8e Escadre de Chasse explained

Unit Name:	8^e Escadre de Chasse 8th Fighter Wing
Dates:	25 August 2015 - present
Branch:	French Air and Space Force
Command Structure:	Fighter Brigade
Type:	Fighter aircraft unit
Role:	Aerial Instruction/Training/Aerial Drills
Equipment:	Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
Identification Symbol 2 Label:	Abbreviation

The 8^e Escadre de Chasse 8^e EC or 8th Fighter Wing is a fighter formation of the Fighter Brigade of the French Air and Space Force, which was reformed on 25 August 2015 at Cazaux Air Base.^[1]

The unit has known previously various periods of activity:

• On Aerial Base 108 Marignane, between 1 January 1936 and 1 May 1939;
• In Indochina, between 16 January 1951 and 27 July 1954;
• In Morocco, on Aerial Base 151 Rabat-Salé, between 1 August 1955 and November 1960
• In Algeria on the base of Oran La Senia between November 1960 and July 1961
• At Nancy Ochey between July 1961 and 1 December 1961
• At Cazaux, between 1 February 1964 and 1 July 1993.

Composition

• Escadron de Transition Opérationnelle 1/8 Saintonge^[2]
• Escadron de Transition Opérationnelle 2/8 Nice^[2]
• Escadron d'Entraînement 3/8 Côte d'Or^[2]
• Escadron de Soutien Technique Aéronautique 15/8 Pilat^[2]

Escadrons/Squadrons history

The 8^e Escadre possesses two historical squadrons, the "Saintonge" and "Nice". The squadron "Languedoc" was attached to the Escadre during ten years.

Before WWII

• Hunter Group - Groupe de Chasse I/8 : from 1 January 1936 until 1 May 1939
• Groupe de Chasse II/8 : from 1 January 1936 and 1 May 1939

Escadron/Squadron "Saintonge"

• Groupe Mixte I/8 Saintonge : from 16 January 1951 until 27 July 1954
• Hunter Squadron Escadron de Chasse 1/8 Saintonge : from 9 September 1960 until 1 December 1961, and from 1 February 1964 until 31 July 1993

Escadron/Squadron "Languedoc"

• Groupe de Chasse II/8 Languedoc : from 1 August 1951 until 27 July 1954
• Escadron de chasse 2/8 Languedoc : from 1 August 1955 until 1 December 1961

Escadron/Squadron "Maghreb"

• Escadron de Chasse 1/8 Maghreb : from 1 August 1955 until September 1960

Escadron/Squadron "Nice"

• Escadron de Chasse 2/8 Nice : from 1 February 1964 until 31 July 1993

Bases

• Aerial Base 108 Marigane: from 1 January 1936 until 1 May 1939
• Indochina : from 16 January 1951 until 27 July 1954
• Aerial Base 151 Rabat-Salé: from 1 August 1955 until the beginning of 1960
• Aerial Base Nancy-Ochey : from the beginning of 1960 until 1 December 1961
• Aerial Base 120 Cazaux : from 1 February 1964 until 31 July 1993, and as of 25 August 2015

Equipment

• Morane-Saulnier MS.225 : from 1 January 1936 until 1 January 1939
• Dewoitine D.500 : from 1 January 1936 until 1 January 1939
• Dewoitine D.510 : from 1 January 1939 until 1 May 1939
• Republic P-47D Thunderbolt : from 16 January 1951 until 27 July 1954
• Grumman F8F-1B Bearcat : from 16 January 1951 until 27 July 1954
• Mistral : from 1 August 1955 until 1959
• Dassault Mystère IVA : from June 1959 until 1 December 1961, and from 1 February 1964 until 1982
• Alpha Jet: from October 1982 until 31 July 1993, and as of 25 August 2015

See also

• Major (France)
• Patrouille de France
• Chief of Staff of the French Air Force
• List of Escadres of the French Air Force

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nouvelles escadres aériennes: une cohérence opérationnelle accrue, des valeurs renforcées. 2015-08-24. Armee de l'Air. dead. 2015-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20150826232249/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/actus-air/nouvelles-escadres-aeriennes-une-coherence-operationnelle-accrue-des-valeurs-renforcees.
2. Book: AirForces Monthly. September 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 55.