| Escadrille MS 48 / N 48 / SPA 48 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1915–1918 |
| Country |  France |
| Branch |  French Air Service |
| Type | Fighter Squadron |
| Mascot(s) | The Crowing Rooster |
| Engagements |  World War I |
Escadrille SPA.48 was a unit of the French Air Force during World War I. [1]
Escadrille 48 was created on 29 March 1915 at Villacoublay near Paris, flying the Morane-Saulnier L. Active throughout the war at various locations on the Western Front, the escadrille replaced its aircraft with Nieuports in early 1915, then with SPADs at the end of 1916. By 11 November 1918 the pilots of the escadrille had logged 9,826 flying hours, with 54 confirmed and 48 probable victories, at a cost of 11 killed and 12 wounded. [2]
| Name | Appointed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Paul Fernand du Peuty | 29 March 1915 | Served as Directeur du Service Aéronautique from 20 February to 20 August 1917. Returned to the infantry to command a battalion of Zouaves in October 1917 and was killed in action on 30 March 1918. |
| Captain François de Thonel d'Orgeix | 5 September 1915 | |
| Captain Jean Georges Fernand Matton [3] | 8 October 1916 | Killed in action on 10 September 1917 near Koekelare, Belgium, probably by Josef Jacobs of Jasta 7 . |
| Captain Jacques Victor Sabattier de Vignolle [4] | 12 September 1917 | |
| Lieutenant Jean-Marie Thobie | 13 February 1918 | |
| Lieutenant Gilbert Sardier [5] | 23 July 1918 | |
The following aircraft were operated by the unit between 1915 and 1918. [2]
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