French Airforce on English soil May & June 1940...
 

Although this topic will lead me away from my topic of research, I would be glad to hear something about French Airforce in England End of May 1940 till Beginning of June 1940.

I'm not sure if it was a fighter wing or only a squadron. (also some French support/supply/courier aircrafts were with the fighting unit)

Why did this French Airforce unit operate from English soil for a few days?? (26th May till 05th June??)

Which French aircrafts were involved??


Any more detailed literature available??




MfG Michi

Re: French Airforce on English soil May & June 1940...
 

A quick answer.

It was never planned that the Armée de l'Air will operate from Great Britain, but it was started when the French airmen were unable to support the Allied units surrounded around Dunkirk from their remaining bases in late May 1940.

The Curtiss of GC II/8 were based in Lympne from 30 May to 12 June but IIRC flew only during the Dunkirk battle. They escorted French recon aircraft. So the forces based here were a Fighter "Groupe" (bigger than a RAF Sqn) and some recon aircraft (a small flight).

From memory, also some aircraft of the Aéronautique Navale (Frenc Fleet Air Arm) were based in GB during the same period but I am not sure at all.

More later

Re: French Airforce on English soil May & June 1940...
 

I was mistaken in the post above. GC II/8 was using BLoch 152, not Curtiss.

At least in one circunstance during its British stay, GC II/8 escorted a Potez 63.11 of GR I/14. This recon unit was based in Caen during the period.

As for the involvement of the Aéronautique Navale, the British proposed the fRench to use Tangmere airfield on 25 May and the Vought 156F of escadrille AB3 were planned to be based there to operate over Dunkirk but never crossed the Channel.

There was still one Aéronautique Navale mission flown from GB. On 1 June, the escadrille AB1 was ordered to bombard a battery near Furnes. 6 V.156F led by by the lieutenant de vaisseau Mesny landed in Tangmere at 6 a.m. In the late evening, they took off again and crossed the Channel to bomb their target, but due to the Flak and lack of data on the target launched their bombs in the general target area without any efficiency. One aircraft (flown by Mesny) landed in Hawkinge, another in Lympne and the four other came back directly to Cherbourg, the base of AB1.

Re: French Airforce on English soil May & June 1940...
 

Thanks a lot for the quick reply!!

MfG Michi