NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Armée de l'Air

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The familiar French military aviation roundel gave rise to similar roundels for air forces all over the world, including that of the United Kingdom (RAF), which reversed the colors on the French roundel.

The Armée de l'Air (literally, "army of the air") is the An air force is a military organization that primarily operates in air-based war. They typically use a combination of fighters, bombers, helicopters and other aircraft. Organization Most (but not all) armed forces have air forces that are independent - that is, it is neither part of the army nor the... air force of The French Republic or France ( French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. France is a democracy organised as a... France, although it has borne this name only from August 1933 when it was still under the jurisdiction of the French army. Today, several other countries, all of which were French colonies in the past, also use the term "Armée de l'Air" for their own air forces, including Cameroon (Armée de l'Air du Cameroun), Gabon (Armée de l'Air Gabonaise), Madagascar (Armée de l'Air Malgache) and Senegal (Armée de l'Air du Sénégal). (The air forces of most other former French colonies use the term Force Aérienne before the adjective of their country to describe them, such as the Force Aérienne Belge for the Belgian air force. A notable exception is Canada is an independent sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. Bordering the United States, its territorial claims extend north into the Arctic Ocean as far as the North Pole. Canada is a federation of ten provinces... Canada, whose armed forces were unified in 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is... 1968 and so they use the joint English/French title, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)/Forces Armées Canadiennes (FAC). The air element of the CAF is known officially as the Canadian Forces Air Command Roundel Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) is responsible for air force operations of the Canadian Armed Forces. AIRCOM maintains wings and squadrons at bases across Canada operating a variety of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. AIRCOM is the descendent of the Royal Canadian Air Force... Canadian Forces Air Command.)

This article deals exclusively with the history of the French air force from its earliest beginnings (but not French naval aviation, the Aéronautique Navale).

The early years of French military aviation until 1914

Aviation in France was the preserve of pioneers like Henry Farman (May 26, 1874 - July 18, 1958) was an aviator and aircraft designer and manufacturer. Born in Paris in France, he was the son of a well to do English newspaper correspondent working there. Farman trained as a painter at the École des Beaux Arts, but quickly become obsessed... Henri Farman and Louis Blériot during the first decade of the 20th century. Like many other armies, however, the French soon saw the potential in aeroplanes as tools for reconnaissance duties. The French collective memory of the humiliating defeat of the army at the hands of the Prussians during the Battle of Gravelotte Main article: Battle of Gravelotte Battle of Sedan Main article: Battle of Sedan The French were soundly defeated in several battles owing to the military superiority of the Prussian forces and their commanders. At Sedan on September 2, the French emperor Napoleon III was taken prisoner with... Franco-Prussian War of 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). Events January - April January 6 - The inauguration of the Musikverein ( Vienna). January 10 - John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil January 15 - A political cartoon for the first time symbolizes the United States Democratic Party with a donkey (A... 1870- 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). Events January - April January 18 - The member-states of the North German Confederation unite into a single nation-state known as the German Empire. The King of Prussia is declared the first German Emperor as Wilhelm I of... 1871 was still very fresh, and France was preparing to face The Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. Due to its central location, Germany has more neighbours than any other European country: these are Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the... Germany again. Indeed, it had already planned to invade Germany using the strategy and tactics formulated in the so-called “Plan XVII”.

From December 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). Events January – March January 16 - Ernest Shackletons expedition finds the magnetic South Pole. January 28 - United States troops leave Cuba after being there since the Spanish-American War. February 12 - The National Association for the Advancement... 1909, the French Department of War began to send army officers and non-commissioned officers ( NCO may mean: a numerically-controlled oscillator in electronics a non-commissioned officer in the military This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an article link referred you here, you might want to go back... NCOs) from all branches of the army, especially engineering and artillery, to undergo flying training at civilian schools as “pupil-pilots” (élèves-pilotes), including at places such as Reims (English traditionally Rheims) is a city of north-eastern France, 98 miles east-northeast of Paris. Its history can be traced back to the Roman Empire. Population (1999): 187,206. Administration Reims is a sous-préfecture of the Marne département, in the Champagne-Ardenne administrative région... Rheims and Bron. (Rheims was where the famous Grande Semaine d’Aviation de la Champagne had taken place in late August 1909.) In March 1910, the Établissement Militaire d'Aviation (EMA) was created to conduct experiments with aircraft. The following month, the Service Aéronautique was formed, and this was a separate air command comprising the EMA and balloon companies. Finally, the army formally established its own air force, the Aéronautique Militaire, on 22 October 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). Events January-April January - In Greece, the Military League forces parliament and the king to summon National Assembly to revise Constitution. January 15- In the United Kingdom, General Election held in response to House of Lords rejection of... 1910, under the command of General Roques. Even so, it was not until mid- 1911 is a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). Events January-June January 1 - Northern Territory is separated from South Australia January 3 - In London, in what becomes known as the Siege of Sidney Street, the Metropolitan Police and the Scots Guards engage in a shootout... 1911 that the first military aviation brevets were awarded to army pilots. Furthermore, it was not until a law was passed on 29 March 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. Events January-March January 1 - Establishment of Republic of China. January 6 - New Mexico is admitted as the 47th U.S. state. January 17 - British polar explorer Robert Falcon Scott and a team of four begin the second expedition to reach the... 1912 that the Aéronautique Militaire formally became part of the armed forces.

The training of military pilots was the same as civilian pilots until 1910 when the General Staff introduced the military pilot license. The military pilot badge N°1 was issued to Lieutenant Charles de Tricornot de Rose who first completed all the military requirements. Lt de Rose was trained in the Bleriot Flying School in Pau, in southwest of France, the city where the Wright Brothers had set the first aviation school in history just a year earlier.

