229:
666:, were responsible for the Southern, Eastern and Alpine regions of the French mainland respectively. The national divisions these areas represented were drawn up to correspond to the boundaries of defence responsibility for French army groups. Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Nord was responsible for the air cover and protection of the most Northern regions of France. Two units of bomber squadrons fell within the command of Groupement de Bombardement No.6; Groupe de Bombardement I/12 and Groupe de Bombardement II/12. The Officer Commanding Groupement de Bombardement No.6 was Colonel Lefort. Headquarters were at
581:
241:
63:
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190:
794:, was forced by the Germans to accept its terms for a reduced army and navy, both of which would be only strong enough to maintain order in France and in its colonies. (It is of interest to note that France was allowed to keep her colonies, whereas Germany had been forced to cede all of hers under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919.) Germany ordered that, with regard to the warplanes that had survived the Battle of France, including those now stationed in
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for this purpose. French labor unions refused to lengthen its 40-hour week, and were strongly opposed to imports that would reverse the growth of jobs in the French defense industry. In any case, the
American aviation industry was too small and too committed to orders from American forces to be of any help. Inevitably, the French industrial response fell far behind the German threat. The British aircraft industry was working all out to rearm British forces.
30:
462:
528:
592:
198:
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four days of combat between (Vichy) France and the Allies during World War II. Barely two weeks later, the
Germans invaded the then-unoccupied zone of metropolitan France and ordered the complete dissolution of the Vichy French armed forces on 1 December 1942. Those units then not under Vichy control would then be free to join with their Free French colleagues to fight the common enemy: Nazi Germany.
603:
512:, each only producing small numbers of aircraft. As a result, the French aeronautical industry proved itself incapable of delivering the aircraft that the annual fiscal budgets had called for which had been greatly increased as a result of Hitler coming to power in January 1933 and his remilitarization of Germany in defiance of the Allies and the
1078:, and Wildcats strafed the bombers of GB I/32 at Camp Cazes airfield, some of which exploded as they were ready for take-off with bombs already on board, thus ensuring their mission never went ahead. The U.S. Navy did not have it all their own way, though, as several Wildcat pilots were shot down and taken prisoner.
1094:(Warrant Officer) Bressieux had the distinction of becoming the last pilot in the Vichy French air force to claim a combat victory, in this case a Wildcat of VF-9. Shortly afterwards, 13 Wildcats attacked the airfield at Médiouna and destroyed a total of 11 French aircraft, including six from GC II/5.
1105:
Torch had resulted in a victory for the Allies, even though it was fair to say that the French had no choice but to engage the
Americans, otherwise the Americans would (and did) engage them since they were technically enemies. As a result, 12 air force and 11 navy pilots lost their lives in the final
1097:
On the morning of 10 November 1942, the Vichy French air force units in
Morocco had a mere 37 combat-ready fighters and 40 bombers left to face the might of the U.S. Navy Wildcats. Médiouna was attacked once again and several of the fighters were left burning, while two reconnaissance Potez were shot
751:
observation aircraft for no loss. The good luck continued for GC II/4 when four enemy aircraft were destroyed the next day for no loss. Unfortunately, the aforementioned state of chaos with regard to preparing France for war was still evident when some GC II/4 pilots were shocked to discover that new
714:
shot down aircraft, which attacked the advancing
Germans. Squadrons were often out of contact with any French army units that they were supposedly supporting, partly to the poor coordination of communication between the army and the air force and partly to the outdated, unreliable army communications
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Nevertheless, having been reinforced by two other bombers, GB I/32 carried out a bombing mission against the beaches at Safi, where more U.S. soldiers were landing, the next morning. One of the bombers was damaged and attempted to make a forced landing, only it exploded upon contact with the ground,
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suffered from disorganisation in government, armed forces and industry which had led to only 826 fighters and 250 bombers to be anything like combat-ready. Many more aircraft were not ready because of shortages of equipment and components, machine-guns had not been calibrated and some bombers lacked
477:
The end of war may have brought peace to France, yet the country itself and its infrastructure had been ravaged by four years of warfare, and the scars left behind were not just physical. As a result, it took some time for industry to recover. Not unexpectedly, orders for military aeroplanes dropped
318:
with a mechanical interrupter mechanism. The inconsistent firing rate of the
Hotchkiss prevented the mechanism from working properly and he added deflector wedges to the rear of the propeller blades, so that the wooden propeller would not be shot to pieces whenever he opened fire on German aircraft.
