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Escadrille Spa.97
''Escadrille Spa.97'' was a French fighter squadron active during the World War I years of 1917 and 1918. It was credited with destroying 17 enemy airplanes and eight observation balloons. History Existing Detachments N511 and N519 within ''II Armee'' became the basis for ''Escadrille Spa.97''. Organized in June 1917 with Nieuport XXIVs, it was originally denoted as ''Escadrille N97''. ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 102 Transferred from ''II Armee'' to ''IV Armee'' in July, it re-equipped with fresh Nieuport XXIVs in August. It was Cited in orders on 30 September 1917. Then it was shifted back to supporting ''II Armee''. Its new commanding officer began its refittng with SPAD VII and SPAD XIII fighters. This was completed by 8 December 1918. The new brand of airplane drove a change of unit designation to ''Escadrille Spa.97''. On 10 December 1917, the squadron was one of those ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roundel Of The French Air Force Before 1945
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours. Other symbols also often use round shapes. Heraldry In heraldry, a ''roundel'' is a circular charge. ''Roundels'' are among the oldest charges used in coats of arms, dating from at least the twelfth century. Roundels in British heraldry have different names depending on their tincture. Thus, while a roundel may be blazoned by its tincture, e.g., ''a roundel vert'' (literally "a roundel green"), it is more often described by a single word, in this case ''pomme'' (literally "apple", from the French) or, from the same origins, ''pomeis''—as in "Vert; on a cross Or five pomeis". One special example of a named roundel is the fountain, depicted as ''a roundel barry wavy argent and azure'', that is, containing alternating horizo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Air Service
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air Force. On 10 September 2020, it assumed its current name, the French Air and Space Force, to reflect an "evolution of its mission" into the area of outer space. The number of aircraft in service with the French Air and Space Force varies depending on the source; the Ministry of Armed Forces gives a figure of 658 aircraft in 2014. According to 2018 data, this figure includes 210 combat aircraft: 115 Dassault Mirage 2000 and 95 Dassault Rafale. As of 2021, the French Air and Space Force employs a total of 40,500 regular personnel, with a reserve element of 5,187 in 2014. The Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) is a direct subordinate of the Chief ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mentioned In Dispatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy is described. In some countries, a service member's name must be mentioned in dispatches as a condition for receiving certain decorations. United Kingdom, British Empire, and Commonwealth of Nations Servicemen and women of the British Empire or the Commonwealth who are mentioned in despatches (MiD) are not awarded a medal for their actions, but receive a certificate and wear an oak leaf device on the ribbon of the appropriate campaign medal. A smaller version of the oak leaf device is attached to the ribbon when worn alone. Prior to 2014, only one device could be worn on a ribbon, irrespective of the number of times the recipient was mentioned in despatches. Where no campaign medal is awarded, the oak leaf is worn direc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Observation Balloon
An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today. Synonyms include espionage balloon, reconnaissance balloon, or surveillance balloon. Historically, observation balloons were filled with hydrogen. The balloons were fabric envelopes filled with hydrogen gas, whose flammable nature led to the destruction of hundreds of balloons on both sides. Observers manning these observation balloons frequently had to use a parachute to evacuate their balloon when it came under attack. To avoid the potentially flammable consequences of hydrogen, observation balloons after World War I were often filled with non-flammable helium. Typically, balloons were tethered to a steel cable attached to a winch that reeled the gasbag to its desired height (usually 1,000-1,5 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nieuport XXIV
The Nieuport 24 (or Nieuport XXIV C.1 in contemporary sources) was a World War I French sesquiplane fighter aircraft designed by Gustave Delage as a development of the successful Nieuport 17. The Nieuport 24 had the misfortune to be the penultimate design suited to tactics that were being superseded when it entered service. Its small size, relatively light weight and small engine gave it a significant manoeuvrability advantage in a dog fight. However, larger and heavier fighters that relied almost entirely on speed such as the SPAD VII and Albatros D.III were entering service along with the introduction of ever larger combat formations, which generally negated its manoeuvrability. While its handling was improved slightly, its performance was little better than the previous Nieuport 23 it was meant to replace, and so it was operated alongside larger numbers of the SPAD S.VII, although in November 1917, out of a French frontline fighter strength of 754 aircraft, Nieuports still ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SPAD VII
The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugged aircraft with good climbing and diving characteristics. It was also a stable gun platform, although pilots used to the more manoeuvrable Nieuport fighters found it heavy on the controls. It was flown by a number of the famous aces, such as France's Georges Guynemer, Italy's Francesco Baracca and Australia's Alexander Pentland. Design and development Origins Performance in early aircraft designs was largely dependent on engines. In February 1915, Swiss designer Marc Birkigt had created an overhead cam aviation powerplant based on his Hispano-Suiza V8 automobile engine, resulting in a 330 lb engine capable of producing 140 hp at 1,400 rpm. Further refinement of the engine brought the power to 150 hp by July 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SPAD XIII
