Jean Navarre & MS12

kristjanr · 9 December 2007, 01:46 PM

I have been trying to track down the serial number of the Morane Bullet that Jean Navarre flew with MS12. He is often said to have flown Morane Saulnier N serial 393. Can anybody confirm this?

I found this photo of Morane Bullet 394 on Rosebud's WWI and Early Aviation Image Archive (Really nice site by the way...):

It is sometimes claimed to have belonged to MS12. Can anybody confirm this or better yet identify the pilot sitting in the cockpit of 394?

I dont' suppose the guy in the cockpit is Navarre?

kristjanr · 9 December 2007, 03:26 PM

Well, I have made some progress. The pilot of 394 was apparently one Jean Chaput of Escadrille #159 (N159?). Interestingly enough his service with this unit is not mentioned in his profile on this site and which I linked to above. Morane Bullet serial 394 is also probably the same aircraft as the one on shown in photo #76 on page 34 in Windsock Datafile #58. That photo also served as the basis for upper most profile on the back cover of that publication. This profile could thus possibly be wrong.

I'd still like confirmation of the connection between Navarre and Morane Bullet serial 393, I did find this interesting photo of what is reportedly Navarre with one of his victims:

The LVG is possibly LVG C.II 529/15.

Shredward · 9 December 2007, 04:08 PM

Hello Kristjan,
"Over the Front", Franks, Bailey has Jean Chaput with Esc 28 from 17/02/15 to 11/01/16 (with some time in hospital) then Esc 57 on 07/05/16. According to both Davilla & Soltam, and "Les Escadrilles" (SHAA), 57 flew the Morane L & LA. Morane squadrons often had N's to give cover for the L's, though there is no specific mention of 57 having any. N159 was formed on 16/01/18, flying the
Nie 24 & 27.
Cheers,
shredward

kristjanr · 9 December 2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shredward

Hello Kristjan,
Nie 24 & 27.
Cheers,
shredward

That's pretty much what I have gleaned from other sources. I wonder where the association with Esc. 159 (in the Datafile) came from? Admittedly the picture caption says:

Believed to be Jean Chaput and at the field of Escadrille 159...

It doesn't say he served with the unit... but it also says:

...with his Morane Saulnier Type N.

Reportedly Chaput flew this machine on the Verdun front along with a Nieuport 11 between March and April, 1916. This Morane was apparently one of only two available in the entire sector at the time. Caput reportedly flew it on operations. He was pretty brave to do so because it seems his Morane kept getting mistaken for a Fokker Eindecker and was regularly shot at by French FLAK. Incidentally this is also the reason for the 'Tricolor' bands on the fuselage.

Does your book have any clues about Navarre's Morane? I shall have to get a copy....

gilles · 10 December 2007, 01:35 AM

Hello,

A french magazine published a picture of MS398 as the one used by Navarre.
I don't know where they got the info. Navarre is not in the picture.

For the man in MS394, my candidate would be Maurice Tabuteau, a pionneer and test-pilot known to have tested the MoS N in squadron use; Jean Chaput was much younger.

About the Chaput/esc.159 confusion I suppose it comes from the two dark stripes painted on the fuselage, mistakenly interpreted as the two red stripes used by esc.159 but actually this is a tricolor flag. Furthermore Chaput was at esc.31, esc.159 did not exist at that time (march 1916).

Gilles

Froggy · 10 December 2007, 01:36 AM

Hello

Here is a site dedicated to Jean de Navarre where you can see his Morane -
This site is in French... a good occasion for training
Nouvelle page 1
In this album you will see Chaput but in a morane AC and not N

As you will see sadly you cannot see the serial number which was at this time in the opposite side of the rudder (later the serial number was both side)
I thought the man in this famous photo of MS 394 had never be identified
but may be I am wrong-

Cordialement
Bruno

kristjanr · 10 December 2007, 04:57 AM

Gilles, Bruno:
I'm not at all sure that the guy in the cockpit is Chaput. I have only seen it written in a few places that Chaput flew 394 for a while and that the reason for the tricolors was to keep the Morane from being confused with Eindeckers. I have not found a good enough portrait of Tabuteau so I can't really comment.

As for Navarre, do you mean this photo Bruno?

I wish I could find a better print. It is a pity one can't read the serial number 393, 398 it could be anything.