The Groupe de Chasse (Fighter Group)
GC II/5 LAFAYETTE
at Alta-Folelli Air Base, Corsica 1944
(At first included in the April-May 2011 on line MAC Magazine, corrected and actualized issue-2013_01_17)
Hello, you happy taxpayers and nevertheless collectors !!
Though this Mag issue should have been a great 1st of April hoax, I decided to stay as serious as possible and take advantage of this opportunity to remind together and celebrate the more than two hundred years old USA-France friendship with the Sioux Head emblem (in fact, a Seminole one in the beginning !).
Puuf ! What a long sentence ! Now, back all in the past with the Time machine...
1 - HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
"...The battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over the British Army entrenched in the town, led by Lt General Lord Cornwallis.
Under Rochambeau command, marquis de Lafayette headed a Continental army force in Virginia to shadow Crown forces. Siege of Yorktown proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America, as the surrender of Cornwallis' army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict..." (Thanks to Wikipedia!!)
That's it for the beginning ! Ahead all, some 136 years in the future... (Does somebody know about Dr Who and his Tarvis spacetime machine?)
2 - FIRST WORLD WAR
At the end of WWI, Allied Air Forces were essentially made of French and British planes, plus some Italian and Russian ones.
The USA entered lately in this war (Febr. 1917), but there were courageous US Volunteers who, before national declaration of war to Germany, decided to fly under allied colours, and specially French ones, as soon as 1915.
The 18th April 1916 was born the « American Squadron », the N124 Squadron under French heading. It was equipped with the « Bébé Nieuport » (Nieuport 11) and was based at Luxeuil-Les-Bains.
A N124 Nieuport 11, aka "Bébé Nieuport".
Realsize flying replica of a N124 Nieuport 11 (Kansas City Dawn Patrol Assoc., pic via Jeremy Hampton)
May 1916 at Luxeuil-les-Bains : The 9 first pilots of new N.124.
From left to right ; Chapman, Cowdin, Bert Hall, Thaw, Thénault (French C.O. of N124), de Laage de Meux, Norman Prince, Kiffin Rockwell, Mac Connell.
They soon received improved fighters such as Nieuport 17 then later Spads VII and XIII.
The biggest ace of the Lafayette N124 squadron in front of his SPAD: the American-French Lt Raoul Gervais Lufbéry. He achieved 17 victories and 15 probable before being KIA over France when Major in the US Air Service, the 19th May 1918. In fact, he bailed out from his burning plane without parachute. This was the crual fate of a lot of courageous pilots of this time.
At the USA Febr. 1917 declaration of war, it was quite certain that the american volunteers could no more fly under french colours. In early 1918, they were asked to be incorporated in US 103rd Pursuit squadron which kept emblem and traditions of the Lafayette Volunteers N124 original group. It was necessary to wait three years after the armistice of 1918 so that the insignia of the Sioux and traditions of N124 are transmitted to the squadron n ° 23 of the Groupe de Chasse 35 parked in Lyon-Bron.
The Lafayette Squadron original banner.
There is a monument at Marnes la Coquette, near Paris, dedicated to the memory of the men of N124, where 68 heroes are buried.
In 1932, the French Ministère de l' Air (Air Ministry) reorganized military aviation; the Groupe de Chasse 35 became the 5ème Escadre de Chasse. The "Sioux" formed the 3rd Escadrille and joined the Escadrille des Cigognes (SPA167, Wings Up, Guynemer's original squadron). Under the designation of GC II/5 (groupe de chasse 2/5), these two squadrons would from now on combine their forces.
3 - GC II/4 Lafayette 1939-1944
The G.C. II/5 became G.C. II/4 on the 1st May 1939. A third squadron joined it, inheriting traditions of SPA 160 "DIABLES ROUGES" (Red Devils).
The Groupe de Chasse II/4 was equipped in 1940 with Curtiss Hawk 75 and Dewoitine 520. They gained 47 (76?) confirmed victories and 15 probable against Luftwaffe.
Curtiss Hawk 75 A of GC II/4.
First based in East and South of France, GCII/4 was in North Africa after the armistice and had to fight against Allied Air Forces in 1942 where they claimed 13 victories.The Sioux Head fought against old friends...
After "Torch" operation success and rallying then incorporating the Free French Forces, GCII/4 was reequipped with P40, P47, A-24 or Hurricanes and still wore the Sioux head, but for the right cause at last.
P40Fs of GC II/4 at Casablanca. Note the smallness of the upper wing French cockades.
The GC Lafayette became again GC II/5 the 1st July 1943, by fusion of the armistice Vichy French Air Force and FAFL (Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres or Free French Air Force).
Following Allies progression in North Africa then Italy, GC II/5 found temporarily in May 1944 a base in Corse (Corsica), at Alto-Folelli, 30 km south of Bastia. GC II/5 planes id code was "9V + x".
On this airfield they operated P47D with GC II/3 « Dauphiné » and GC I/4 « Navarre ». About 80 french fighters were based here at the time.
P47D of the Lafayette Squadron.
But Frenchies were not alone !!! 90 more US P47 shared the runway with them : from the 12th Air Force 57th FG, they were the 66 FS and 65 FS « Fighting Cock » squadrons.
P47Ds of the "Fighting Cock" 65th FG.
This episode of Alto-Folelli was immortalized in a colour USAAF documentary movie by Lt Col. William Wyler and Capt. John Sturges (at the time Army film makers) simply called « Thunderbolt ». The actor James Stewart presents the movie. I got it and it's one of my best ! At one moment, we can see quickly formation of the Lafayette squadron flying by the airfield in "arrow" formation. Look at this movie:
http://youtu.be/ugFV-oo8Eyw
Both US and French Fight groups were involved in Operation « Strangle », after Anzio landing and during reconquest of South Italy. It consisted of destroying all German supplies ways and convoys on the North Italy to paralyse enemy troops opposing Allied climbing. That is the subject of the movie.
4 - THE MODEL
I bought an Easy Model (Trumpeter) P47D of GC II/5 « Lafayette » and there it is :
There is a little bug regarding upper wing French cockades size : in this Trumpeter model, these are too big. You can compare with the under photo of another "Lafayette" P47D model, with authentic markings:
5 - ENDING: nowadays...
Well, mates, I'm finishing this article and precize the following thing :
The Current Lafayette squadron, heir of the history and traditions of the American Volunteer Fliers of WW I is Escadron de Chasse II/4 Lafayette, installed on the French base 116, Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur.
Italeri 1/100 - Mirage III E, Escadre de Chasse IV, EC (Escadron de Chasse) 2/4 Lafayette, BA (Base Aérienne) 116, Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur, 1988.
It nowadays usually flies Dassault Mirages 2000N K2. As you can see on its badge, The N124's Seminole head ("Sioux") shares the squadron with the SPA 167 Stork (Wings Up) and the SPA 160 Red Devils.
Mirage 2000 N of EC 2/4.
I hope you've been involved reading my (home) school test and wait being read by you next time !!
Take care !
Hurrah for the France/USA friendship !
Jean-Francois QUILLIEN
(AKA Jeff)
Sources: Wikipédia / Public historical pics. Other sources mentioned on photographs.