Even though the German army was forming its own embryonic air corps at the time, many consider the French one to be the world's first “air force”, even if it did not become the Armée de l'Air until August 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 3 - Japanese troops occupy Shanghai January 5 - Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay. January 15 - Political violence has caused almost 100 deaths in Spain January 17 - US Congress... 1933, yet it was still under army jurisdiction. Nearly a year after that, it finally became independent on 2 July 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-April January 1 - Alcatraz becomes a federal prison. January 7 - First Flash Gordon comic strip is published. January 10 - Execution of Marinus van der Lubbe January 24 - Einstein visits White House January 26 - The... 1934, albeit 16 years after the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) gained its independence from the The British Army is the land armed forces of the United Kingdom. It numbers 99,400 fully trained and professional regulars (as of April 2004). In contrast to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, the British Army does not include royal in its title, because of its roots... British Army as the The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force of the United Kingdom. According to the Ministry of Defence [1], the purpose of the Armed Forces, including the RAF is to: defend the United Kingdom, and Overseas Territories, our people and interests act as a force for... Royal Air Force ( RAF is an abbreviation for: Royal Air Force -- the Air Force of the United Kingdom (see also Air Ministry) Red Army Fraction (Rote Armee Fraktion) -- a German terror organisation Rigas Autobusu Fabrika -- a factory making buses in Riga, Latvia Rapid Action Force in India Rachunarski Fakultet RAF is also an... RAF).

World War I (1914-1918)

France led the world in early aircraft design and by mid- 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. Events January-March January 1 - Establishment of Republic of China. January 6 - New Mexico is admitted as the 47th U.S. state. January 17 - British polar explorer Robert Falcon Scott and a team of four begin the second expedition to reach the... 1912 the Aéronautique Militaire had five squadrons (escadrilles). This had grown to 132 machines (21 escadrilles) by 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. (see link for calendar) Events January 4 - 77 seal hunters freeze to death on ice near Labrador. January 5 - Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a days labor. February 13 - Copyright: In... 1914, the same year when, on 21 February, it formally came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War (Ministère de la Guerre) and, on 3 August, France declared war against Germany, with Britain following the next day.

At the beginning of what eventually became known as Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. Battle aftermath. Remains of the Chateau Wood World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to... World War I, the Aéronautique Militaire concentrated on reconnaissance work with aircraft like the Farman MF-II. On 8 October, though, the commander-in-chief, General Barès, proposed a radical expansion to 65 squadrons. Furthermore, he proposed that four types of aircraft could be used for four different types of task: Moranes would be used as fighters, Voisins as bombers, Farmans as reconnaissance aircraft and Caudrons as artillery spotters.

Roland Garros has been considered the world’s first fighter pilot. In 1915, during Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. Battle aftermath. Remains of the Chateau Wood World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to... World War I, he introduced a revolutionary method of destroying enemy aeroplanes by placing a forward-firing machine-gun on his aeroplane and metal deflector plates on the wooden propeller. He died just a month shy of the end of the war in 1918.

At first, the shooting-down of aeroplanes was (quite literally) a hit-and-miss affair and was usually done by ground artillery. However, air fighting became revolutionized when a reconnaissance pilot, For the tennis tournament of the same name, see French Open Roland Garros (October 6, 1888 - October 5, 1918) was an early French aviator and a fighter aircraft pilot of the World War I. Garros was already a noted aviator before the war. In 1913 he gained fame for making... Roland Garros, mounted a forward-facing machine gun on the cowling of his Morane-Saulnier and added deflector plates to the blades of the propeller so that the wooden propeller would not be shot to pieces whenever he opened fire on Germany aircraft. Garros, in some respects, thus became the world's first fighter pilot, but, unfortunately, he was shot down and captured, remaining a prisoner until his escape and return to the front. He was killed in action just a month before the An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is derived from the Latin arma , meaning weapons and stitium, meaning a stopping. A truce or cease fire usually refers to a temporary ceasation of hostilities for an agreed limited time or... armistice in 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January-February January 8 - President Woodrow Wilson announces his Fourteen Points for the aftermath of World War I. January 24 - a decree of the Council of Peoples Commissars, introducing the Gregorian calendar in Russia since February... 1918.

Front quarter view of a SPAD S.VII biplane fighter. Origin of photo unknown but assumed to be WWI-era and hence public domain by age. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. This...

A SPAD S.VII fighter aircraft. This type was used by the French until replaced by the SPAD S.XIII

Nevertheless, Garros inspired aircraft designer Categories: People stubs | 1890 births | 1939 deaths | Aeronautical engineers | Dutch businesspeople ... Anthony Fokker from the The Netherlands ( Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands ( Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the... Netherlands (which, unlike in Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (60,000 ft) into the air. August 9, 1945 World War II was a global conflict that started in 7 July 1937 in Asia and 1 September 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945, involving the majority of the... World War II, was not invaded and remained neutral) to do exactly the same, fitting his E.I A monoplane is an aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. The main distinction in types of monoplane is how the wings attach to the fuselage: low-wing, the wing lower surface is level with the bottom of the fuselage mid-wing... monoplane (a revolutionary aeroplane in 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). Events January 12 - The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress. January 12 - United States House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote. January 13 – An... 1915) in the same way and thus changing the way in which the air war was fought, as German and Allied aeroplanes fought each other and produced “ace” pilots. Three prominent French “aces” were René Fonck, who became the top-scoring Allied pilot of World War I with 75 enemy aircraft shot down, Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer (December 24, 1894 - September 11, 1917) was a French aviator during World War I. Born into a wealthy Compiègne family, Guynemer experienced an often sickly childhood. Nevertheless, he succeeded in aviation through his enormous drive and self confidence. He was originally rejected for military... Georges Guynemer (killed in action in 1917 after gaining 54 “victories”) and Charles Nungesser (who shot down 43 enemy aircraft and survived the war, only to disappear during a long-distance flight in 1927).

1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. Impressionist Monet paints Water Lilies. January 8 - Allied forces withdraw from Gallipoli January 17 - The Professional Golfers Association... 1916 was when most squadrons were grouped around the sector of Verdun is the name of several communes in France: Verdun, in the Meuse département, site of the Battle of Verdun during World War I. Verdun, in the Ariège département Also part of the name of: Château-Verdun, in the Ariège département Verdun-en-Lauragais... Verdun, the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in military history when more than one million soldiers from the French and German armies were killed, as the Germans attempted to take the fortress, considered strategically important. Combat formations were introduced, with several fighter squadrons being part of one wing, an organization that the Germans would also adopt for their army air service and, later, for the The Luftwaffe (literally, air weapon, prounounced looft-vaaf-fa) is the air force of Germany. World War I The Luftwaffe was founded during the First World War with the emergence of military aircraft. It was the Worlds first air force. During the war, the Luftwaffe utilised a wide variety... Luftwaffe. The Air battle over Verdun was the first large scale Air battle ever fought. With French observation and reconnaissance aircraft threatened by whole squadrons of german fighters, the french commanders were completely blind and were unable to properly react to german artillery fire and infantry maneuvers. General Pétain called for Major de Rose and barked "De Rose, I'm blind, wipe out the sky!" Major de Rose then concentrated fighter aircraft from other airfields and land divisions, called for the best pilots in the French Army such as Jean Navarre or Georges Guynemer and established a systematic occupation of the Verdun sky by creating rolls of fighter shifts. After several weeks of intense air fighting, the french slowly regained air superiority over Verdun. Verdun can also be remembered as the birth of command and control of air power in air warfare.