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The day's victory tally of enemy aircraft shot down by the French fighter pilots totaled seven confirmed and three probable, yet their losses were considered heavy – five pilots killed, four wounded and 13 aircraft destroyed either in combat or on the ground – when one considers that GC II/5, based
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aircraft would now be identified by special markings on the fuselage and tailplane of each one. Initially, the rear fuselage and tailplane (excluding the rudder) were painted a bright yellow, but the markings were later changed so that they consisted of horizontally-oriented red and yellow stripes.
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On 16 June, GC II/4 lost its second commanding officer in nine months when
Commandant (Major) Borne took off on a reconnaissance sortie near Châtillon-sur-Seine and was shot down by three Bf 109s. The next day, nine unserviceable Curtisses were set on fire by ground crews at Dun-sur-Auron before 23
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gave the orders to destroy the French vessels. More than 2,000 sailors allegedly died in the attack, carried out on 3 July 1940, which saw one battleship sunk and two others severely damaged. The incident predictably stunned the French and gave the
Germans a golden propaganda tool to discredit the
571:
An attempt was made to purchase the latest
American bombers and fighters – or at least fighter planes. American planes were 50% more expensive than French models, and no superior models were for sale. U.S. law required cash purchases, and the French finance ministry opposed using its gold reserves
519:
Pierre Cot, the secretary of the French Air Force, decreed that national security was too important for the production of warplanes to be left in the hands of the private enterprises that were thus far failing to meet production goals. In July 1936 the French government began nationalizing many of
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Hawk fighters, with which the unit claimed the first two French air victories on 8 September 1939, two Bf 109s of I/JG 53. Just 17 days later, it lost its commanding officer, Captain Claude, in combat, yet the pilots were especially shocked to discover that his body had been discovered with two
705:
The Armée de l'Air was beset by obsolete strategy, tactics, aircraft, weapons and even in communications, and the lack of equipment owing to "technical problems." Both became apparent when the
Germans advanced swiftly through France and Belgium. On 11 May, nearly 20 French bombers and over 30
373:
Prior to 1916, escadrilles operated a variety of different types of aircraft together to accomplish specific assigned tasks with the first fighters being distributed piecemeal to each escadrille. This type of organization was common at the time. In 1916, as a result of their failure to achieve
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Ultimately, the presence of Vichy France in North Africa as an ally of the Germans came to an end on Armistice Day, 11 November 1942, when General Noguès, the commander-in-chief of the Vichy armed forces, requested a ceasefire; that did not stop a unit of U.S. Navy aircraft from attacking the
771:
effectiveness had been reduced to almost 30 percent of what it had been before the invasion of France. The armistice of 22 June 1940 did not necessarily mean the end of the war for French pilots, those who escaped from France fought on in the Royal Air Force, ultimately the Free French Forces
1102:
airfield at Marrakech and destroying several French aircraft, apparently on the initiative of the unit's commander. Once the ceasefire request was accepted, the war between the Allies and the Vichy French came to an end, after two and a half years of what was termed "fratricidal" fighting.
102:
of 1870–1871 was still very fresh, and France expected to face Germany again. From December 1909, the French Department of War began to send individuals from all branches of the army, especially engineering and artillery, to undergo flying training at civilian schools as "pupil-pilots"
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to disobey orders from Vichy and have his vessels sail either to British waters or else to those of French colonies in the Far East or even to the (still neutral) USA with a view to preventing them from being used against the Allies. The overture was soundly rejected, so
47:
in its native language since it was made independent of the Army in 1933. This article deals exclusively with the history of the French air force from its earliest beginnings until its destruction after the occupation of France. French naval aviation, the
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units were stationed at places like Alger-Maison-Blanche and Oran in Algeria and Meknes and Rayack in Morocco. The Vichy government ordered the dissolution of many of the air force squadrons, including the fighter unit designated GC II/4, nicknamed
428:
had 2,870 aircraft with 60 fighter and 20 bomber squadrons and 400 observation aircraft, yet, by October, an even more radical expansion to over 300 squadrons was proposed. By May 1918, over 600 fighters and bombers came under the command of the
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887:, after a failed attempt (as at Mers-el-Kébir) to persuade the French to join the Allied cause against the Axis. This time, however, the French managed to repulse the British torpedo-bomber attacks launched from the carrier
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Wildcats attacked the airfield at Rabat-Salé around 07.30 on the 8th and destroyed nine LeO 451 bombers of GB I/22, while a transport unit's full complement of various types was almost entirely wiped out. At Casablanca,
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bombers had initial air superiority, but the Allied invaders inflicted heavy casualties on Vichy air and ground forces. By mid-July the Allied invasion was victorious and put Syria and Lebanon under Free French control.
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However, Vichy's air force was spared (for the moment) from non-existence owing to the consequences of an event which would damage, if not completely change, the relationship between occupied France and free Britain.
