Avions d’Exception – Les plus beaux avions de collection en vol

Xavier Méal does not deny the beauty of the aircraft found in museums. Yet, in his view, they lack the essential element: a soul. This photographer has chosen to showcase twenty-two aircraft—captured in mid-flight and hailing from some of the world’s finest collections—ranging from pre-war biplanes and World War II warbirds to extraordinary racing planes, legendary multi-engine aircraft, and jets. For over twenty-five years, Méal has traveled the globe to photograph them against the backdrop of the boundless blue sky. Here, he presents more than 200 exceptional photographs, recounting the extraordinary stories of these aircraft that have weathered the passage of time and the ravages of history; on the brink of vanishing, they found saviors in their owners—individuals willing to go to extreme lengths to breathe new life into them, transforming them into true gems within the rich tapestry of aviation history.