''Escadrille Spa.93'' (originally ''Escadrille N.93'') was a French fighter squadron active during World War I from 26 April 1917 until war's end. On 4 October 1918, they were

Mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

for their battle performance. By the 11 November 1918 ceasefire, the ''escadrille'' was credited with the destruction of 35 enemy aircraft.

History

At the '' VII Armee'' airfield of

Corcieux Corcieux () is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include ...

, detachments N501 and N506 were melded into a

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squadron, ''Escadrille N.93'', on 26 April 1917. It was one of the squadrons merged into ''Groupe de Combat 15'' on 27 July 1917 to support '' II Armee''. In November 1917, they began to re-equip with new fighters, both

SPAD S.7 The SPAD S.VII C.1 was the first in a series of single-seat biplane fighter aircraft produced by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugge ...

s and SPAD S.13s, and became ''Escadrille Spa.93''. The squadron continued to serve as part of ''Groupe de Combat 15'' even as the ''Groupe'' was consolidated into ''Escadre de Combat No. 1''. On 4 October 1918, the ''Escadre'' and its constituent units were

. By war's end on 11 November 1918, ''Escadrille Spa.93'' was credited with 35 aerial victories.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 101

Commanding officers

* Lieutenant Jean Moreau: 26 April 1917 - 26 August 1918 * Lieutenant Jean-Louis Moy: 26 August 1918 - 18 October 1918 * Lieutenant Charles Lafarge: 18 October 1918 - war's end

Notable members

* Corporal

Eugene Bullard Eugene Jacques Bullard (born Eugene James Bullard; October 9, 1895 – October 12, 1961) was one of the first African-American military pilots, although Bullard flew for France, not the United States. Bullard was one of the few black combat pilo ...

* '' Sous lieutenant''

Gustave Daladier Capitaine Gustave Victorin Daladier was a French World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. He would continue in his nation's military service after World War I. Early life Gustave Victorin Daladier was born on 23 March 1888 in ...

Adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...

Pierre Delage Adjutant Pierre Delage (19 August 1887 – 4 October 1918) Legion d'Honneur, Medaille Militare, Croix de Guerre was a World War I flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting d ...

* Sergeant

Pierre Ducornet Pierre Desire Augustin Ducornet was a French World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories, five of which were over enemy balloons, the two others were against enemy planes.The Aerodrome websitRetrieved 6 August 2020 He would continue ...

Aircraft

s: 26 April 1917 - c. November 1917 *

: c. November 1917 - war's end * SPAD S.13: c. November 1917 - war's end

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