Escadrille SPA.37

Escadrille MS 37 - N 37 - SPA 37
Squadron Insignia of Escadrille SPA 37
Active	1915
Country	France
Branch	French Air Service
Type	Fighter Squadron
Engagements	World War I

Escadrille 37of theFrench Air Forcewas established at Chateauford, France in January 1915. Its original equipment ofMorane-Saulniersled to its original designation ofEscadrille MS 37.

History

Initially, Escadrille MS 37 was posted to supportII Armeeof theFrench Army.During July, it began the transition toNieuporttwo-seaters which would lead to its being redubbedEscadrille N 37on 20 September 1915.In Spring 1916, theescadrilleconverted toNieuport 11s.On 2 July 1916, the unit was forwarded to supportVI Armee.Thead hocGroupement de Chasse de Cachywas there with its four assignedEscadrilles;N 37and two otherescadrilleswere temporarily attached to thegroupement.

In January 1917,Escadrille N.37transferred toIII Armee.In early March, it moved toIV Armee.At the same time, it began to rearm withSPADs;this would lead to its later redesignation asEscadrille SPA 37.In March, it was incorporated into alarger unit,Groupe de Combat 15.In July,Escadrille 37was again posted toII Armee.In September, it returned briefly toIV Armeebefore once again being assigned toII Armeelater in 1917.

As part ofGC 15,Escadrille 37joined in thegroupemissions as it returned to support ofIV Armeein mid-January 1918. Theescadrilleremained withGC 15as the latter was incorporated into the largerEscadre de Combat No. 1on 4 February 1918; subsequently that formation joined an even larger one,1er Division Aerienne,on 14 May 1918.

On 4 October 1918, theEscadreand its constituentescadrilleswerecited in orders.Escadrille SPA 37was credited with 50 confirmed victories and 35 probables to date. Subsequent victories before war's end are unknown.

Escadrille 37served in theFrench Air Forceuntil disbandment on 29 June 2010.

Commanding officers

• Capitaine Louis Quillien: January 1915 -KIA3 April 1916
• Lieutenant Marcel Feierstein: 4 April 1916 - 19 December 1917
• Capitaine Marcel Bonnevay: 20 December 1917 - 4 February 1918
• Lieutenant Paumier: 5 February 1918 - KIA 4 June 1918
• LieutenantRoger Poupon:5 June 1918 -?

Notable personnel

• Adolphe Pegoud
• Bernard Barny de Romanet
• Fernand Guyou
• Roger Poupon
• Georges Lienhart
• Etienne Tsu

Aircraft inventory

• Morane-Saulniertwo-seaters: January 1915
• Nieuporttwo-seaters: From July 1915
• Nieuport 11:Spring 1916
• SPAD:From March 1917

References

• Franks, Norman;Frank W. Bailey.Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918Grub Street, 1992.ISBN0-948817-54-2,ISBN978-0-948817-54-0.

Further reading

• Bailey, Frank W., and Christophe Cony.French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-to-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front.London: Grub Street, 2001.
• Davilla, James J., and Arthur M. Soltan.French Aircraft of the First World War.Stratford, CT: Flying Machines Press, 1997.
• Les escadrilles de l'aéronautique militaire française: symbolique et histoire, 1912-1920.Vincennes: Service historique de l'armée de l'air, 2004.ISBN2-11-094692-X

External links

• Escadrille MS 37 - N 37 - SPA 37