fantassin
02-17-2004, 01:13 PM
The escadrille Normandie-Niémen
The formation of the Normandie-Niemen regiment started in November 1942 when gaullist Free French volunteers - 14 pilots and 58 aircraft mechanics - arrived in Russia. Already in December the international air squadron was included in the Soviet Air Force and sent to the Western front.
In 1943 the Normandie-Niemen regiment participated in the Kursk Bulge battle in the Oryol-Kursk direction where the French pilots demonstrated great courage and staunchness.
During the combat operations on the Soviet-German front the regiment's pilots made more than 5,000 combat missions, participated in 896 aerial combats, shot down 273 and damaged 80 Nazi aircraft.
The regiment was decorated with the Russian Orders of the Red Banner and of Alexander Nevsky for the exemplary accomplishment of the command's assignments. As many as 83 French pilots out of 96 were decorated with combat Orders, and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was conferred on four of them. Almost half of those pilots were KIA.
This squadron is still active and currently flies Mirage F1CT in the ground attack role out of the Colmar airbase.
The formation of the Normandie-Niemen regiment started in November 1942 when gaullist Free French volunteers - 14 pilots and 58 aircraft mechanics - arrived in Russia. Already in December the international air squadron was included in the Soviet Air Force and sent to the Western front.
In 1943 the Normandie-Niemen regiment participated in the Kursk Bulge battle in the Oryol-Kursk direction where the French pilots demonstrated great courage and staunchness.
During the combat operations on the Soviet-German front the regiment's pilots made more than 5,000 combat missions, participated in 896 aerial combats, shot down 273 and damaged 80 Nazi aircraft.
The regiment was decorated with the Russian Orders of the Red Banner and of Alexander Nevsky for the exemplary accomplishment of the command's assignments. As many as 83 French pilots out of 96 were decorated with combat Orders, and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was conferred on four of them. Almost half of those pilots were KIA.
This squadron is still active and currently flies Mirage F1CT in the ground attack role out of the Colmar airbase.