The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War, developed by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) from the earlier and highly successful SPAD S.VII. During early 1917, the French designer Louis Béchereau, spurred by the approaching obsolescence of the S.VII, decided to develop two new fighter aircraft, the S.XII and the S.XIII, both using a powerful new geared version of the successful Hispano-Suiza 8A engine. The cannon armament of the S.XII was unpopular with most pilots, but the S.XIII proved to be one of the most capable fighters of the war, as well as one of the most-produced, with 8,472 built and orders for around 10,000 more cancelled at the Armistice.Sharpe 2000, p. 272. By the end of the First World War, the S.XIII had equipped virtually every fighter squadron of the ''Aéronautique Militaire''. In addition, the United States Army Air Service also procured the type in bulk during the conflict, and some replaced or supplem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Groupe De Combat 15
A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation. Air and aviation groups The terms group and wing differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches of a national defence force. Air groups vary considerably in size and status, but generally take two forms: * A unit of two to four squadrons, commanded by a lieutenant colonel, colonel, commander, naval captain or an equivalent rank. The United States Air Force (USAF), ''groupes'' of the French ''Armée de l'air'', ''gruppen'' of the German ''Luftwaffe'', United States Marine Corps Aviation, British Fleet Air Arm and some other naval air services usually follow this pattern. * A larger formation, often comprising more than 10 squadrons, commanded by a major general, brigadier general, commodore, rear admiral, air commodore or air vice-marshal. The air forces of many Commonwealth countries, such as the British Royal Air Force (RAF), fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Escadron De Chasse 2/30 Normandie-Niemen
Fighter Squadron 2/30 Normandie-Niemen (Escadron de Chasse 2/30 Normandie-Niemen) is a French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) fighter squadron which flies the Dassault Rafale C from BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base. During a dormant period in 2009, the squadron was equipped with Dassault Mirage F1CT fighters and stationed at the BA 132 Colmar-Meyenheim Air Base. The Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment (french: link=no, Régiment de Chasse Normandie-Niémen – (russian: link=no, Нормандия-Неман) has adopted a number of formations and designations since 1942. Originally formed as Groupe de Chasse Normandie 3 in 1942, it was re-designated as a regiment (with and without the "Niemen" designation) in 1944 and received four different squadron numbers (in 1953, 1962, 1993, and 1995) and two later regimental designations (in 2008 and 2011). The squadron, which served on the Eastern Front of the European theatre of World War II with the 1st Air Army, is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Franks
Norman Leslie Robert Franks (born 1940) is an English militaria writer who specialises in aviation topics. He focuses on the pilots and squadrons of World Wars I and II. Biography He published his first book in 1976. He was an Organisation and Methods Officer with the Nationwide Building Society in London before he retired. He now lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, with his wife Heather. They have two sons, Rob and Mike, and five grandchildren. He was a consultant for the Channel 4 television series ''Dogfight: The Mystery of the Red Baron''. His 1995 book on the Red Baron has been published and reissued by three publishers. He is also one of the founding members of the Cross and Cockade society for World War I aviation historians, which was formed in 1970, and a member of Over the Front, the league of World War I aviation historians. In total, he has authored over 120 books covering military aviation. Published works *Franks, Norman. ''Double Mission: Fighter Pilot and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cross And Cockade
''Cross and Cockade'', now called ''The Great War Aviation Society'', is a historical magazine about aviation in World War I. The name Cross and Cockade refers to the black cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ... and coloured roundel symbols used respectively on German and British World War I aircraft. The magazine was first published in 1970. References External links * Aviation magazines Quarterly magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1970 Military magazines published in the United Kingdom History magazines published in the United Kingdom {{Military-mag-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fighter Squadrons Of The French Air And Space Force
Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to: Combat and warfare * Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict * Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplanes in air-to-air combat ** Fighter pilot, a military aviator who controls a fighter aircraft * Martial artist, one who practices martial arts * Soldier, one who fights as part of a military * Warrior, a person specializing in combat or warfare Film and television * The Fighter (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Henry Kolker * ''The Fighters'' (1939 film), a Soviet drama film directed by Eduard Pentslin * ''The Fighter'' (1952 film), an American film noir boxing film directed by Herbert Kline * ''The Fighters'' (1974 film), a documentary film directed by Rick Baxter and William Greaves * ''The Fighter'' (1983 film), a television movie starring Gregory Harrison and Glynnis O'Connor * ''Fighter'' (2000 film), an American docum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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