Escadrille 73

Escadrille N 73 - SPA 73
Spad aircraft
Country	France
Branch	French Air Service
Type	Reconnaissance/Fighter
Engagements	World War I

Escadrille 73 of the French Air Force originated at Corcieux on 23 May 1915 as Detachment N 49 during the World War I.

History

It was initially assigned to the VII Armee front. On 1 April 1916, it was renamed Detachment Nieuport de Corcieux. On 18 April 1916, it was redesignated, this time as Detachment N73. It became Escadrille N73 on 4 July 1916. On 1 November 1916, it was one of the units gathered into Groupe de Combat 12 , along with Escadrille N3 , Escadrille N26 , and Escadrille N103 . The unit became Escadrille Spa73 when it re-equipped with Spad VIIs in January 1917. ^[1] The escadrille left GC 12 on 18 January 1918, being replaced by Escadrille SPA.67 . ^[2] On 4 October 1918, Escadrille Spa73 was cited in orders as having downed 30 enemy aircraft and an observation balloon. ^[1]

Commanding officers

• Lieutenant Pierre Bouny
• Lieutenant Honore Lareinty-Tholozan: Killed in flying accident 5 May 1916
• Unknown
• Lieutenant Jean Ricard: 4 July 1916 –
• Capitaine Albert Deullin: 22 February 1917 –8 February 1918
• Capitaine Pierre Cahuzac: ca 9 February 1918 –ca 2 March 1918
• Lieutenant Maurice Noguès: 3 March 1918 –April 1918
• Lieutenant Robert Gerdes: April 1918 –ca 9 July 1918
• Lieutenant Pierre Jaille: 10 July 1918 –? ^[1]

Notable personnel

• Capitaine Albert Deullin
• Lieutenant François Battesti

Aircraft

François Battesti's SPAD VII at the Escadrille 73 in 1917.

• Nieuport
• Nieuport 24
• Spad VII: Received January 1917 ^[1]

Endnotes

1. Franks, Bailey 1992, p. 96.
2. Franks, Bailey 1992, p. 95.

References

• Franks, Norman; Frank W. Bailey. Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 Grub Street, 1992. ISBN   0-948817-54-2, ISBN   978-0-948817-54-0.

Further reading

• Bailey, Frank W., and Christophe Cony. French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-to-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front. London: Grub Street, 2001.
• Davilla, James J., and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Stratford, CT: Flying Machines Press, 1997.
• Les escadrilles de l'aéronautique militaire française: symbolique et histoire, 1912-1920. Vincennes: Service historique de l'armée de l'air, 2004. ISBN   2-11-094692-X

External links

• Escadrille N 73 - SPA 73