{{Free French Forces The Free French Naval Air Service (''Aéronavale française libre'') was the

naval aviation Naval aviation is the application of Military aviation, military air power by Navy, navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft ...

arm of

Free French Naval Forces The Free French Naval Forces (french: Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL) were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier. History In the wake of the Armistice ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. The Free French Naval Air Service supported Free French Naval and Allied forces in overseas fronts (North Africa, Middle East, etc.) and later supported the Free French Navy during Allied advances into French territory after the

Battle of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...

. The markings of the Free French Naval Air Service were regular French roundels overpainted with an anchor on the fuselage, and the French tricolor on the rudder. It operated all the French naval aircraft, seaplanes and flying boats, that escaped from German-occupied France after the

Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...

, together with naval aircraft from the French colonies that declared allegiance to

de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

Free French Forces __NOTOC__ The French Liberation Army (french: Armée française de la Libération or AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (french: Forces françaises libres, la ...

, and aircraft donated by the British and

Americans Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Amer ...

. It carried out Marine patrols and operations against

Axis forces The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were Na ...

in France during 1944-45. It formed the basis for the postwar French Naval Air Service.

Aircraft of the Free French Naval Air Service

Breguet 521 Bizerte Breguet or Bréguet may refer to: * Breguet (watch), watch manufacturer ** Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823), Swiss watchmaker **Louis-François-Clement Breguet (1804–1883), French physicist, watchmaker, electrical and telegraph work * Brég ...

* C.A.M.S. 55.10 *

Latécoère 298 The Latécoère 298 (sometimes abridged to Laté 298) was a French seaplane that served during World War II. It was designed primarily as a torpedo bomber, but served also as a dive bomber against land and naval targets, and as a maritime reconnaiss ...

Latécoère 611 The Latécoère 611 was a French four-engined maritime reconnaissance flying boat of the Second World War. Although only a single prototype was completed, this served throughout the war, being used by both the Vichy French and Free French navies. ...

Lioré et Olivier LeO H-47 __NOTOC__ The Lioré et Olivier LeO H-47 was a flying boat airliner built in France in 1936. It was designed to operate passenger services over the South Atlantic, but the outbreak of the Second World War caused the type to be used by the Frenc ...

* Loire 130M * Mureaux-Besson MB 411 *

Potez-CAMS 141 The Potez-CAMS 141 was a French long range reconnaissance flying boat of the late 1930s. Intended to equip the French Navy, only a single prototype was completed before the German invasion of France stopped production. That prototype did, howeve ...

* Douglas A-24B * Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC

Aircraft of the Free French Naval Air Service

See also