Raoul Lufbery was born in France but became a U.S. citizen. He joined the Lafayette Escadrille in July 1917 The Lafayette Escadrille was a squadron of the French Air Service during World War I composed largely of American fighter pilots. Formed in April of 1916 as the Escadrille Américaine (number 124) in Luxeuil prior to U.S. entry to the war, the squadron... Lafayette Escadrille, a French squadron of fighter pilots, mostly Americans, during Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. Battle aftermath. Remains of the Chateau Wood World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to... World War I, shooting down 15 enemy aircraft before he was reassigned to the 94th Aero Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Service (USAAS). He destroyed one more German aircraft before he was killed in action on 19 May 1918.

It was at this time that, with the The word Usa has more than one meaning: U.S.A. - The United States of America Usa, Oita - A city in Japan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an article link referred you here, you... USA still officially neutral (until unrestricted submarine warfare forced the country to declare war against Germany), a squadron of mostly American volunteers flew on behalf of the French, the Lafayette Escadrille in July 1917 The Lafayette Escadrille was a squadron of the French Air Service during World War I composed largely of American fighter pilots. Formed in April of 1916 as the Escadrille Américaine (number 124) in Luxeuil prior to U.S. entry to the war, the squadron... Lafayette Escadrille (officially designated N.124), under the command of Captain Georges Thenault. It operated initially from Luxeuil, but then it moved to Bar-le-Duc is a town in northeastern France, in the Meuse département, of which it is the préfecture (capital). History Bar-le-Duc was at one time the seat of the countship, later duchy, of Bar. Though probably of ancient origin, the town was unimportant till the... Bar-le-Duc. Flying fighter planes such as the The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour LAviation et ses Dérivés during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugged aircraft with good climbing... SPAD S.VII and the A SPAD S.XIII of the Lafayette Escadrille. The SPAD S.XIII was a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, developed by Société Pour LAviation et ses Dérivés from the earlier highly successful SPAD S.VII. It was one of the most capable fighters... SPAD S.XIII, not only did it gain a reputation for bravery and daring, shooting down a total of 57 enemy aircraft before being absorbed into the U.S. Army Air Service (USAAS) in February 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January-February January 8 - President Woodrow Wilson announces his Fourteen Points for the aftermath of World War I. January 24 - a decree of the Council of Peoples Commissars, introducing the Gregorian calendar in Russia since February... 1918, but also for recklessness. Furthermore, its pilots allegedly reveled in partying. The leading “ace” was French-born American Raoul Lufbery, who shot down 16 enemy aircraft (all but one with the Escadrille) prior to his death in action on 19 May 1918.

By April 1917 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Events January-February President Woodrow Wilson of the United States announces to Congress the breaking of diplomatic relations with Germany January 2 - The Royal Bank of Canada takes over Quebec Bank. January 22 - World War I: President Woodrow... 1917, the Aéronautique Militaire had 2,870 aircraft comprising 60 fighter and 20 bomber squadrons and 400 observation planes, yet, by October, an even more radical expansion to over 300 squadrons altogether was being proposed. By May 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). Events January-February January 8 - President Woodrow Wilson announces his Fourteen Points for the aftermath of World War I. January 24 - a decree of the Council of Peoples Commissars, introducing the Gregorian calendar in Russia since February... 1918, over 600 fighters and bombers came under the command of the so-called Division Aérienne, the French attempt to mirror the Independent Air Force of the newly-independent RAF. Two months later, long-range reconnaissance squadrons had been formed. By the Armistice, the French had at their disposal over 3,200 aircraft, yet this number pales when compared with the over 22,000 aircraft at the disposal of the RFC.

Between the World Wars (1918-1939)

The end of war may have brought peace to France, yet the country itself and its infrastructure had been ravaged by four years of unremitting warfare, the like of which had never been experienced before, and the scars left behind were not just physical. As a result, it took some time for industry to recover. Not unexpectedly, orders for military aeroplanes dropped after the An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is derived from the Latin arma , meaning weapons and stitium, meaning a stopping. A truce or cease fire usually refers to a temporary ceasation of hostilities for an agreed limited time or... Armistice, resulting in reductions being made in terms of squadron strengths, a phenomenon much more keenly felt in the RAF given that it was by far the biggest air force in the world in terms of aeroplanes on station and in manpower at the end of the war itself.

Like the United Kingdom, France had an empire stretching all over the globe, and it needed to be policed. Anti-French elements in French Morocco were clamoring to be free of their colonial masters, much as anti-British elements in India wanted the British to leave their country. On 27 April 1925, therefore, alongside tactical and logistical support, air policing operations in Morocco were started owing to the so-called Rif War and they were to continue until December 1934, barely five months after the Armée de l'Air had gained its independence from the army.

Unlike in the United Kingdom, however, there existed the perception in France that it was more important to place political influence in decision-making before practicality and production when it came to which aeroplanes were to be in the air force, and lobbying in the French parliament undoubtedly had plenty to do with this. At the time, the French aeronautical industry was mostly composed of small companies such as Latécoère, Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier is a French aircraft manufacturer originally formed by Raymond Saulnier in October 1910. He produced a monoplane design, using a wing-warping mechanism for control, in which Jules Védrines won the Paris-Madrid race on May 26, 1911. In October 1911 he was joined by... Morane-Saulnier and Also known as the Amiot-Peneau, the Amiot was a French contraption manufactured in Asnieres from 1897 to 1902. It was not an automobile per se; rather, it was a front-wheel-drive power pack used to convert carriages into motor cars. Originally the Amiot had a 6hp Cyclope engine... Amiot, operating more or less on the craftsmanship level rather than on commercial production. A rare exception to this rule was Marcel Dassault, born Marcel Bloch, (Paris, 22 January 1892 - Neuilly-sur-Seine, 17 April 1986) was a French aircraft industrialist. He invented a type of aircraft propeller used by the French army during World War I and founded the Societé des Avions Marcel Bloch aircraft company. Following the nationalization of... Marcel Bloch, whose company had started out building propellers during World War I and was the forerunner of today’s Formerly named Societé des Avions Marcel Bloch or MB, the Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets. It has also operated under the name Dassault-Breguet. It was founded by Marcel Dassault. Shareholders Dassault Group (49.93%) EADS (45.76%) Past and current aircraft... Dassault Aviation. He foresaw the crisis that the industry would undergo, and so he got together with the company run by Henry Potez. Both Bloch and Potez’s names would, perhaps not surprisingly, become very influential on the future of French military aviation. Together, they formed a company which became the Société aéronautique du sud-ouest (SASO) and produced aircraft such as the M 200 and MB 210 bombers.