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fighter resulted. The inadequacy of the French aeronautical programs, as well as indecision in high command resulted in the French Air Force being in a position of weakness, confronting a modern and well organized
693:
On 10 May 1940, the Germans had more aircraft and many aircrews were veterans of the war in Spain. French inter-service rivalry led a Potez reconnaissance aircraft crew, which had spotted a huge concentration of
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France attempted to respond to the likelihood of another European war via an intensive re-equipment and modernization program in 1938–39, as did other countries desperately in need of new aircraft including
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389:
During this period the Lafayette Escadrille (designated N.124) was formed around a group of mainly American volunteers while their parent country remained neutral. Initially operating a mixture of
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the larger aircraft companies, creating six state-owned companies, which encompassed the majority of aeronautical production, and regrouping those companies to their geographical regions.
867:(as it is termed) was still needed in case French interests were to be attacked by the British once again – and, of course, for attacking the British themselves. Goering ordered that all
413:, who shot down 16 enemy aircraft (all but one with the Escadrille) prior to his death in action on 19 May 1918. Other American volunteer pilots, including the first black fighter pilot,
568:. Germany production outstripped that of its neighbours, so it was a question of "too little, too late" as far as the French – as well as the whole continent of Europe – were concerned.
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fighters into dedicated fighter units, so they could operate together more effectively. This so revolutionized air combat that the Germans were forced to follow suit shortly thereafter.
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in Casablanca, had lost only two pilots killed during the whole of the six-week campaign in France two years before. In the meantime, Wildcats of U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-41 from
763:
Figures for aircraft losses during the Battle of France are still debated, although it is reasonable to suggest that the French did inflict considerable losses on the Germans. General
244:
Crashed German AEG J.I aeroplane at Verdun France; 7-10-1917 Albrecht Gembler & Fritz Sagner FA(A) 254 downed near Ville-sur- Cousances by Sgt. (Felix) Gohier (Escadrille N. 85).
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of the U.S. Navy, yet they were still dangerous and capable in the hands of combat veterans who had seen action against both the Germans and the British since the start of the war.
181:
was renamed in August 1933 when it gained operational independence from the Army, much later than for the United Kingdom, but some 14 years earlier than that of the United States.
256:
by 1914, the same year when, on 21 February, it formally received a budget under the Ministry of War ("Ministère de la Guerre"). On 3 August, Germany declared war against France.
806:, they were to be surrendered, either in whole or else already disassembled, if not destroyed altogether – again a parallel of what had happened to Germany's air force in 1919.
17:
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was nationalized in January 1937. However, the aircraft engine industry, even as it proved incapable of providing the badly needed powerful engines, escaped nationalization.
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down, one by an F4F Wildcat and the other by an SBD Dauntless over the airfield at Chichaoua, where three Wildcats would later destroy four more Potez in a strafing attack.
126:, although they would have to wait until mid-1911 the first military aviation brevets to be awarded to army pilots and 29 March 1912 for the law officially establishing the
133:
Training of military pilots was the same as civilian pilots until 1910 when the General Staff introduced the military pilot license. Military pilot badge N°1 was issued to
1127:
405:
entered service, they would be redesignated S.124. The entry of the United States into the war resulted in most of their surviving personnel would be transferred to the
445:
claimed 2,049 enemy aircraft and 357 balloons destroyed, for some 3,500 killed in action, 3,000 wounded/missing and 2,000 killed in accidents. Some 182 pilots of the
141:
1406:
Cain, Anthony C. "Neither Decadent, Nor Traitorous, Nor Stupid: The French Air Force and Air Doctrine in the 1930s" (PhD dissertation, Ohio State University 2000)
690:(ATA) and front-line pilots in France became responsible for ferrying new aircraft from factories to the squadrons, temporarily depleting front-line strength.
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were clamouring to expel the French. On 27 April 1925, therefore, alongside tactical and logistical support, air operations in Morocco were begun owing to the
1834:
1540:
Duluc, André (September 1979). "Eleve-pilote de reconnaissance dans la débacle de 1940" [A Student Reconnaissance Pilot during the Debacle of 1940].
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strafed and destroyed three U.S.-built Douglas DB-7 bombers of GB I/32, which were being refueled and rearmed at Casablanca, leaving three others undamaged.
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forests two days after the start of the invasion, not being believed by the army commanders who refused to act on what they called air force scaremongering.
