Escadrille 57 of the

French Air Force 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; ...

was founded during World War I, on 10 May 1915.

History

It was initially assigned to operate in the vicinity of

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

. It was cited in orders on 24 October 1915.Franks et al. 1992, p. 94. On 16 March 1916, the escadrille moved to the front lines near

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

. It would remain there until incorporated into ''

Groupe de Combat 11 ''Groupe de Combat 11'' of the French Air Force was founded on 1 November 1916, being formed by consolidating '' Escadrilles 12'', '' 31'', '' 48'', and '' 57''. The ''groupe'' was equipped with a melange of SPADs, Nieuports, Sopwiths, and Moran ...

'' on 1 November 1916. The escadrille served with ''GC 11'' through war's end. On 24 May 1917, the escadrille was again cited, for having destroyed 20 enemy aircraft and six

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 ...

s. This second citation entitled members of the unit to wear the fourragere of the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

. The arrival of SPADs late in 1917 changed the unit's name to Escadrille SPA.57. Closely following the war's end, Escadrille SPA.57 was once again cited for its efforts. It was credited with the destruction of 65 enemy aircraft and 14 observation balloons.

Commanding officers

* Capitaine Alfred Zappelli: 10 May 1915 – 7 September 1915 * Capitaine Edouard Duseigneur: 8 September 1915 – 24 January 1917 * Lieutenant Georges Herbulot: 25 January 1917 – 13 April 1917 * Lieutenant

Jean Chaput Lieutenant Jean Chaput was a French World War I flying ace credited with 16 aerial victories. Biography Jean Marc Chaput was born on 17 September 1893 in Paris.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United Sta ...

: 14 April 1917 – KIA 6 May 1917 * Lieutenant

Jacques Ortoli Commandant Jacques Toussaint François Ortoli was a French Corsican patriot who served France in two World Wars. In World War I, he was a flying ace credited with eleven confirmed aerial victories. He returned to his nation's defense during World ...

: 7 May 1917 -

Notable personnel

* Lieutenant

Sous lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 19 ...

Charles Nuville Lieutenant Colonel Charles Marie Joseph Leon Nuville LH (March 1889—18 January 1965) was a French World War I flying ace credited with twelve confirmed aerial victories. He served as a professional soldier throughout the interwar years, and ...

* Sous lieutenant

Marcel Nogues Sous Lieutenant Marcel Joseph Maurice Nogues was a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He was an ace over enemy observation balloons, as well as enemy airplanes. Early life Marcel Joseph Maurice Nogues was born on 24 Ja ...

* Lieutenant

Jean Alfred Fraissinet Heir to the Compagnie Fraissinet, Lieutenant (later Captain) Jean Alfred Fraissinet also served in the French Air Force during World War I, becoming a flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. Postwar, he took the helm of his family's ship ...

* Sous lieutenant

Marius Hasdenteufel Sous Lieutenant Marius René Marie Hasdenteufel (1894–1918) was a French World War I flying ace credited with five confirmed and two probable aerial victories.The Aerodrome websitRetrieved 11 August 2020.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of ...

Aspirant Aspirant is a rank in the Royal Canadian Navy, Estonian Defence Forces, French military, Brazilian military, Portuguese military, Swiss military, Italian Air Force, Argentinian Armed Forces, Romanian Navy, Polish Policja and Państwowa Straż ...

Jean Dubois de Gennes Aspirant Jean Charles Augustin Dubois de Gennes (16 February 1895 – 17 September 1929) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He was wounded three times in defense of his country.The Aerodrome websitRetrieved 6 August 2 ...

Adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

Andre Petit-Delchet Adjutant Andre Marie Paul Petit-Delchet was a French World War I flying ace credited with five confirmed aerial victories and two probable ones.The Aerodrome websitRetrieved 27 August 2020. Biography See also Aerial victory standards of World War ...

Aircraft assigned

* Nieuport: 10 May 1915 * SPAD: Late 1917

Footnotes

References

* Franks, Norman; Frank W. Bailey. ''Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918'' Grub Street, 1992. , .

External links

Escadrille MS 57 - N 57 - SPA 57
1915 establishments in France French Air and Space Force squadrons Military units and formations established in 1915 {{France-mil-unit-stub