Normandie-Niemen

[Stearmen]

I found these photos of pilots of The Normandie-Niemen in Russia, note the Irvin jackets. I thought if there are any Living History members who are tired of the 8th Air Force and BOB history types, hear is a great alternative, with several Yak 3 fighter planes in the U.S., UK, Europe, and New Zealand, painted in Normandie-Niemen colors it would be a natural! The Normandie-Niemen squadrons were free French who fought with the Russians flying Yak 9 and later Yak 3 fighters. They racked up 273 kills over the Germans, and were given their name Joseph Stalin awarded the unit the name Niemen for its participation in the Battle of the Neman River. And were awarded from France, the Légion d'Honneur, the Croix de la Libération, the Médaille Militaire, the Croix de guerre with six palmes; from the USSR, it received the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Alexander Nevsky, with eleven citations between the two orders with individual pilots, Marcel Albert, Marcel Lefèvre, Jacques André and Roland de La Poype were appointed Hero of the Soviet Union! They still fly in France as the squadron 2/30, flying Dassault Mirage F1. All in all a forgotten part of history and any thing but Surrender Monkeys, who gave their lives so we could be free!

 

[Fletch]

I'm only slightly less surprised to learn that Frenchmen flew for the USSR than I was to learn that at least one regiment of Mississippians fought for the Union. Thanks for telling us.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I always liked the interesting combination of French* and Soviet uniform items that was worn by the Normandie-Nieman pilots.

*British battledress jackets and Field Service Caps dyed Louise Blue of the French Air Force.

 

[Stearmen]

I'm only slightly less surprised to learn that Frenchmen flew for the USSR than I was to learn that at least one regiment of Mississippians fought for the Union. Thanks for telling us.

A lot of Virginians fought on the right side also! As for the French, a lot of them were mad at the British for running at Dunkirk, not because they were Commies! Just like I can find only one American that was a member of the Communist party that flew for the Republicans in Spain, and he was a lousy pilot! The rest were there either for the adventure or because they hated Fascism much like the French Pilots! Its always easy to sterotype, thats why I hate when they try to pound me, the square peg, into the round hole!