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had no intention of allowing the French Navy's capital ships to remain intact so long as there was any chance of them essentially becoming adjuncts of the
706:
British fighter escorts were shot down attacking German crossings over the Meuse river. French fighter and bomber strength was rapidly depleted in May as
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2011:
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776:) and the Armée de l'Air under RAF Bomber Command and those who remained flew for the French Armistice Air Force on behalf of the Vichy government.
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aircraft attacked the air base at Xaffévilliers, destroying six Hawks. By 15 May, GC II/4 was down to seven operational aircraft, which shot down a
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remaining were flown to Meknès in Morocco. GC II/4 was disbanded on 25 August 1940, having been credited with 14 aircraft shot down during the
275:, proposed a massive expansion to 65 escadrilles. Furthermore, he proposed that four types of aircraft could be used for four different tasks:
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630:
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By 1937, it was clear that more modern aircraft were needed, since the air force was still flying relatively antiquated aircraft like the
1769:
1393:
Ballarini, Phillippe (2001), “Where is the French Air Force?”, article translated by Mike Leveillard and posted on Aerostories website
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Jean Lecuir, Patrick Fridenson, and Général Vuillemin. "L'organisation de la coopération aérienne Franco-Britannique (1935-Mai 1940)."
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A re-organisation of the air force took place during September 1939. Prior to the reshuffle, the basic unit structure consisted of two
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248:
At the start of the First World War ("La Première Guerre mondiale"), France led the world in an aircraft design and by mid-1912 the
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311:
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killing the entire crew. Fighter unit GC I/5 lost four pilots in combat that day (9 November) and it was on that same day that
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With this setup, Garros became the world's first fighter pilot, but he was captured shortly afterwards when his engine failed.
1724:
1814:
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1062:, which between them could muster some 86 fighters and 78 bombers. Overall, the aircraft may have been old compared to the
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Nearly three months afterwards, on 23 September 1940, the Vichy air force saw action again when the British tried to take
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382:
and the inability of the reconnaissance aircraft to track German movements, Charles de Tricornot de Rose grouped the new
820:(German navy). The last thing he wanted was for the Kriegsmarine to bolstered enough to attempt an invasion of Britain.
1930:
1925:
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731:. GC II/4 had been formed at Rheims in May 1939, then moved to Xaffévilliers by the start of the war. It flew US-built
1991:
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SLHADA is a Lyons-based society dealing with the history of the city and its aviation roots in particular (in French)
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During the first decade of the 20th century France was at the forefront of aviation progress, with pioneers such as
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1955:
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Mihaly, Edouard (September 1979). "Groupe Aerien d'Observation 507 (2)" [507th Observation Group, Part 2].
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The last major battles against the Allied forces, in which the Vichy French air force took part, took place during
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In a parallel of what had happened to Germany after World War I, the French government, now with its seat moved to
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began training airmen on 4 July 1910 but didn't create an official formation until 1 April 1911 when it formed the
1965:
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ended with Iraqforce defeating the nationalists at the end of May and restoring a pro-Allied government in Iraq.
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Mihaly, Edouard (August 1979). "Groupe Aerien d'Observation 507 (1)" [507th Observation Group, Part 1].
1996:
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406:
145:
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and another 37 after the invasion, for the loss of eight pilots killed, seven wounded and one taken prisoner.
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bullets in the head, suggesting that a German pilot may have murdered him after bailing out of his aeroplane.
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137:
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Kirkland, Faris R. "The French Air Force in 1940: Was it defeated by the Luftwaffe or by Politics?."
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bomb-sights when they were delivered to squadrons. The French had no comparable organisation to the
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Curtiss H-75A-3s being prepared at Châteaudun had vital equipment missing – including radios.
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As it became clear that the war was lost for France, the high command ordered what remained of the
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John McVickar Haight, "France's Search for American Military Aircraft: Before the Munich Crisis."
91:
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1740:
687:
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In the 1930s, the French aeronautical industry was primarily composed of small companies such as
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Nieuport-Delage NiD.62 C.1 fighter, mainstay of the Armée de l'Air in the late 20s and early 30s.
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982:
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whose 1939 orders of 160 MS-406 fighters from France still hadn't been delivered by the German
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433:. Two months later, long-range reconnaissance squadrons had been formed. At the armistice, the
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50:
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The Republic in danger: General Maurice Gamelin and the politics of French defence, 1933–1940
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Martin Thomas, "At the Heart of Things? French imperial defense planning in the late 1930s."
