''Escadrille Spa.86'' was a

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

fighter squadron active from 6 April 1917 through the end of World War I. They served as a component of '' Groupe de Combat 14'', and were Cited in orders on 28 October 1918 for having downed 30 German aircraft.

History

''Escadrille Spa.86'' was formed as ''Escadrille N86'' because it was originally outfitted with

Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...

airplanes, although it had a few SPADs. Founded 6 April 1917 at Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base, France, it was immediately incorporated into '' Groupe de Combat 14'' (Combat Group 14, or GC14).''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 99 GC14 began its operations with ''VI Armee''. On 10 May 1917, GC14 was transferred to ''II Armee'' on 29 June 1917. GC14 would be shifted three more times, late that year—to ''VI Armee'' on 11 October, to ''III Armee'' on 20 November, and to ''VI Armee'' eight days later. By early 1918, the squadron had gone all SPAD and was redesignated as ''Escadrille Spa.86''. It remained part of GC14. The ''groupe'' moved to ''III Armee'' on 24 March 1918 for a week, back to ''VI Armee'', then attached to the Royal Air Force Third Brigade on 15 April. It spent May in

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

. On 1 June 1918, GC14 was posted to ''X Armee''. On 9 October 1918, GC 14 moved to ''1er Armee''. That was their last posting, as the

Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed in a railroad car, in the Compiègne Forest near the town of Compiègne, that ended fighting on land, at sea, and in the air in World War I between the Entente and their las ...

ended hostilities. On 28 October 1918, ''Escadrille Spa.86'' was cited in orders for having destroyed 30 German aircraft.

Commanding officers

* '' Capitaine'' Andre Brault: 6 April 1917 * Lieutenant Etienne Thieriz: 27 April 1917 * Lieutenant Antoine d'Aboville: 24 October 1918

Notable members

Colonel Henri Hay De Slade

Aircraft

fighters: 6 April 1917 until early 1918 * SPAD fighters: From 6 April 1917 on

End notes

References

* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1993). ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'' London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. . Fighter squadrons of the French Air and Space Force Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 Military units and formations of France in World War I Military aviation units and formations in World War I {{France-mil-unit-stub