| Escadrille MS 23 - N 23 - SPA 23 | |
|---|---|
 Ace Eugene Gilbert | |
| Active | 4 August 1914- |
| Country |  France |
| Branch |  French Air Service |
| Type | Fighter Squadron |
| Engagements |  World War I |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Captaine Carl Marie Francois vicomte de Vergnette de Lamotte 1914-1915 |
Escadrille 23 of the French Air Force was formed at Brie on 4 August 1914.
Escadrille 23 was equipped with Morane-Saulniers and forwarded to VI Armee of the French Army in September, and transferred to IV Armee in October 1914. Later that month, it moved to the Somme. It would operate from there until 6 August 1915. It then returned to the VI Armee for a short spell before being posted to IV Armee on 21 August 1915. [1]
On 20 September 1915, the unit re-equipped with Nieuports and became Escadrille N23. Its performance earned it a citation in orders on 5 November 1916. It was credited with victories over 17 enemy aircraft and four observation balloons. [1] On 3 February 1917, the escadrille was posted to VII Armee; it soon moved to support II Armee. On 19 March 1918, the escadrille earned the fourragere of the Croix de Guerre by being cited again, for downing another 23 enemy airplanes. The unit subsequently retooled with SPAD fighters, but did not change its designation to Escadrille SPA.23 until August 1918. Wartime victories for Escadrille SPA.23 totaled 59 aircraft destroyed. [1]
Escadrille SPA.23 still serves in today's French Air Force.
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.
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 12 of the French Air Force was formed in 1912 and known for introducing Nieuport aircraft to the World War I air combat.
Escadrille 26 is a squadron of the French Air Force founded in 1914 and still active today.
Escadrille 73 of the French Air Force originated at Corcieux on 23 May 1915 as Detachment N 49 during the World War I.
Escadrille 65 of the French Air Force was established during World War I. It was founded at Lyon-Bron Airport on 2 August 1915.
Escadrille 67 of the French Air Force was founded at Lyon-Bron Airport during the First World War, on 17 September 1915. On 24 September, they were assigned to the IV Armee of the French Army. By late October, the escadrille was assigned to the defense of Verdun.
Escadrille 15 is one of the oldest units of the French Air Force, which was founded on 22 August 1912 at Reims, France, and is still active.
Escadrille 31 of the French Air Force was founded at the beginning of the World War I, on 24 September 1914, at Dijon Air Base. Once equipped with Morane-Saulnier Ns, it was posted to I Armee of the French Army.
Escadrille 37 of the French Air Force was established at Chateauford, France in January 1915. Its original equipment of Morane-Saulniers led to its original designation of Escadrille MS 37.
Escadrille SPA.48 was a unit of the French Air Force during World War I.
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 Spa49 was a squadron of the French Air Services active during World War I, from 1915 - 1918. Credited with 37 aerial victories over German aircraft, it won a unit citation on 8 November 1918.
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.
Escadrille Spa.78 was a French fighter squadron active from December 1916 until the end of World War I on 11 November 1918. It spent most of its existence as a component of a larger Groupe de Combat involved in offensive operations. The squadron was credited with a minimum of 40 confirmed aerial victories during the war.
Escadrille Spa.69 was a French fighter squadron derived from one of its military's oldest aviation units. Active from September 1915 until the 11 November 1918 Armistice, the escadrille campaigned on both the Western and Italian Fronts with X Armee. It was credited with 38 aerial combat victories.
Escadrille Spa.88 was a French fighter squadron active for the final 20 months of the First World War. It spent 1918 as part of Groupe de Combat 13, being Mentioned in dispatches three times, granted the Fourragere of the Croix de Guerre, and credited with 32 enemy airplanes and four observation balloons destroyed.
Escadrille Spa.76 was a French fighter and reconnaissance squadron active during the First World War years of 1916 to 1918. Cited for taking more than 3,000 aerial photographs for military intelligence purposes, the unit was also credited with destroying 26 German aircraft.
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.
Escadrille Spa.561 was a French First World War fighter squadron dedicated to defending Venice, Italy from aerial attack. Stemming from a six plane detachment assigned to Venice's defense on 15 August 1915, after its foundation in June 1916, Escadrille Spa. 561 would defend Venice until 1 January 1918. Detached then to support the French X Armee during its sojourn in Italy, the squadron remained on the peninsula after the X Armee had returned to France. By war's end, Escadrille Spa.561 was credited with destroying 12 enemy aircraft and four observation balloons.
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