Escadrille VB – 103 – N 103 – SPA - 103 | |
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Spad S.XIII of René Fonck with the flying stork unit emblem | |
Active | 1914-1918 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Bomber/Pursuit Escadrille |
Engagements | World War I |
Escadrille 103 of the French Air Force was an elite aviation unit on the Western Front during World War I. One of its many aces, René Fonck was the highest scoring Allied fighter-pilot.
Escadrille 103 was formed from Breguet Escadrille 17, which was founded on 2 August 1914 at Longvic. On 16 November 1914, it re-equipped with Voisins, becoming Escadrille VB.3. On 23 November 1914, it was posted to Groupe de Bombardment No. 1, commanded by Commandant Louis de Goys de Mezeyrac. On 4 March 1915, it was redesignated Escadrille VB.103. As part of GB.1, the escadrille was cited for its valor on 27 May 1915. General Ferdinand Foch issued the citation on 1 June. Foch would issue a second citation on 19 September 1915, based on the bombing raids of the 13th on Ludwigshafen. [1]
On 19 February 1916, the escadrille was converted to an escadrille de chasse (fighter squadron). It was issued Nieuports and renumbered as Escadrille N.103. On 16 April 1916, the unit was amalgamated into Groupement de Combat de la Somme, along with Escadrilles N.26, N.73, and N.3. Escadrilles N.37, N.62, and N.65 were also temporarily assigned to the groupement. All seven units were placed under command of Brocard.[ clarification needed ] On 1 November 1916, the original four squadrons, including Escadrille N.103, were consolidated as Groupe de Combat 12 (GC 12), under the continuing command of Brocard. [1] The SPADs in GC 12 bore insignia of storks in different phases of flight and were known as "Les Cignones."
On 28 January 1917, the unit was posted to the Xe Armée. It transferred to the VIIe Armée in March. On 12 July, it moved to support Ier Armée in Flanders. GC 12, including Escadrille 103, was transferred to VIe Armée again on 11 December 1917. [1] [2]
Escadrille 103 continued its service within GC 12, as the group made transitions to support Xe Armée on 5 June 1918; Ve Armée on 17 July; to Ier Armée on 29 July; [2] and to IIe Armée on 9 September 1918. It received its third citation on the 9th, though the first as fighter unit Escadrille Spa.103. It was credited with destroying 85 enemy aircraft and disabling 69 others. Its final tally for the entire war was 108 enemy aircraft and three observation balloons destroyed. [1] The heritage of the escadrille continues in the present day French air force; it is represented by the top bird on the Escadrille de Chasse 1/2 squadron emblem.
Escadrille 3Les Cigognes was a famous French aviation unit during the World War I. It was often referred to as the 'Stork Escadrille N3' due to its insignia. Pilots from Groupe de Combat 12 adopted the name and placed images of storks in different phases of flying on their planes.
Groupe de Combat 12 'Les Cigognes' was the most celebrated and successful French Air Service Groupe de Chasse during the World War I. Its roster included Georges Guynemer, René Dorme, Alfred Heurteaux, René Fonck, Raoul Echard, Joseph-Henri Guiguet, Roland Garros, Mathieu Tenant de la Tour, Jean Laulhé, among other French World War I aces. The fliers from CG 12 carried different stork insignia on their planes.
Escadrille 12 of the French Air Force was formed in 1912 and known for introducing Nieuport aircraft to the World War I air combat.
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Escadrille 38, variously known as Escadrille MS38, Escadrille N38, or Escadrille SPA38, was a French fighter squadron founded on 8 January 1915. Fighting until the 11 November 1918 armistice, they were responsible for downing 98 German aircraft in aerial combat.
Escadrille Spa80 was a French fighter squadron active during World War I, from 13 December 1916 to 11 November 1918. It was credited with 23 aerial victories.
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Escadrille Spa.102 was a French fighter squadron founded in 1913. It served throughout the First World War in a variety of aircraft types, claiming 85 aerial victories, of which 18 were approved.
Escadrille Spa.77 was a French fighter and photo reconnaissance squadron active from 1916 to 1918 during the First World War. They were credited with the destruction of 34 German airplanes and observation balloons, as well as extensive photo intelligence coverage of enemy positions.
Escadrille Spa.112 was a French air force squadron active for the near-entirety of World War I. After serving until mid-1917 in various iterations of a bombing squadron, they were re-equipped with Nieuport fighters. With their Nieuports, and their subsequent SPADs, they destroyed 28 enemy airplanes by the ceasefire.
Escadrille Spa.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 Nieuports 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.