''Escadrille Spa.90'' (originally named ''Escadrille N.90'') was a French fighter squadron that served in World War I from early 1917 until war's end. They were credited with destroying 13 German airplanes and 22

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.90'' began by combining two existing formations, N504 and N507, in early 1917. It was founded as an integral fighter squadron to ''VIII Armee'', and was initially dubbed ''Escadrille N.90'' because Nieuport fighters were its predominant aircraft.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 100 On 22 April 1918, the squadron was renamed ''Escadrille Spa.90'' when it re-equipped with SPAD fighters. On 9 November 1918, the unit was Cited in orders for having destroyed 10 German airplanes and 14

s. However, its total victory score for the war was 13 airplanes and 22 balloons.

Commanding officers

* Lieutenant Pierre Weiss: Early 1917 - 4 November 1918

Notable members

* Lieutenant colonel

Marius Ambrogi Lieutenant Colonel Marius Jean Paul Elzeard Ambrogi (9 June 1895 – 25 April 1971), using "Marc" as common first name, was a French fighter pilot in both World Wars. He became a flying ace during World War I, with fourteen aerial victories, the ...

* Lieutenant colonel

Jean André Pezon Lieutenant Colonel Jean André Pezon began his military career during World War I and became a flying ace credited with ten confirmed aerial victories. He served his nation throughout World War II. Early life Jean André Pezon was born in Saint- ...

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 ...

Charles J. V. Macé * Adjutant

Maurice Bizot Adjutant Maurice Bizot (November 5, 1896 – November 27, 1925) was a French World War I flying ace credited with ten confirmed aerial victories. Early life Maurice Bizot was born in Puéchabon on 27 November 1896. World War I Bizot joined the ...

Aircraft

* Three

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 penulti ...

s: 3 March 1917 * Two Nieuport XXIV bis: 3 March 1917 * Seven

Nieuport XXVII 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 ...

: 3 March 1917 * Three

SPAD XI The SPAD S.XI or SPAD 11 was a French two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. The SPAD 11 was the work of Louis Béchereau, chief designer of the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD), who also designed the high ...

s: 3 March 1917 * SPADs: 22 April 1918

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. . Squadrons of the French Service Aéronautique in World War I Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 {{France-mil-unit-stub