''Escadrille Spa.68'' (originally ''Escadrille N.68'') was a French fighter squadron active from Autumn 1915 until the Armistice that ended World War I. It was equipped with a mixed lot of

Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...

s until they were gradually replaced by SPADs in November 1917. The squadron was one of four bundled into '' Groupe de Combat 20'' in February 1918. By war's end, ''Escadrille Spa.68'' was credited with the destruction of 15 enemy aircraft.

History

''Escadrille Spa.68'' was founded as ''Escadrille N.68''. It was one of two early aviation units attached to the Cavalry Corps when it was supplied with

s during September 1915. Equipment was a mixture of

Nieuport 12 The Nieuport 12 (or Nieuport XII in contemporary sources) was a French Biplane#Sesquiplane, sesquiplane reconnaissance, fighter aircraft and trainer used by France, Russia, United Kingdom, Great Britain and the United States during World War I. ...

Nieuport 16 The Nieuport 16 C.1 (or Nieuport XVI C.1 in contemporary sources)The C in the designation indicates that it is a ''chasseur'' or fighter, and the 1 indicates the number of crew members. was a French World War I single-seat sesquiplane fighter air ...

s, and

Nieuport 27 The Nieuport 27 (or Nieuport XXVII C.1 in contemporary sources) was a World War I French sesquiplane fighter aircraft designed by Gustave Delage. The 27 was the last of the line of Nieuport "V-strut" single seat fighters that began with the Ni ...

s.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', pp. 95 - 96 By early 1917, it was attached to ''VIII Armee''. It would spend the year with a steady turnover of aircraft types until it stabilized on SPAD S.7s and

SPAD XII The SPAD S.XII or SPAD 12 was a French single-seat biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War developed from the successful SPAD VII by Louis Béchereau, chief designer of the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD). Development ...

s in November. Once outfitted with SPADs, the squadron was redesignated ''Escadrille Spa.68''. Toward the end of February 1918, the squadron was one of four that were combined to form '' Groupe de Combat 20''. The squadron would fight as part of this larger unit until war's end. By that time, ''Escadrille Spa.68'' was credited with the destruction of 15 German aircraft.

Commanding officers

* Unknown: September 1915 - November 1916 * ''Capitaine'' Garde: November 1916 - Early 1917 * ''Capitaine'' Lemerle: Early 1917 - 16 June 1918 * Lieutenant Milliat: 16 June 1918 - war's end

Notable member

Lieutenant:

Pierre Gaudermen Sous-Lieutenant Pierre Gustave Gaudermen (20 October 1882 – 20 December 1948) was a French World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Early life and background Pierre Gaudermen was born in Paris. In 1904 he enlisted in the '. ...

Aircraft

Nieuport 27 N3778 after being inspected by Americans

s (type unknown): September 1915 * Early 1917 inventory: **

s **

s * SPAD S.7s begin to arrive: March 1917 * June 1917 inventory: ** SPAD S.7s **

Nieuport 24 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 penul ...

s * August 1917 inventory: ** SPADs (type unknown) **

s * November 1917 inventory: ** SPAD S.7s ** SPAD S.12

End notes

Reference

* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1993). ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'' London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. . Fighter squadrons of the French Air and Space Force Military units and formations established in 1915 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 Military units and formations of France in World War I Military aviation units and formations in World War I {{France-mil-unit-stub