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Histoire de l'armée de l'air et des forces aériennes françaises du XVIII siècle à nos jours
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358:, who became the top-scoring Allied pilot of World War I with 75 enemy aircraft shot down,
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Allied operations during the Anglo-Iraqi War included attacks on Vichy air force bases in
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Syrian-based Vichy air force units saw action against the British from April 1941, when a
847:, where four capital ships and other vessels were stationed, in order to persuade Admiral
8:
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645:. ZOAN was one of four geographically distinct areas of command. The others, comprising;
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302:
Louis Quénault became the first to shoot down another aircraft when they downed a German
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and this led to early interest in aircraft by the military. The French defeat during the
1950:
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87:
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Website pages detailing the history of the Armée de l'Air from 1918 to 1939 (in French)
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Website pages detailing the history of the Armée de l'Air from 1914 to 1918 (in French)
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1011:
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152:, where the Wright Brothers had established the first aviation school the year before.
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extending around the globe, and it needed to be defended. Anti-Government elements in
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fought each other in the air, producing "ace" pilots. Some prominent French aces were
95:
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Porch, Douglas. "Military “culture” and the fall of France in 1940: A review essay."
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Vennesson, Pascal. "Institution and airpower: The making of the French air force."
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nationalists who wanted the British to be expelled from the country. However, the
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115:(EMA) was created to conduct experiments with aircraft and on 22 October 1910 the
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A comprehensive history of aviation as pertains to the city of Rheims (in French)
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876:(roundel on the fuselage and tricolor on the tailplane) were retained as before.
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Divided and conquered: the French high command and the defeat of the West, 1940
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after the Armistice, resulting in reductions being made to squadron strengths.
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SLHADA (Société Lyonnaise d’Histoire et de Documentation Aéronautique) website
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350:, thus changing the way in which the air war was fought, as German and Allied
1980:
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Website pages detailing the history of the Armée de l'Air to 1914 (in French)
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In Command of France: French Foreign Policy and Military Planning, 1933–1940
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Two Roads to War: The French and British Air Arms from Versailles to Dunkirk
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Two Roads to War: The French and British Air Arms from Versailles to Dunkirk
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In Command of France: French Foreign Policy and Military Planning, 1933–1940
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during several days of fighting with only light casualties on their side.
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had five squadrons ("escadrilles"). This had grown to 132 machines and 21
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and orders to construct more than 2,500 modern machines, among them the
306:. However, air fighting was revolutionized when a reconnaissance pilot,
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The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine, 1919–39
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853:
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233:
134:
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France and the Nazi Threat: The Collapse of French Diplomacy 1932–1939
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Nieuport-Delage NiD.29 C.1 fighter used in the early post-WW1 period.
33:
The French roundel gave rise to similar roundels for other air forces.
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to French colonies in North Africa to continue the fight, such that
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29:
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625:, extending to multiple Groupes (normally two or more), forming an
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in February 1918. The unit's leading ace was French-born American
197:
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Arming against Hitler: France and the limits of military planning
1182:"France: Air Force (Armée de l'Air), in Christopher H. Sterling,
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Region of north-east France. The existence of the entire revised
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as prime minister in order to secure the vital oil supplies at
1403:(Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight Series, 2002)
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Military Communications: From Ancient Times to the 21st century
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1007:
909:
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602:
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1006:, launched on 8 November 1942 as the Allied invasion of North
441:, making it the world's largest air force. During the war the
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1128:
List of aircraft of the French Air Force during World War II
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became be the world's first "air force" using aircraft, the
985:. Vichy French air units, some of which were equipped with
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840:
224:
SPAD S.XIII, the most numerically important French fighter
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dive-bombers succeeded in damaging the French battleship
1227:. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1986.
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At dawn on 10 May 1940, the day of the German invasion,
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was formed as a branch of the Army under the command of
43:(literally, 'army of the air') is the name used for the
1493:
Kirkland, Faris R. "French Air Strength in May 1940,"
997:
633:' Groupement de Bombardement No.6 formed a part of the
629:. Following the re-organisation an 'Escadre' became a '
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Casablanca: 8 novembre 1942: les Américains débarquent
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magazine, edition #16 (December 2000 – January 2001),
1433:
The Breaking Point: Sedan and the Fall of France, 1940
978:. Then in June 1941 British, Commonwealth, Empire and
366:, who achieved 43 victories and survived the war, and
267:
concentrated on reconnaissance with aircraft like the
1639:, Fleurance, pp. 51–56 (print edition in French)
1568:, Fleurance, pp. 60–63 (print edition in French)
1401:
Forgotten Air Force: French Air Doctrine in the 1930s
531:
Dewoitine D.510 monoplane fighters from the mid-1930s
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for having scored five or more air-to-air victories.
1583:, Fleurance, pp. 4–31 (print edition in French)
1395:
French Air Force 1940: the collapse and the debacle.
