France's Armee de l'Air
France's Armee de l'AirThe Armée de l'Air had been hamstrung in its attempts to modernize for a critical two years (1936-1938) when the French government's socialist defense minister nationalized its military aircraft industry. Basically, development was slowed to a crawl and production nearly stopped. The fine pilots were flying machines behind the modernization curve - or were flying too few of the fine modern aircraft available. Part of this disadvantage was made up by ordering a LOT of US-built aircraft - a boon to the US aircraft industry - but too few of these aircraft arrived in time to deploy before May 1940. (Many of those that did arrive performed well. Some survived to fly with the Vichy Air Force against US aircraft in November, 1942. Many other build contracts were reassigned to Britain.)
Then there were doctrinal issues about how the Armée de l'Air should be deployed. The army generals that controlled the French high command believed that the Armée de l'Air was too fragile to meet the dreaded Luftwaffe head on, and issued air unit commanders orders to keep their aircraft grounded or non-aggressive. The senior airmen who knew better did not have enough rank to argue back. And in May, 1940, the Germans struck like a thunderbolt...
After the June 1940 Armistice, the Vichy Air Force was shrunk and the bulk moved off continental Europe to North Africa. Other elements were already stationed at French colonial posts across the world.
This section includes:
Set of 6 ADCs (150 Kb):
Official ADCs for additional French Fighters (MS.406, D.520, Hawk 75A models) were published by JDW in Airpower.
Set of 6 ADCs (125 Kb)
The Douglas DB-7 is also available here.
Set of 6 ADCs (145 Kb)
The French Navy turned a battleship under construction at the end of WW1 into an aircraft carrier - Béarn. Béarn operated throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. As France did not use its fleets for power projection, little development of carrier aircraft occurred until the late 1930s. France even began to build two modern aircraft carriers. Still, Béarn seldom carried her whole air wing at once. In the event, in 1939, the second carrier was still on the ways, and Béarn was declared too slow to serve in combat with the fleet, her early to mid-30's aircraft retired to the beach, and her squadorns rearmed with more modern aircraft. Béarn became an aircraft ferry, bringing aircraft mosty assembled form the USA until the fall of France, which caught her in Martinique.
This set of ADCs depict what France had available should she have kept Béarn with the battle fleet, or if the ?? had become operational. The set includes 5 ADCs:
Lacking mature carrier wings - and possessing naval bases all over the WesternMed (particularly across North Africa), France invested in seaplanes and flying boats. This set includes some of the standard recon aircraft... and few extremes taht caught Uncle ted's attention. This set of 6 ADCs (370 kb) includes:
There is some information of French organization and air ordinance available among the Minor Air Forces information. Armée de l'Air Orders of Battle are available from Nowfel Leulliot.
JD Webster has produceed the following (official,since they are from JD) French (flown) aircraft to FW2.0 (Whistling Death) format that he has made available to all players through the web:
Other than the PDF files listed here, click here to request files, leave comments, or complaints.
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