Sur le plancher des vaches

Movie (1939)

Starring:
Noël-Noël (Jean Durand)
Betty Stockfeld (Jeanne Couret)
Pauline Carton (Mme Noblesse, la femme de ménage)
Raymond Cordy (Maurice Veller)

A small bank clerk who admires a famous aviatrix but has no interest in flying. One day, he wins a lottery for an aeroplane that he doesn't know what to do with. His friend persuades him to go for his first flight...

Zlin Z-XII

"Un avion de 100 billets" (one aircraft for the price of 100 bank notes) as says mister Potron : the Zlin Z-XII acting as the plane offered by the fictitious manufacturer Potron as the second prize in the lottery. In 1939, the highest French banknotes value were 500 and 1.000 francs; so, according the screenplay, this Zlin costs between 50.000 and 100.000 francs (2,850,000 to 5,700,000 euros [2025]), a price found in aviation magazines of the time for a Zlin Z-XII. Bear in mind that a French employee at that time earned an average salary between 1,200 and 1,500 francs.
And so Jean Durand still had to pay for his pilot's license; at the time, in France, it cost 3900 francs.
In French, Potron alone has no sense. But an old expression ('Potron-minet') means : from the dawn. This comes to mind even though the so-called manufacturer's name is only half the expression... as the future pilot Jean Durand is really at the first step of his new life.

Reg. F-ARIX in November 1938, this Zlin Z-XII (c/n 224) is fitted with a Persy II engine.
One more time, the funny thing is the registration. By chance, this truthful registration ('ARIX') is almost pronounced as 'à risque' (‘at risk’). But the winner, Jean Durand, is not confident about flying (hence the film's title, which refers to his attachment to the safety of the ground).

Morane-Saulnier MS.341.3

Reg. F-ANDY Morane-Saulnier MS.341.3 c/n 3. Despite several continuity error, this aircraft starts running and is seen coming back to the park 3 minutes later.

Potez 60 Sauterelle

(background) reg. F-ANSX Potez 60 Sauterelle ("Grasshopper") c/n 3850

Morane-Saulnier MS.315.2

(first continuity error) Reg. F-AOCL Morane-Saulnier MS.315.2 c/n 4378.191.

De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth

(background) Reg. F-ALVV De Havilland DH-60G Gipsy Moth c/n 1894. Was first G-ABVA and given destroyed in March 1936 !

Salmson D6.T2 Cricri

(second continuity error) Reg. F-AQRK Salmson D6.T2 Cricri c/n 61.

Morane-Saulnier MS.341.3

(third continuity error) F-AOMK Morane-Saulnier MS-341.3 c/n 4384.26.

Caudron Phalène

(Left to right) : maybe a Potez 60 and an inline-engine variant of the Caudron Phalène.

Caudron C-272/4 Luciole

Reg. F-APEN Caudron C-272/4 Luciole

Potez 60 Sauterelle

Potez 60 Sauterelle; maybe F-AOAO (c/n 3931) or F-AOAQ (c/n 3933) ?

Wibault 283T

Potez 56

Salmson D6.T2 Cricri

Reg. F-ARGI Salmson D6.T2 Cricri c/n 284.

Percival P.10 Vega Gull I

SU-AAX Percival P.10 Vega Gull I. Built in October 1938 and first registered as G-AEPS. Filmed during the ferry flight (?) to his new Egyptian owner. The SU- code is not clearly visible on the left wing and is not yet applied (or erased ?) on the fuselage side.