Nevertheless, the French aeronautical industry proved itself incapable of delivering enough aircraft that the annual fiscal budgets had called for, in spite of the fact that Hitler had come to power in January 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 3 - Japanese troops occupy Shanghai January 5 - Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay. January 15 - Political violence has caused almost 100 deaths in Spain January 17 - US Congress... 1933 and, by March 1935 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Italian colonies of Tripoli and Kyrenaika are joined together as Libya January 7 - Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French foreign minister Pierre Laval conclude agreement in which each power undertakes not to... 1935, was defying the Allies (and the Woodrow Wilson with the American Peace Commissioners The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 is the peace treaty created as a result of the six-month-long Paris Peace Conference of 1919 which put an official end to World War I. The ceremonial signing of the treaty with Germany occurred June... Treaty of Versailles) openly by announcing the existence of the The Luftwaffe (literally, air weapon, prounounced looft-vaaf-fa) is the air force of Germany. World War I The Luftwaffe was founded during the First World War with the emergence of military aircraft. It was the Worlds first air force. During the war, the Luftwaffe utilised a wide variety... Luftwaffe. National security was clearly under threat, so Pierre Cot, the secretary of the French Air Force, decreed that national security was too important for the production of war planes to be left in the hands of private enterprises.

In July 1936 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-February January 15 -- The first building to be completely covered in glass is completed in Toledo, Ohio, for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company. January 20 - Death of George V of the United Kingdom. His... 1936, therefore, coincident (albeit by sheer chance) with the outbreak of the Alternative meaning: Spanish Civil War, 1820-1823 A republican soldier seeks cover on the Plaza de Toros in Teruel, east of Madrid. The Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) was the result of complex political differences between the Republicans — supporters of the government of the day, the Second Spanish Republic... Spanish Civil War, the French government therefore began nationalizing the companies, creating six giant state-owned aircraft companies, which nearly encompassed the total aeronautical production domain, and regrouping those companies according to their geographical locations. Bloch’s own company was nationalized in January 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying... 1937 and became part of the Société nationale de constructions aéronautiques du sud-ouest (SNCASO), yet Marcel Bloch himself was asked by Cot to oversee SNCASO in its entirety. However, the aircraft engine industry, even if it proved incapable of providing the badly-needed powerful engines, escaped nationalization.

By 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying... 1937, it was clear that more modern aircraft were needed, since the air force was still flying relatively antiquated aircraft like the Dewoitine D.500 and D.501, serving with fighter squadrons including the famous Cigognes (Storks), an illustrious member of which during the Great War had been Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer (December 24, 1894 - September 11, 1917) was a French aviator during World War I. Born into a wealthy Compiègne family, Guynemer experienced an often sickly childhood. Nevertheless, he succeeded in aviation through his enormous drive and self confidence. He was originally rejected for military... Georges Guynemer (who had been killed in action on September 11, 1917). This particular squadron, part of Groupe de Chasse (GC) I, was stationed at Chartres-Champbol at this point, but, barely five days before Germany invaded Poland, it relocated to Beauvais-Tillé, by which time it had swapped its D.500s and D.501s for the The M.S.406 was a French Armée de lAir fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was Frances most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II. The type was generally free of problems but was largely under-powered, under... Morane-Saulnier MS-406, armed with 20-mm cannon, then amongst the most modern fighters in the inventory of the Armée de l'Air at the outbreak of World War II.

The Bloch MB 170 was one of France’s most modern bombers at the outbreak of Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (60,000 ft) into the air. August 9, 1945 World War II was a global conflict that started in 7 July 1937 in Asia and 1 September 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945, involving the majority of the... World War II in September 1939. The name Bloch was that of Marcel Bloch, whose own company had been nationalized in January 1937 and subsumed into one of six giant state-owned aircraft manufacturers called SNCASO, yet he himself was put in charge of SNCASO by the Minister for War, Pierre Cot

The urge to construct more than 2,500 modern machines, among them the The Bloch MB.170 and its family of derivatives were French reconnaissance and bomber aircraft designed and built shortly before World War II. They were, by far, the best aircraft of this type available to the Armée de lAir at the outbreak of war, with speed and maneuverability... Bloch MB 170 bomber and the The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that started entering service just prior to the opening of World War II. It was the only design that came close to being a match for the latest German types like the Messerschmitt Bf 109, but French building priorities were so... Dewoitine D.520 fighter plane, had been a response to circumstances by the French government, which itself had been prompted by an alleged remark by the then-commander-in-chief of the air force, who claimed that less than half the approximately 1,400 front-line aircraft would be ready to go to war at a moment’s notice – and most of those were obsolescent, anyway. Perhaps this politicking was not surprising, given that the air force generals had to fight their corner against the army and navy chiefs for their piece of the military budget pie every year, since there was intense inter-service rivalry, something which would not have been allowed to happen in Nazi Germany. Nor was there even any clear idea about how the air force should be used, and conflicting ideas led to bickering and delays while a certain neighbor to the east of the Rhine was preparing its armed forces.

