US aircaft types ferried on French carrier Bearn, June 1940?

[Sid Guttridge]

The French aircraft carrier Bearn was ferrying about 100 US-built aircraft to France at the time of her country's defeat in June 1940.

Can anyone tell me how many of what types of US aircraft were aboard her?

Many thanks,

Sid.

[Peter Clare]

Vough Vindicators - Grumman Wildcats.

Regards
Peter

[Petitpoucet]

Hi,

As i know from french archives and an article published in AVIONS n°66 by Lucien Morareau, The Bearn leaved Halifax the 16th june 1940, and there wereon bord :
_ 44 Curtiss CW-77
_ 17 Curtiss H-751
_ 25 Stinson 105
_ 6 Brewster 339B

Regards,

Petitpoucet

[Brian]

Hi guys

Were these aircraft then diverted to Britain and did we purchase them? If so, when did the Bearn ariive and at which port? And what happened to the aircraft?

In ignorance
Brian

[Petitpoucet]

No, we kept them !

The Bearn arrived at Point-à-Pitre (Martinique) the 27th june, and then, the aircrafts were landed there. They were stocked during 2 years before many (15 H-751, 15 CW-77 and 2 Brewster) were destroyed the 12th may 1942 by a fire.
After that, some "survivors" were sent in 1944 and 1945 to France and French north Africa where they were used.

I hope this answers your question.

[Brian]

Hi Petitpoucet

Many thanks for your quick and informative response - I am now much wiser!

Cheers
Brian

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi Petitpoucet,

Many thanks.

I have read that the Americans wanted to buy the aircraft back, but the Vichy French refused because the Armistice conditions with Germany forbade it. They were therefore put ashore where US observers could keep an eye on them.

I have also read that the aircraft were sabotaged by the Vichy authorities in Martinique at a point when they feared a US occupation and that this was only discovered after July 1943. Is there any truth in the sabotage story?

Cheers,

Sid.

[Petitpoucet]

Yes and no ...

The beginning is true. In case of US attack in Martinique, the aircrafts were ready to be burned. The 12th may 1942, Martinique was on alert, but the guy who had the responsability of the aircrafts did not understand the message and began to set fire to them...

Sorry for my poor english...

Petitpoucet

[Guass AA]

Originally Posted by Sid Guttridge

I have also read that the aircraft were sabotaged by the Vichy authorities in Martinique at a point when they feared a US occupation and that this was only discovered after July 1943. Is there any truth in the sabotage story?

Yes, sometimes the Vichy's fighting spirit is ununderstandable.....and seriously disgusting.
Remember Mers-el-Kébir in July 6th & 9th 1940, where, by refusing the surrender possibility, the English Navy "had to" sink the French one.....
Surrender would have prevented the death of 1297 french sailers (as the decision not to sink the French Navy).
During that event, French air force reacted and shot down a couple of Swordfish and a Skua, if my knowledges are correct.


Well, the problem isn't that simple, because the Navy was the only political argument of France against occupying Germany, do that was their only "weight in the scale" as we say in french (sorry for my poor English, I'm french).
So the sailers were given orders in order to keep their fleet under French operational control, including the possibility to fight against the English Navy, even an old allied....

Sorry if this was a bit without links with the initial subject.
I would also like to say thanks for welcoming me here.
I hope I will be understandable...

Regards,
Guass.