Aces of the Normandie-Niemen Sqs.

Yak 3 of Normadie-Niemen by Vladimir Urbanek Yak 3 of Normadie-Niemen by Vladimir Urbanek * It's December 1941. France is occupied by the Germans and the Soviet Army is desperately trying to stop the Nazi advance on Moscow. As the 'Free French' resistance builds, General de Gaulle meets with General Luguet in London to discuss the possibility of sending French pilots to fight the germans on the Russian front. The first 12 volunteers leave London on August 17th 1942 and on September 1st the "3rd Groupe de Chasse" or 3rd Fighter Group "Normandie" was created. However, it wasn't until March 22nd 1943 that the unit was sent to the front and on April 5th Preziosi and Durand shared the units first 'kill' by shooting down a FW190.

In May 1943, an order was signed by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel stating that all 'Normandie' prisoners were to be shot.

On October 17th, General de Gaulle awards the unit the "Companion of the Liberation" citation.

Then on November 6th, with 72 victories (and 9 probables) to their credit, the group and it's 6 surviving original pilots is withdrawn to Toula for the winter.

It's 1944 and Stalin has added "Niemen" to their name in recognition of the Niemen river which the Soviet Army had just crossed with the help of the now, "Normandie-Niemen" squadron. On October 16th the Prusse Offensive begins and on this day, Normadie-Niemen pilots shoot down 29 enemy planes without a single loss to themselves.

In June1945 the 'regiment' returns to France with 40 YAK 3's courtesy of Joseph Stalin. And finally, on the 20th of June 1945, the Regiment arrives at Bourget to a hero's return. The Normandie-Niemen pilots had racked up an impressive 273 confirmed victories and another 36 probables. _________________________________________________ French Sites Can Be Translated @ Google If I knew how many pilots shared each kill I could order these better but since I don't I can only use whole claims as place markers.

Most likely Marcel Albert's total is higher than Jacques Andre's. Jacques Andre 10 (+ 6 shared) Yves Carbon 10 (+ 6 shared) Marcel Albert 9 (+14 shared) * * Maurice Bon (KIA 13oct43)



9 (+ 4 shared) Georges Lemare 9 (+4 shared) * * Albert Durand (MIA 1sep43)



9 (+2 shared) René Lucien Martin 9 (+2 shared) René Challe 8 (+1 shared) Yves Mourier 8 (+1 shared) * Jean-Louis Tulasne (KIA 17jul43)



8-3 Roland de la Poype 7 (+9 shared) * Marcel Perrin 7 (+6 shared) * Marcel Lefevre (WIA 28may44, D 5jun44)



7 (+3 shared) * Albert Littolf (KIA 16jul43)



7 (+2 shared) André Moynet 6.66 (+1 shared) Roger [Robert] Marchi 6 (+7 shared) Louis Castin 6 (+4 shared) Pierre Dechanet 6 (+3 shared) * Andrien Bernavon (KIA 16jul43)



6 Louis Delfino 5 (+11 shared) * Roger Sauvage 5 (+11 shared) Leon Cuffaut 5 (+6 shared) Joseph Risso 5 (+6 shared) * Maurice Challe (MIA 27mar45)



5 (+5 shared) Pierre Lorillon 5 (+3 shared) Pierre Bleton (POW 20feb45)



5 (+2 shared) TOP



Escadrille Normandie-Niemen by Roy Grinnell Escadrille Normandie-Niemen by Roy Grinnell _________________________________________________ Honorable Mentions * Noël Castelain (MIA 16jul43)



4.5 (+2 shared) Pierre Matras 4 (+5 shared) Maurice Amarger 4 (+4 shared) * Henri Foucaud (KIFA 21apr44)



4 (+4 shared) * Robert Irabarne (KIA 11feb45)



4 (+3 shared) * Charles Miguel (KIA 16jan45)



4 (+2 shared) Pierre Pouyade 3 (+4 shared) * Camille-Jean Bertrand (KIA 26aug44)



3 (+3 shared) Gabriel Mertzisen 3 (+2 shared) * Didier Beguin (KIA 26nov44 w/ RAF)



2 (+5 shared) François de Geoffre de Chabrignac 2 (+5 shared) Marc Charras 2 (+5 shared) Gaël Taburet 2 (+4 shared) * Georges Henry (WIA 12apr45, D 14apr45)



2 (+3 shared. * Jean-Jacques Manceau 1 (+5 shared) Leon Ougloff 1 (+5 shared) TOP _________________________________________________ Related Sites French Aces of WW2 the Official N-N site Magnus' French Air Aces _________________________________________________ Some content on this site is probably the property of acesofww2.com unless otherwise noted.