And yet it was precisely because of Nazi Germany’s aggressive foreign policies, which had seen The Republic of Austria ( German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The state is a representative democracy... Austria and Czechoslovakia (Czech: Československo, Slovak: Česko-Slovensko/before 1990 Československo) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1992 (except for the World War II period). On January 1, 1993, it peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in what was known as the... Czechoslovakia become incorporated into the Reich within months, that the clouds of war were gathering again for the second time in a quarter-century, and the French armed forces were still hopelessly unprepared to face the modern threat posed by a regenerated German The Wehrmacht (literally defence force or means/power of resistance) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It replaced the old Reichswehr and was succeeded by the West German Bundeswehr, and the East German Nationale Volksarmee (NVA). The term was not only used for... Wehrmacht, fully equipped with modern weapons and, disastrously for the western Allies, a tried-and-tested strategy for winning wars quickly. It was called Blitzkrieg relied on close cooperation between infantry and panzers (tanks). Here, infantry use a panzer for cover as they attack in Russia during September of 1941 Blitzkrieg, from the German for lightning war, was an operational-level military doctrine which employed mobile forces attacking with speed and surprise to prevent... Blitzkrieg. The inadequacy of the French aeronautical programs, as well as the indecision of the high command, resulted in the French Air Force being placed in a position of weakness, confronting a modern and well organized Luftwaffe, whose first teeth had been proverbially cut in Spain, where the civil war had ended in March 1939 with victory for the Fascist dictator Generalísimo Francisco Franco, caudillo de España por la gracia de Dios Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde Salgado Pardo de Andrade (December 4, 1892 - November 20, 1975), abbreviated Francisco Franco Bahamonde and sometimes known as Generalísimo Francisco Franco, was dictator of Spain from 1939 until... Francisco Franco.

France had tried to respond militarily to the threat of another European war via an intensive re-equipment and modernization program in 1938-39, as did other countries including The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania... Poland, yet Germany was way ahead of everybody else, so it was a question of “too little, too late” as far as the French – as well as the whole continent of Europe - were concerned.

From the “Drôle de guerre” to defeat (September 1939-June 1940)

A Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter plane of an unidentified unit undergoing maintenance, circa 1939-1940

When war inevitably did break out, the Armée de l'Air would suffer greatly as a result of the total chaos that was reigning within government, armed forces and industry that allowed only 826 fighter planes and 250 bombers to be anything like combat-ready. Indeed, many more airplanes were not ready when they ought to have been, and it was not just a question of the airframes but also the defensive armament they were carrying, with a lot of machine-guns not even calibrated properly, and some bombers allegedly had not even a bomb-sight fitted when they were finally delivered to the squadrons. This would only make the Germans’ victory over France that much quicker. Furthermore, unlike in the U.K., which benefited from the services of the (non-combat) pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) (of which famed aviatrix Amy Johnson (July 1, 1903 - January 5, 1941) was a famous English aviatrix who was born in Kingston upon Hull. Having graduated with a BA Economics from the University of Sheffield, Johnson went to work in London as secretary to a solicitor. She was introduced to flying as a hobby... Amy Johnson was one until her death on 5 January 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 6 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivers his Four Freedoms Speech in the State of the Union Address. January 10 - Lend-Lease is introduced into the U.S. Congress. January 19 - British troops attack Italian... 1941), front-line pilots in France became responsible for ferrying “combat-ready” aircraft from the factories to the squadrons, thus temporarily depleting the front-line strength at any one time even if invasion was hanging over France’s head.

A Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter-plane of an unidentified unit and its pilot, circa 1939-1940. The MS.406 was in service with a number of fighter units, including GC I/9, which, interestingly enough, remained in North Africa during the invasion of Western Europe, and had 17 aircraft at its disposal at the time of the Armistice in June 1940. However, the unit fell victim to the post-Armistice “hatchet” and was ordered to be disbanded by the Vichy government on August 22, 1940

When the invasion did come on May 10, 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-February January 5 - FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 - World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 - World War... 1940, the Germans were not only in possession of more aircraft and weapons than the western Allies (among them were approximately 400 aircraft from the RAF, including The Hawker Hurricane is a fighter design from the 1930s which was used extensively by the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. By some measures the design was outdated when introduced. Following traditional Hawker construction techniques closely, it used a large measure of wood and fabric for the... Hawker Hurricane fighters and outclassed Fairey Battle The Fairey Battle was a light bomber of the Royal Air Force built by Fairey Aviation in the late 1930s. The Battle was essentially a stretched fighter, powered by a single engine but laden with a three-man crew and bomb load, it was slow, vulnerable and limited... Fairey Battle bombers), but many of them were veterans of the war in Spain and so had brought up their comrades up to speed as to how to conduct the air element of the war by “preparing the ground” for the Panzer divisions of the German Army.

The doctrine of the German armed forces was Blitzkrieg relied on close cooperation between infantry and panzers (tanks). Here, infantry use a panzer for cover as they attack in Russia during September of 1941 Blitzkrieg, from the German for lightning war, was an operational-level military doctrine which employed mobile forces attacking with speed and surprise to prevent... Blitzkrieg – “lightning war” – very modern, geared solely for fast-paced attack, while the doctrines of the defenders were hopelessly out-of-date and based heavily on the events of the 1914-1918 war, even if Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was also Chancellor of Germany, head of government, and head... Hitler had allegedly said years earlier that the next war would be very different from the last. Whereas the The Luftwaffe (literally, air weapon, prounounced looft-vaaf-fa) is the air force of Germany. World War I The Luftwaffe was founded during the First World War with the emergence of military aircraft. It was the Worlds first air force. During the war, the Luftwaffe utilised a wide variety... Luftwaffe had their infamous “Stuka” dive-bombers, the western Allies had absolutely nothing like it in their inventories. Even so, the German Army had been thoroughly drilled in shooting down enemy aircraft which might attack Panzer and infantry divisions on the march by use of their mobile American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. Various guns and cannons have been used in this role since the first military aircraft were used in World War I, growing... Flak units.

One farcical situation occurred owing to the aforementioned French inter-service rivalry: a Potez reconnaissance aircraft crew had allegedly spotted a huge concentration of Panzers and supporting infantry units concealed in the The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country (its highest point is under 700 m), primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région) and Germany, where this range is known as... Ardennes forests two days after the start of the invasion – yet the army commanders refused to take any action because they believe that the air force was indulging itself in scaremongering. This certainly added meaning to the French phrase, Drôle de guerre, which was referred to by the English-speaking world as the “Phoney War”, except that it referred to the period in western Europe between the outbreak of war and the invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg and France. That “Phoney War” was well and truly over.

