Division aerienne

[gregoire]

This a long post made of various article published in various french magazine and badly translated by me. I mainly post it to increase the discussion about french aviation and non figher aviation (the main target being to increase my tally )
As the message is to long I post it with the first answers



The “chemin des dames” offensive was one of the leading factors in the creation of the air division. After the offensive Colonel Duval is promoted to chief of the Air service at the general headquarter.
Both Petain and Duval agree that the main focus should be given to tactical operation and not to strategic as they both believe that the war will be win or lost on the battlefield. In may 18 Duval in opposition to the British independent air force will comment: it is “useless to bomb Cologn if we are defeated”
The 21 marches the Air Division is 10 days old it is mainly made of Spad XIII and Breguet 14. The night bomber unit having the Voisin Renault IX or X with 400kg of bomb (it is the French main night bomber with 245 plane in inventory against less than 60 Caproni heavy bomber)
Very quickly Duval understand that it is the bomber action that force the enemy fighter take of and soon have its bomber escorted by 3 seaters combat plane as well as single seat single seat spad
The unit change regularly of airfields often during nighttime and in 4-day (21 to 25 march) gain air superiority over the wanted portion of front. The next step is to attack behind enemy line destroying colon and supply line. When the German offensive stop at the beginning of April, 77 French squadrons (36 of Fighter, 18 of bomber the other belonging to army corps aviation) have taken part to the battle.
The result of this battle will lead to the creation of the air division. The 14th May the group have over 60 planes. Duval now a general try to regroup all those plane under a single command. The result is the opposition of his own collaborator and staff.

[gregoire]

13 day latter it is the great German offensive in the chemin des dames and after a few hours of fighting on the ground the German army seems to have a free access to Paris. The French bomber intervening on the back of the German line soon suffers some huge loss even with the protection of the single seat spad. A solution to protect the bomber inside enemy line is needed. Never the less even if the cassualty are hudge the result are great and during Mangin counter offensive of the 18th 600 planes of Duval's division managed to gain a full control of the air. the bomber unit start attacking heavily German unit and gun
The air covert problem was finally solved in July with the arrival of the Caudron R11, 3 squadron C46, C239 and C249 are fitted with it. The Caudron is fitted with 3 turrets each having a twin gun. Those plane with their armament will managed to keep the Foker DVII away from the bomber
Since June Duval is testing a new formula with two brigade mixing fighter and day bomber, this is allow better coordination of fighter and bomber. This is tested during the Friedensturm, where the DAé master the sky
Duval coordinating the action of his division with the IVème and VIème Army will have to stop the German advance and to protect Reims. If German troop managed to cross the Marne nothing will be able to stop them before Reims, and losing Reims would be a major blow for the French and allied army. To cross the river, The German have assembly some mobile bridge close to Dorman building them on the water for extra discretion. The air division will then have one of its most important actions of the war. The single seat fighters have first to gain superiority and destroy air balloon. Caudron of the C239 and C240 will only protect the bomber
At 8 in the morning 88 Breguet of bomber group 12 take off and flying between 400 and 1200 meter drop over 17 ton of bomb destroying the bridge of Courcelle and highly hurting the ones of Jaulgonne and Varennes. But the day is not over and during the afternoon under Major Vuillemin 74 Breguet will drop 18 ton of bomb under the protection of the Caudron firing over 3500 cad ridge, destroying one of the mobile bridge as well as attacking German convoy, latter on 62 Breguet under Fequant will drop nine ton on the same target, inflicting heavy casualty to the enemy. The next day the 16th De Goÿs’s brigade will attack the same target this time is 70 Breguet XIV B.2 that attack between Tréloup and Dormans, protected by Caudron R 11, while single seat contains the German Fokker. Almost 17 tons of bombs will be deliver on the German troop and convoy destroying bridge and mobile bridge. The action of aviation in massive and compact strike has allowed stopping the German offensive on the Marne and has certainly saved Reims.
The air division will then be engaged in the allied counter offensive starting the 18-day bomber attacking the retreating German troop. During the battle of Santerre, the 11th of august 133 plane of De Goÿs will drop 24,7 ton of bomb. While the Caudron and bomber gunner shoot 6 German planes. Then it will serve under the American general Mitchell for the attack to St Mihiel, before moving to he champagne front during this fight 148 Breguet and 16 Caudron will drop 36 tons of bomb over enemy troop.
In September 18 Duval look at the creation of a second division that should have take part in the 19 action. At the different of the British strategic air force it have never wanted to be anything else than a support to ground force.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Gentlemen:
* * As Gregoire described Le Division Aerienne was a huge organization of combined fighter and bomber units for tactical operations. *Gregoire did not define the organization, which was:
The Air Division was composed of 2 Brigade d' Aviation, each Brigade of Aviation was composed of 2 Escadres, one Escadre De Combat, (of 3 Groupe de Combat) and one Escadre de Bombardemant of 3 groupe De Bombardement.
The Groupe de Combat were each composed of 4 Escadrille de Combat and each Escadrille had 15 fighter aircraft. *
Each groupe de Bombardement was composed of 3 Escadrille de Bombardement *and each Escadrille had 10 aircraft. *
Thus in each Brigade were 720 fighters and 360 bombers and the Air Division had 1440 fighter and 720 bombers. *This in it self was a huge Tactical Force, even by WW2 or todays standards.*
The British and German Air Forces had not developed an air organization to this level. *As Gregoire alluded to the Independent Force was a strategic bombing force with the purpose of eliminating the Germans ability to make war through the destruction of the German factories.
The Air Division was tactical force with the purpose of controlling the battle field through bombing, air support of French ground forces and the interdiction of German ground and air forces.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Blue skies,
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Dan-San

[rammjaeger]

Gregoire,

thank you very much for your effort to translate and to provide this article to us. There is still a great need for more information about the French aviation. I think some of the gaps in our knowledge - for example about the French training - can only filled by contribution of French Forumites.

VBR
Rammjaeger

Indeed, Rammjäger:

French forumites, where are you? There is a lot of questions here regarding the French casualties, air victories, units and so on.

Did anyone out there make experiences with the French Armee d'air archives in Vincennes? Are they friendly to non-french speaking customers who want to get answered by letter?

Mosen