Bell & Ross Pays tribute To The 3.3 Ardennes Fighter Squadron

Bell & Ross shares the values of efficiency, reliability and authenticity with the French Air Force, has once again teamed up with a combat unit to celebrate its anniversary. The event was held at the 133 Nancy-Ochey base with one of the most famous units in the French Air Force, the 3.3 Ardennes fighter squadron, celebrated its 70^th anniversary. Bell & Ross was there. This Middle Eastern "Free French Air Force" combat group was created in Lebanon, in 1943, in the middle of the Second World War. Its motto, "Ne recule ni ne dévie" ("neither retreat nor change direction"), testifies to its moral values, while its emblem, a wild boar's head, illustrates its combativeness. 

 One of the Mirages, decorated in a livery specially designed for the occasion, led the airshow and painted the sky in the colors of the 3.3 Ardennes, while on the ground, ceremonial drills, a presentation of decorations and parades marked this commemorative day. In the evening, several hundred serving and retired pilots, navigators and mechanics met in an immense aircraft hangar to celebrate the anniversary late into the night, with the participation of Bell & Ross. All participants, nearly 500 people, were able to admire a selection of Bell & Ross models and in particular the limited edition BR03 92 bearing the emblem of the 3.3 Ardennes and reserved exclusively for squadron members. Currently, some 20 Mirage 2000 Ds specializing in ground assault, constitute the powerhouse of the 3.3, which has been deployed in recent years in former Yugoslavia, the Congo, Libya, Afghanistan and most recently in Mali, as part of Operation Serval. On September 20^th, beneath a miraculously clear sky, the 3.3's Mirage 2000 Ds, along with the Rafale "Tiger Meet" and Epsilon from the Cartouche Doré unit, presented impressive demonstrations to mark the squadron's 70^th anniversary.

For several years, the brand has partnered various units of the French Air Force sharing common values such as efficiency, reliability and a taste for authenticity. With this “3.3 Ardennes” watch, Bell & Ross adds a new model to its special collections produced in partnership with the French Air Force, the air fighter division of the French Navy, the Ecole de Guerre and elite units such as the GIGN (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group), RAID (French National Police Intervention Group) and the Démineurs (bomb-disposal unit). Not to mention the models designed for the Space Lab mission, the Italian Air Force (to mark 30 years of the Tornado) and Dassault, with a model celebrating 50 years of the Falcon. By contributing to the celebration of the 3.3 Ardennes squadron's 70^th anniversary, Bell & Ross has added a new word, or rather a new sound, to its vocabulary – the unit's rallying cry, "Grouik", from the fighter squadron's mascot, a wild boar named Aldo!