A Dewoitine D.520 fighter plane, surrounded by personnel, circa 1939-1940. The D.520 was amongst the most modern and maneuverable of French air force fighter planes, and many of them saw action against the Allies as part of the Armistice Air Force until it was ordered to be disbanded by the Germans on December 1, 1942

The lack of modernity in strategy, tactics, aircraft, weapons and even in communications equipment - not to mention the unbelievable lack of availability of much of the hardware owing to “technical problems” - on the part of the French was to become only too apparent when the Germans advanced swiftly through France and decimated, almost with contemptuous ease, all opposition, including British army and RAF units. On May 11, for instance, nearly 20 French bombers and over 30 escorting British fighters were destroyed in an attempt to stop the Germans from crossing the Meuse river. This was merely the beginning, for French fighter and bomber strengths became rapidly depleted during May as Luftwaffe fighters plus ground-based Flak units shot down the aircraft, which had been sent to attack the advancing Germans. Worse was the fact that the squadrons were often out of contact with any French army units that they were supposedly supporting owing partly to the poor co-ordination of communication between the army and the air force and partly to the outdated, unreliable army communications equipment being used.

As it became clear that the war was lost for France, the high command ordered what remained of the Armée de l’Air to French colonies in North Africa in order, so they believed at the time, to continue the fight, such that Armée de l’Air units were stationed at places like Alger-Maison-Blanche and Oran in Algeria and Meknes and Rayack in Morocco. Yet the Vichy government, which became the official German-approved power in occupied France after the armistice, ordered the dissolution of many of the air force squadrons, including the fighter unit designated GC II/4, nicknamed Les Petits Poucets.

A Curtiss H-75A fighter plane of the Armée de l’Air, circa 1939-40. The H-75 was a rare exception in the French inventory inasmuch as it was a U.S.- and not a French-built fighter plane, yet the need for modern fighters needed to be addressed by importing from abroad since the state-owned enterprises like Marcel Bloch’s SNCASO could not produce enough warplanes in time for the outbreak of war. GC II/4, operating from Xaffévillers, operated the H-75 and was credited with the destruction of 51 enemy aircraft between September 1939 and June 1940

GC II/4 had been formed at Rheims in May 1939, but had relocated to Xaffévilliers by the start of the war. It flew U.S.-built Curtiss H-75A fighter planes, with which the unit claimed the first two French air victories on September 8, 1939, namely two Bf 109s of I/JG 53. Just 17 days later, it lost its commanding officer, Captain Claude, in combat, yet the pilots were especially shocked to discover that his body had been discovered with two bullets in the head, suggesting that a German pilot may have deliberately murdered him when he was descending to the ground by parachute after bailing out of his plane, though this was never confirmed given that no other French pilot would suffer such a fate.

At dawn on May 10, 1940, the day of the German invasion, Luftwaffe aircraft attacked the air base at Xaffévilliers, destroying six Curtisses. By the 15th, after various combats, GC II/4 had only seven serviceable aircraft available for operations, yet their pilots distinguished themselves by shooting down one The Heinkel He 111 was the primary Luftwaffe medium bomber during the early stages of World War II, and is perhaps the most obvious symbol of the German side of the Battle of Britain. Developed from a pre-war airliner design, the He 111 was phased out of front line... Heinkel He 111 bomber, four Bf 109s and, allegedly, a The Henschel Hs 126 was a Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. It was used mostly for short range photographic duties over the Maginot Line. Categories: Military stubs | German military reconnaissance aircraft 1930-1939 | World War II German reconnaissance aircraft ... Henschel Hs 126 observation plane which had accidentally strayed into the combat area. In return, none of the seven GC II/4 aircraft was shot down, but some were ridden with bullet-holes. The good luck continued for GC II/4 when four enemy aircraft were destroyed the next day for no loss. Unfortunately, the aforementioned state of chaos with regard to preparing France for war was still evident when some GC II/4 pilots were shocked to discover that new Curtiss H-75A-3s being prepared at Châteaudun had vital equipment missing – including radios.

On June 16, GC II/4 lost its second commanding officer in nine months when Commandant (Major) Borne took off by himself in order to carry out a reconnaissance mission near Châtillon-sur-Seine, only to end up being shot down after being intercepted by three Bf 109s. The next day, in accordance with orders from high command, nine Curtisses that were not airworthy were deliberately set on fire by ground personnel at Dun-sur-Auron before 23 remaining ones were flown to the other side of the Mediterranean to Meknès in Morocco. GC II/4 eventually fell victim to the post-Armistice “hatchet” by being disbanded on August 25, 1940, having being credited with 14 aircraft shot down during the Drôle de guerre and another 37 after the German invasion for the loss of eight pilots killed, seven wounded and one taken prisoner.

Altogether, during the Battle of France, it is estimated that the French lost over 750 aircraft while the Germans lost over 850. Hence, it is fair to say that the French and British did inflict considerable losses on the Germans during their so-called Fall Weiss (“Case White”), even if France did fall within six weeks of the start of the invasion. Blitzkrieg had, indeed, brought a rapid victory for the Germans, a far cry from the four years of “mud-and-blood” trench warfare that had raged during the previous war, yet even the Germans were feeling the pinch: Albert Kesselring (August 8, 1881 - July 16, 1960) was a German Generalfeldmarschall who commanded Army Group C during World War II. He was nicknamed Smiling Albert or smiling Kesselring. He was born in Marktsteft, Germany, in 1881 . He joined the German Army in 1904 and became an officer cadet in... Albert Kesselring, who would soon be promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall, reflected that the Luftwaffe’s effectiveness had been reduced to almost 30 percent of what it had been before the invasion of France. This would explain why it was that nearly a month passed before the Luftwaffe began to attack Britain, giving the British much-needed time to reorganize its defenses.

France’s defeat was complete when Marshal Henri-Philippe Pétain signed the armistice with Germany on 22 June 1940. Yet that did not necessarily mean the end of the war for French pilots, because now they were split into two camps: those who escaped from France and were now fighting for the Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres) and those flying for the French Armistice Air Force on behalf of the Vichy government – although it should be noted that the Germans had originally wanted the air force to be disbanded completely, with personnel demobilized by mid-September. Yet a certain event that took place on July 3, 1940, would help to change the German attitude towards France still having armed forces, even as a conquered nation.

Defending Vichy’s interests (June 1940-December 1942)

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 45 bomber of the Armée de l’Air de Vichy at Oran la Sénia, Algeria, in the summer of 1940.

