''Escadrille Spa.81'' was a French fighter squadron active in World War warfare during 1917 and 1918. With nine flying aces in its ranks, it downed 88 German aircraft. It was twice Cited in orders and entitled to 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 ...

''.

History

''Escadrille Spa.81'' was formed on 26 December 1916 under the sobriquet ''Escadrille N.81''. It began at Villacoublay Airfield, with a mixed bag of Nieuports. Later on, it would rearm with SPADs and change its unit designation to ''Escadrille Spa.81''.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 98 It was assigned to ''VI Armee'' on 5 January 1917. It moved to ''VII Armee'' on 29 January. On 17 April, it moved to ''IV Armee''; shortly thereafter, it was incorporated in ''

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 o ...

'' (GC15, in short). GC15 was reassigned to ''II Armee'' sector on 25 July 1917. From then until war's end, as part of a larger formation, ''Escadrille Spa.81'' was frequently shifted into tactical situations on the Western Front in a "fire brigade" fashion. In January 1918, they were Cited in orders. Its second citation came on 4 October 1918. This entitled the unit to display the Fourragere of the ''

''. By the 11 November 1918 ceasefire, the squadron was credited with destroying 88 German aircraft.

Commanding officers

* ''Capitaine'' Maurice Mandinaud: 26 December 1916 - killed in action 10 March 1917 * Lieutenant Raymond Bailly: 10 March 1917 * Lieutenant Adrien L. J. Leps: 24 February 1918.

Notable members

* ''Capitaine'' Marcel A. Hugues * Lieutenant (later Major) Adrien L. J. Leps * '' Sous lieutenant'' (later Colonel) Marcel Marc Dhôme * ''Sous lieutenant'' Andre Herbelin * ''Sous lieutenant'' Pierre De Cazenove De Pradines *

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 ...

Henri Peronneau * Adjutant Maurice Rousselle * '' Maréchal des logis''

Paul Santelli ''Maréchal-des-logis'' Paul Marie Raphael Santelli was a French World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He was a balloon buster, all of his victories being over observation balloons.The Aerodrome website on SantellRetrieved 2 ...

* ''Maréchal des logis''

Pierre Cardon Maréchal-des-logis Pierre Marie Joseph Cardon (30 October 1894 – 4 December 1987) was a French World War I balloon buster credited with five aerial victories over enemy observation balloons.The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces ...

Aircraft

Nieuport XII The Nieuport 12 (or Nieuport XII in contemporary sources) was a French sesquiplane reconnaissance, fighter aircraft and trainer used by France, Russia, Great Britain and the United States during World War I. Later production examples were built ...

two-seater reconnaissance craft: 26 December 1916 * Nieuport XVII fighters: 26 December 1916 * SPAD fighters. *

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 r ...

: 1917 - 1918 * SPAD XIII: 1918''SPAD VII Aces of World War I'', p. 36

End notes

References

* 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. . * Gutmann, Jon (2001). ''SPAD VII Aces of World War I''. Wellingborough UK: Osprey Publishing. Fighter squadrons of the French Air and Space Force Military units and formations established in 1916 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