French in the FE

[Alex Smart]

Hello Graham,

Thanks for the info, where do i get hold of the magazine you mention , is it available in the UK ?

Alex

[Laurent Rizzotti]

In short:

the French Moranes were used in the Thai-French war in late 1940-early 1941 and participated in some air battles, scoring some victories.

Next event of date was in early 1942 when 2 or 3 were shot down in error in Hanoi area by Japanese fighters that mistook them for P-40.

No more activity until the end of the war. In March 1945 when the Japanese attacked French military bases all over Indochina, only some Potze remained flyable IIRC.

[Graham Boak]

You want issue 29. e-mail aeroeditions@free.fr However, I suspect that it is no longer available.

I believe that Midland Counties stock AJ in the UK. Again, given that the issue is nearly 3 years old, they may no longer have stocks.

The Franco-Thai air war was also covered in an old Air Enthusiast, I don't recall the number.

[bearoutwest]

Alex,
Try here for starters:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/G..._large_war.htm

...geoff

[Brian]

Hi Alex

I wrote about the French in Indo-China in 'Bloody Shambles' Volume I (with Chris Shores) many years ago - possibly needs to be updated. If you haven't got access to a copy let me know and I will photocopy and mail to you.

Cheers
Brian

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Thanks to you all for the leads given.

From the old Profile number 147
"The Chinese ordered 12 Moranes (No. 1074 - 1085 ) in 1938and these were produced by SNCAO.
The aircraft reached Haiphong, but there they were seized to form Escadrille EC2, which fought against the Japanese and Thais in December 1940.
Despite the death of test pilot Mikenas in the MS405-01 on 8th December 1937 at Villacoublay, Lithuania ordered 13 aircraft ( Nos. 1074 - 86 ). They were never delivered."

I assume that the Lithuanian ones were the ones that were sent to the French in the Far East ?

So then what became of the last 1086, where did she go and what became of her ?

Thanks again

Alex

[JohnMacG6]

Alex,
if you can wait for it, the people at 'Avions' are planning a fairly massive tome on aviation in French Indo-China up to 1945. No publication date or price yet, they're still at the stage of appealling for reader's photos, etc, in the current issue of Avions.