1171:
Pictorial History of the French Air Force: 1941–1974
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withstood the nationalists, and in May the British,
259:
At the beginning of what eventually became known as
1956:
Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops
912:(under British control since 1934) in northeastern
779:
1513:Pictorial History of the French Air Force: 1941–74
1509:Pictorial History of the French Air Force: 1909–40
1167:Pictorial History of the French Air Force: 1909–40
863:Vichy and Berlin agreed, if reluctantly, that the
1650:Acepilots.com article on the Lafayette Escadrille
1417:French Military Aviation: A Bibliographical Guide
552:, which had just gained combat experience in the
437:had some 3,222 front-line combat aircraft on the
1978:
1685:Official Government of France Defense Department
1679:Official Government of France Defense Department
1673:Official Government of France Defense Department
271:. On 8 October, though, the commander-in-chief,
1296:Revue d'histoire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale
698:and supporting infantry units concealed in the
493:and they were to continue until December 1934.
193:1914 Morane-Saulnier L reconnaissance monoplane
1223:Christienne, Charles, and Pierre Lissarrague.
18:History of the Armée de l'Air (1909-1942)
1725:
1697:Spartacus (UK-based) – a web site for schools
1579:magazine, edition #35 (February–March 2004),
1472:The Fall of France: The Nazi Invasion of 1940
1199:. Stratford, CT: Flying Machines Press, 1997.
575:
57:
1739:
1732:
1718:
1042:, were, in part, Vichy squadrons based at
678:organisational structure was short-lived.
1987:History of the French Air and Space Force
1346:Military Balance: Western Europe May 1940
1195:Davilla, James J., and Arthur M. Soltan.
2012:History of organizations based in France
1635:magazine, edition #13 (June–July 2000),
601:
590:
579:
526:
468:
460:
239:
227:
219:
208:
196:
188:
61:
28:
2017:20th-century military history of France
1148:List of French possessions and colonies
14:
1979:
1655:Acepilots.com article on Raoul Lufbery
1603:
1586:
1571:Ehrengardt, Christian-Jacques (2004),
1556:Ehrengardt, Christian-Jacques (2000),
1197:French Aircraft of the First World War
1713:
1705:An Illustrated History of World War I
1539:
1225:A History of French Military Aviation
1212:An Illustrated History of World War I
823:He implemented the plan – codenamed "
362:, who was killed after 54 victories,
1702:WWI Aircraft Profile Gallery: France
1209:WWI Aircraft Profile Gallery: France
998:Operation Torch: November 8–10, 1942
962:, which served as staging posts for
747:bomber, four Bf 109s and possibly a
1123:List of military aircraft of France
177:), was formed on 1 April 1911. The
70:in Aéronautique Militaire markings.
24:
1931:Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
1926:Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
1483:(University Press of Kansas, 1996)
1390:(Cambridge University Press, 2003)
1380:
1363:. The Naval & Military Press.
904:briefly installed the nationalist
860:British as France's real enemies.
419:Aéronautique Militaire escadrilles
184:
166:königlich-preußische Fliegertruppe
113:Établissement Militaire d'Aviation
25:
2028:
1643:
1458:American aid to France, 1938–1940
1315:The Battle of France Then and Now
974:to support the Iraqi nationalist
1966:Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section
1624:, Toulouse, Privat, 2014, 552 p.
827:" – for a British fleet, coded "
780:Vichy: June 1940 – December 1942
661:Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Alps
639:Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Nord
287:as reconnaissance aircraft, and
1558:La chasse française: le GC II/4
1352:
1337:
1304:
1288:
654:Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Est
647:Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Sud
1903:United States Army Air Service
1878:Canadian Air Force (1918–1920)
1770:Aircraft of the Central Powers
1765:Aircraft of the Entente Powers
1361:The War in France and Flanders
1343:
1272:
1269:(Naval Institute Press, 2012).
1259:
1246:
1230:
1217:
1202:
1189:
1176:
1159:
298:Joseph Franz and his mechanic
111:and Bron. In March 1910, the
13:
1:
1467:(Naval Institute Press, 2012)
1319:. After the Battle. pp.
1214:Accessed on 27 December 2013.
1153:
1018:, consisting of the carriers
407:U.S. Army Air Service (USAAS)
171:Air Battalion Royal Engineers
1888:Imperial Russian Air Service
1533:
1520:Journal of Strategic Studies
835:, to sail to the harbour of
456:
138:Charles de Tricornot de Rose
7:
1951:Imperial German Air Service
1620:Olivier, Jean-Marc, (ed.),
1442:(2013); translation of his
1359:Ellis, Major L. F. (2004).
1344:Barry, Major-General R. H.
