €10,000, which will allow us to produce the necessary original content, including animations and the user interface.
If we reach a second goal of €15,000, your support will fully fund content creation and the installation of the touchscreen table in the Concorde Hall.
With your support, the Museum will put in place a groundbreaking device that will bring new interest to Concorde and to Sierra Delta in particular.
If we raise more than €15,000, any additional funds will be put towards other projects that improve interpretation at the Museum.
Located within Europe’s leading business aviation airport, Paris-Le Bourget, the National Air and Space Museum of France is one of the world’s finest aviation museums, both for the wealth of its collections and its long history. Founded in 1919, it presents an exceptional historical heritage in three fields of flight: aerostation, aviation and space.
Since 2020, the Museum has been implementing a four-year programme that targets three priorities: modernising the Museum through renovations; making it more attractive by offering an experience that increases visitation and promotes visitor diversity; and making the Museum a global leader, and in doing so making the role and importance of France in the conquest of the skies known.
The first phase of this project was made possible thanks to funds generously provided by the Association des Amis du Musée de l’Air.
You can support this project:
Dartagnans
Campagne Le Concorde au bout de vos doigts
15 rue de Milan
75009 PARIS
You can follow the crowdfunding campaign on this page, via the Museum’s website as well as on our social accounts:
If you have any questions, email us at: [email protected]
On behalf of all the Museum staff, thank you for your support of this project! Please consider sharing this page and encouraging your friends, family and others around you to participate.