In a parallel of what had happened to Germany after World War I, the French government, now with its seat moved to Vichy is a spa and resort town in central France, near Clermont-Ferrand and was the capital of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944. It is a commune and a sous-préfecture of the Allier département. Population (1999): 78,000. Categories: France geography stubs | Communes of Allier ... Vichy, was forced by the Germans to accept its terms for a reduced army and navy, both of which would be only strong enough to maintain order in France and in its colonies. (It is of interest to note that France was allowed to keep her colonies, whereas Germany had been forced to cede all of hers under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). Events January January 1 - Iolaire sinking disaster January 1 - Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 - Spartacist uprising - Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution January 9 - Spartacus revolutionary... 1919.) The German ordered that, with regard to the warplanes that had survived the Battle of France, including those now stationed in The Tunisian Republic, or Tunisia, is a Muslim Arab country situated on the North African Mediterranean coast. It borders on Algeria to the west and Libya to the south and east. National motto: n/a Official language Arabic Capital Tunis President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi... Tunisia, The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. It is bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, and Morocco as... Algeria and The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. It has a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Algeria to the east, Western Sahara to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to its north and west... Morocco, they were to be surrendered, either in whole or else already disassembled, if not destroyed altogether – again a parallel of what had happened to Germany’s air force in 1919.

However, Vichy’s air force was spared (for the moment) from non-existence owing to the consequences of an event, which would damage, if not completely change, the relationship between occupied France and free Britain. The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, FRS ( November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. At various times an author, soldier, journalist, and politician, Churchill is generally regarded as... Winston Churchill had no intention of allowing the French Navy’s capital ships to remain intact so long as there was any chance of them essentially becoming adjuncts of the German Navy, the Kriegsmarine. The last thing he wanted was for a “resurrection” of Napoleonic-era duels between British and French battleships or else for French vessels to sink British merchant shipping.

He implemented the plan – codenamed Operation “Catapult” - for a British fleet, coded Force H was a British naval squadron during World War II. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany. It occupied an odd place within the naval chain of command. Normal British practice... Force H and based in Gibraltar (disambiguation). Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti ( Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English ( official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter... Gibraltar, to sail to the harbor of Mers-el-Kébir, near This article is about the city in Algeria. See also Oran, Missouri Oran (population 700,000) is a city in northwest Algeria, situated on the Mediterranean Sea coast. Administration Oran is the capital of a province (wilaya) of the same name. History Oran was founded in the 10th century by... Oran in The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. It is bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, and Morocco as... Algeria, where four capital ships and other vessels were stationed, in order to persuade Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul to disobey orders from Vichy and have his vessels sail either to British waters or else to those of French colonies in the Far East or even to the (still neutral) USA with a view to preventing them from being used against the Allies. The overture was soundly rejected, so Royal Navy Admiral James Somerville gave the orders to destroy the French vessels. More than 2,000 sailors allegedly died in the attack, which saw one battleship sunk and two others severely damaged. The incident predictably stunned the French and gave the Germans a golden propaganda tool to discredit the British as France’s real enemies.

Vichy and Berlin agreed, if reluctantly, that the Armée de l'Air de Vichy (as it was termed) was still needed in case French interests were to be attacked by the British once again – and, of course, for attacking the British themselves. Goering ordered that all Armée de l'Air aircraft would now be identified by special markings on the fuselage and tailplane of each one. Initially, the rear fuselage and tailplane (excluding the rudder) were painted a bright yellow, yet the markings were later changed so that they consisted of horizontally-oriented red and yellow stripes. In all cases, French national markings (roundel on the fuselage and tricolor on the tailplane) were retained as before.

Nearly three months afterwards, on September 23, 1940, the Vichy air force had to go into action again when the British attempted to take (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper ( commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop ( PDS) (since 2002) Area 82.5 km² Subdivisions 19 communes darrondiss. Population 31.12.2004 estimate (Ranked 1st) 1,009,256 Density 12,233/km... Dakar, the capital city of The Republic of Senegal is a country south of the Senegal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. The Gambia forms a virtual enclave within Senegal, following... Senegal, after a failed attempt (as at Mers-el-Kébir) to persuade the French to join the Allied cause against the Axis. This time, however, the French managed to repulse the British torpedo-bomber attacks launched from the carrier Ark Royal during several days of fighting with only light casualties on their side.

A line-up of Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter planes of the Armée de l’Air at Rayack airfield in the Lebanon at about the time of the Armistice in June 1940. GC I/9 operated MS.406s in North Africa (at Oran in Algeria and in Tunis, mostly) almost the entire time it was operational between November 1939 and August 1940, being based in metropolitan France (at Marseille-Marignac) for only five weeks or so during April-May 1940. Having neither claimed any victories against enemy aircraft (apart from a “probable” by a Czech pilot against an Italian S.79 on June 17) nor suffered any losses of pilots, GC I/9 was disbanded under the terms of the Franco-German Armistice on August 22, 1940, whilst based at Sidi Ahmed.

Syrian-based Vichy air force units were once again in action against the British when the The Battle of Baghdad in 1941 was a World War II battle in which rebellious Iraqi troops of Rashid Ali ambushed British soldiers traveling Transjordan, across Iraq and Persia, and into West Bengal. The British eventually took Baghdad and reinstated the infant King Faisal II of Iraq, and his regent... Iraq coup (1941) took place, which saw Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani temporarily installed as the prime minister of the country in a coup d’etat intended to secure the vital oil supplies at Kirkuk (كركوك) is an ancient city in Iraq, sitting near the Hasa River on the ruins of a 3,000-year-old settlement. It is the centre of the northern Iraqi petroleum industry. It is located at 35.47°N, 44.41°E, in the Iraqi... Kirkuk (under British control since 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-April January 1 - Alcatraz becomes a federal prison. January 7 - First Flash Gordon comic strip is published. January 10 - Execution of Marinus van der Lubbe January 24 - Einstein visits White House January 26 - The... 1934) in northeastern The Republic of Iraq is a Middle Eastern country in southwestern Asia encompassing the ancient region of Mesopotamia. It shares borders with Kuwait and Saudi-Arabia to the south, Jordan to the west, Syria to the north-west, Turkey to the north, and Iran to the east. Its current leadership... Iraq for the pro- The word axis has several meanings: In geometry, it may refer to: An axis of rotation A coordinate axis An axis of symmetry In anatomy, the axis is the second cervical vertebra. Axis Communications (also known as AXIS) is a swedish manufacturer of network print servers, high_end webcameras and miscellanous... Axis nationalistists who wanted the British to be expelled from the country. However, the plot failed when the RAF is an abbreviation for: Royal Air Force -- the Air Force of the United Kingdom (see also Air Ministry) Red Army Fraction (Rote Armee Fraktion) -- a German terror organisation Rigas Autobusu Fabrika -- a factory making buses in Riga, Latvia Rapid Action Force in India Rachunarski Fakultet RAF is also an... RAF, stationed at Habbaniyah, managed, against all the odds, to repel the nationalists. The British took the decision to retaliate directly against the French even before the campaign in Iraq was over and so they launched attacks on Vichy air force airfields in Syria. Within weeks, by July 1941, Vichy France (French: now called Régime de Vichy or Vichy; called itself at the time État Français, or French State) was the French state of 1940-1944 which was a puppet government under Nazi influence, as opposed to the Free French Forces, based first in London and later... Vichy France lost The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. The borders with Israel and Turkey are subject to dispute, pending the resolution of outstanding conflicts over possession of the Golan Heights and the region of Iskenderun... Syria itself to the Allies.