1109:
417:, flew with regular French
326:succeeded when he fitted a
10:
2033:
1961:Ottoman Aviation Squadrons
1608:(in French) (118): 20–22.
1591:(in French) (117): 20–23.
1438:Duroselle, Jean-Baptiste.
1419:. New York: Garland, 1989.
783:
576:September 1939 – June 1940
140:following training at the
1941:
1843:
1783:
1747:
1627:Osché, Philippe (2000), “
1310:
1238:French Historical Studies
983:invaded Syria and Lebanon
279:would be used as scouts,
58:Military aviation to 1914
1992:Military of Vichy France
1435:( Stackpole Books, 2014)
1358:
1311:Cornwell, Peter (2007).
857:Admiral James Somerville
774:Forces Françaises Libres
2002:Aviation in World War I
1893:Royal Italian Air Corps
1873:Australian Flying Corps
1861:Royal Naval Air Service
1741:Aviation in World War I
1660:City of Rheims web site
1544:(in French) (118): 23.
1529:(Harvard Univ Pr, 1978)
1456:Haight, John McVickar.
1444:La Décadence, 1932–1939
1428:(Stackpole Books, 2014)
1240:(1998) 21#2: 325-361.
865:Armée de l'Air de Vichy
688:Air Transport Auxiliary
681:When the war began the
291:as artillery spotters.
1922:Japanese air services
1502:International Security
1415:Christienne, Charles.
1410:; Bibliography pp 231-
1282:25.3 (1978): 141-152.
1143:French Colonial Empire
1014:task force headed for
989:fighters and US-built
786:Vichy French Air Force
715:equipment being used.
610:
599:
588:
585:Morane-Saulnier MS.406
532:
474:
466:
447:Aéronautique Militaire
443:Aéronautique Militaire
435:Aéronautique Militaire
426:Aéronautique Militaire
370:who had 41 victories.
348:the start of July 1915
314:on the cowling of his
265:Aéronautique Militaire
250:Aéronautique Militaire
245:
237:
225:
217:
206:
194:
157:Aéronautique Militaire
128:Aéronautique Militaire
117:Aéronautique Militaire
71:
54:is covered elsewhere.
34:
1997:French Third Republic
1852:British air services
1815:Aerial reconnaissance
1606:Le Fana de l'Aviation
1589:Le Fana de l'Aviation
1542:Le Fana de l'Aviation
1504:24#4 (2000): 157–180.
1497:(1993) 40#1 pp 22–34.
1488:Air University Review
1449:Gunsburg, Jeffery A.
1386:Alexander, Martin S.
1298:19#73 (1969): 43-74.
1186:(ABC-CLIO, 2008) p168
1138:French colonial flags
1072:Douglas SBD Dauntless
906:Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani
872:In all cases, French
605:
594:
583:
530:
472:
464:
312:Hotchkiss machine gun
243:
236:reconnaissance bomber
231:
223:
212:
200:
192:
142:Blériot Flying School
65:
32:
1478:Kiesling, Eugenia C.
1117:Lafayette Escadrille
1064:Grumman F4F Wildcats
849:Marcel-Bruno Gensoul
514:Treaty of Versailles
335:(monoplane) with a
294:On October 5, 1914,
173:(a precursor to the
1907:Greek air services
1748:People and aircraft
1629:Mécano aux Cigognes
1522:18#1 (1995): 36–67.
1431:Doughty, Robert A.
1280:Aerospace Historian
1165:Andre. Van Haute,
424:By April 1917, the
100:Franco-Prussian War
51:Aéronautique Navale
1898:Romanian Air Corps
1883:French Air Service
1856:Royal Flying Corps
1825:Flight over Vienna
1665:2005-01-07 at the
1637:Aéro-Editions SARL
1581:Aéro-Editions SARL
1566:Aéro-Editions SARL
1507:Van Haute, Andre.
1423:Doughty, Robert A.
1399:Cain, Anthony C.
980:Free French forces
825:Operation Catapult
729:Les Petits Poucets
611:
600:
589:
566:invasion of Poland
533:
475:
467:
277:Morane-Saulnier Ls
246:
238:
226:
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207:
195:
175:Royal Flying Corps
155:Shortly after the
148:, in southwest of
72:
35:
2007:Air force history
1974:
1973:
1916:Naval Air Service
1810:Bombing of cities
1793:Strategic bombing
1525:Young, Robert J.
1495:Air Power History
1490:36 (1985): 101–17
1470:Jackson, Julian.
