''Escadrille Spa.159'' was a French fighter squadron supporting ''VIII Armee'' during 1918. It was credited with destroying 11 German airplanes and an

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 ...

History

''Escadrille Spa.159'' (original designation ''Escadrille N.159'') began on 16 January 1918 with a draft of personnel from '' Escadrille N.90''. Assigned to ''VIII Armee'', they were incorporated into ''

Groupe de Combat 20 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 ...

'' in late February. In May, it replaced its Nieuport fighters with

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 Béc ...

s; its unit designation was altered to ''Escadrille Spa.159''.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 107. ''Escadrille Spa.159'' saw combat at the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

. By war's end, the squadron had been credited with destroying 11 German airplanes and an

Commanders

* Lieutenant Albert Roper: 16 January 1918 * Lieutenant Georges Mazimann: 22 June 1918 - killed in action 20 July 1918 * Lieutenant

Henri Hay De Slade Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the 'List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Montm ...

: 28 July 1918 - 11 November 1918The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved 13 August 2020.

Notable member

* Lieutenant

Aircraft

* Nieuport fighters: 16 January 1918 *

fighters: late February 1918.

End notes

References

* * Squadrons of the French Service Aéronautique in World War I Military units and formations established in 1918 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 {{France-mil-unit-stub