Operation “Torch”: the last battle for the Vichy French air force (November 8-10, 1942)

The last major battles against the Allied forces in which the Vichy French air force took place during Operation Torch (from November 8, 1942) was the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign. The Soviet Union had been putting pressure on the United States and Britain to begin operations in Europe, a second front to relieve the pressure on... Operation Torch, launched on 8 November 1942 as the Allied invasion of North Africa. Facing the U.S. Navy task force headed for Morocco, consisting of the carriers Ranger, Sangamon, Santee and Suwannee, were, in part, Vichy squadrons based at Marrakech, Meknès, Agadir, Casablanca and Rabat, which between them could muster some 86 fighters and 78 bombers. Overall, the aircraft may have been old compared to the F4F Wildcats of the U.S. Navy, yet they were still dangerous and capable in the hands of combat veterans who had seen action against both the Germans and the British since the start of the war.

A Potez 63.11 reconnaissance aircraft and a Breguet 695 bomber sporting the red and yellow stripes demanded by the Germans for the aircraft of the Vichy French air force, which would cease to exist on December 1, 1942, a week after the Germans invaded the then-unoccupied part of France

F4Fs attacked the airfield at Rabat-Salé around 07.30 on the 8th and destroyed nine LeO 451 bombers of GB I/22, while a transport unit’s full complement of various types was almost entirely wiped out. At Casablanca, SBD dive-bombers succeeded in damaging the French battle-cruiser, Jean Bart, and F6Fs strafed the bombers of GB I/32 at Camp Cazes airfield, some of which exploded as they were ready for take-off with bombs already on board, thus ensuring their mission never went ahead. The U.S. Navy did not have it all their own way, though, as several F4F pilots were shot down and taken prisoner.

The day’s victory tally of enemy aircraft shot down by the French fighter pilots totaled seven confirmed and three probable, yet their losses were considered heavy - five pilots killed, four wounded and 13 aircraft destroyed either in combat or on the ground – when one considers that GC II/5, based in Casablanca, had lost only two pilots killed during the whole of the six-week campaign in France two years before. In the meantime, F4Fs of U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-41 from the USS Ranger strafed and destroyed (ironically) three U.S.-built Douglas DB-7 bombers of GB I/32, which were being refueled and rearmed at Casablanca, leaving a mere three others undamaged.

Nevertheless, having been reinforced by two other bombers, GB I/32 carried out a bombing mission against the beaches at Safi, where more U.S. soldiers were landing, the next morning. One of the bombers was damaged and attempted to make a forced-landing, only it exploded upon contact with the ground, killing the entire crew. Fighter unit GC I/5 lost four pilots in combat that day (November 9th) and it was on that same day that Adjudant (Warrant Officer)　Bressieux had the distinction of becoming the last pilot in the Vichy French air force to claim a combat victory, in this case an F4F of VF-9. Shortly afterwards, 13 F4Fs attacked the airfield at Médiouna and destroyed a total of 11 French aircraft, including six from GC II/5.

On the morning of November 10, 1942, the Vichy French air force units in Morocco had a mere 37 combat-ready fighters and 40 bombers left to face the might of the U.S. Navy F4Fs. Médiouna was attacked once again and several of the fighters were left burning, while two reconnaissance Potez were shot down, one by an F4F and the other by an SBD over the airfield at Chichaoua, where three F4Fs would later destroy four more Potez in a strafing attack.

Ultimately, the presence of Vichy France in North Africa as an ally of the Germans came to an end (ironically) on Armistice Day, November 11, 1942, when General Noguès, the commander-in-chief of the Vichy armed forces, requested a cease-fire – although that did not stop a unit of U.S. Navy aircraft attacking the airfield at Marrakech and destroying several French aircraft, apparently on the initiative of the unit’s commander. Once the cease-fire request was accepted, the war between the Allies and the Vichy French came to an end after two and a half years of what was termed “fratricidal” fighting.

“Torch” had resulted in a victory for the Allies, even though it was fair to say that the French had no choice but to engage the Americans, otherwise the Americans would (and did) engage them since they were technically enemies. As a result, 12 air force and 11 navy pilots lost their lives in the final four days of combat between (Vichy) France and the Allies during World War II. Barely two weeks later, the Germans invaded the then-unoccupied zone of metropolitan France and ordered the complete dissolution of the Vichy French armed forces on December 1, 1942. Those units then not under Vichy control would then be free to join with their Free French colleagues to fight the common enemy: Nazi Germany.

The story of the Armée de l'Air is continued in the article Armée de l'Air (Part II).

The early years of French military aviation until 1914

World War I (1914-1918)

Between the World Wars (1918-1939)

From the “Drôle de guerre” to defeat (September 1939-June 1940)

Defending Vichy’s interests (June 1940-December 1942)

Operation “Torch”: the last battle for the Vichy French air force (November 8-10, 1942)

See also

Bibliography

External links

The early years of French military aviation until 1914 GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

World War I (1914-1918)

Between the World Wars (1918-1939)

From the “Drôle de guerre” to defeat (September 1939-June 1940)

Defending Vichy’s interests (June 1940-December 1942)

Operation “Torch”: the last battle for the Vichy French air force (November 8-10, 1942)

See also

Bibliography

External links

The early years of French military aviation until 1914