1453:(Greenwood, 1979)
1252:Robert J. Young,
964:Regia Aeronautica
883:, the capital of
874:national markings
812:Winston Churchill
765:Albert Kesselring
554:Spanish Civil War
431:Division Aérienne
364:Charles Nungesser
316:Morane-Saulnier L
16:(Redirected from
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1911:Army Air Service
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380:Battle of Verdun
376:aerial supremacy
360:Georges Guynemer
352:fighter aircraft
344:gun synchronizer
342:equipped with a
88:Édouard Nieuport
45:French Air Force
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1000:
991:Martin Maryland
987:Dewoitine D.520
949:Anglo-Iraqi War
940:" invaded Iraq
831:" and based in
788:
782:
767:reflected that
758:Drôle de guerre
749:Henschel Hs 126
596:Dewoitine D.520
578:
545:Dewoitine D.520
543:bomber and the
537:Dewoitine D.500
506:Nieuport-Delage
502:Morane-Saulnier
483:Colonial empire
459:
337:Parabellum MG14
322:Independently,
261:First World War
187:
185:First World War
96:Louis Béchereau
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869:Armée de l'Air
784:Main article:
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745:Heinkel He 111
724:Armée de l’Air
720:Armée de l’Air
683:Armée de l'Air
676:Armée de L’Air
637:contingent of
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487:French Morocco
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415:Eugene Bullard
324:Anthony Fokker
289:Caudron G.IIIs
186:
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179:Armée de l'Air
169:. The British
130:to be passed.
105:élèves-pilotes
92:Gustave Delage
84:Gabriel Voisin
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1348:. p. 99.
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80:Henri Farman
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1786:and battles
1133:World War I
900:coup d'état
615:Escadrilles
451:flying aces
403:SPAD S.XIII
401:, when the
384:Nieuport 11
340:machine gun
328:Fokker M.5K
281:Voisin IIIs
254:escadrilles
215:Nieuport 23
161:German army
1981:Categories
1755:Commanders
1154:References
1056:Casablanca
854:Royal Navy
631:Groupement
356:René Fonck
269:Blériot XI
234:Breguet 14
135:Lieutenant
68:Blériot XI
1784:Campaigns
1775:Zeppelins
1614:0757-4169
1597:0757-4169
1550:0757-4169
1534:In French
1076:Jean Bart
1044:Marrakech
1012:U.S. Navy
968:Luftwaffe
938:Iraqforce
926:Habbaniya
891:Ark Royal
833:Gibraltar
769:Luftwaffe
741:Luftwaffe
708:Luftwaffe
550:Luftwaffe
498:Latécoère
457:1918–1939
378:over the
332:Eindecker
66:Restored
1803:Cuxhaven
1663:Archived
1110:See also
1092:Adjudant
1039:Suwannee
1027:Sangamon
924:base at
700:Ardennes
668:Soissons
619:Squadron
587:fighters
203:Voisin V
1835:Battles
1256:(1978).
1016:Morocco
956:Lebanon
902:in Iraq
885:Senegal
845:Algeria
839:, near
829:Force H
804:Morocco
800:Algeria
796:Tunisia
696:Panzers
672:Picardy
670:in the
627:Escadre
598:fighter
491:Rif War
304:Aviatik
300:Caporal
296:Sergent
205:bomber
121:General
1798:German
1631:”, in
1612:
1595:
1548:
1474:(2003)
1460:(1970)
1408:online
1367:
1327:
1300:online
1284:online
1242:online
1169:;and
1084:Ranger
1052:Agadir
1048:Meknès
1033:Santee
1021:Ranger
1008:Africa
930:Indian
910:Kirkuk
635:bomber
623:Groupe
609:bomber
562:Poland
263:, the
150:France
1575:, in
1560:, in
1060:Rabat
972:Mosul
960:Syria
945:Basra
881:Dakar
792:Vichy
522:Bloch
510:Amiot
232:1918
213:1916
201:1915
109:Reims
1760:Aces
1610:ISSN
1593:ISSN
1546:ISSN
1365:ISBN
1325:ISBN
1058:and
1036:and
976:coup
966:and
958:and
932:and
918:Axis
914:Iraq
889:HMS
841:Oran
802:and
712:Flak
664:ZOAA
659:and
657:ZOAE
650:ZOAS
643:ZOAN
508:and
397:and
94:and
37:The
942:via
922:RAF
843:in
641:or
399:17s
395:16s
346:by
146:Pau
144:in
1983::
1511:;
1323:.
1321:81
1054:,
1050:,
1046:,
1030:,
1024:,
798:,
652:,
556:.
516:.
504:,
500:,
421:.
393:,
90:,
86:,
82:,
78:,
1733:e
1726:t
1719:v
1616:.
1599:.
1552:.
1373:.
1333:.
936:"
772:(
617:(
103:(
20:)
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