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| Hunter Squadron 1/7 Provence | |
|---|---|
| Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence | |
| File:Ec-1-7.jpgInsignia of the Escadron | |
| Active | October 1932 - present |
| Country |  France |
| Branch |  French Air Force |
| Type | Chasse Fr Hunter Eng |
| Role | Bombardment & Arial Defense |
| Part of | Brigade Aérienne de l'Aviation de Chasse (BAAC) composed of 2 Escadrilles: SPA15 GCIII/7 |
| Garrison/HQ | Al Dhafra Air Base |
| Equipment | Rafale B & C |
| Website | Official Website (in French) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Dassault Rafale |
The Escadron de Chasse or Hunter Squadron 1/3 Navarre or EC 1/7 Provence (Template:Lang-fr) is a French Air Force fighter squadron currently stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base since June 24 2016.
In 2006 it was the first unit to fly the Dassault Rafale. The Squadron’s aircraft are marked 113-HA to 113-HZ.
History
See also: No. 328 Squadron RAF
Designations and different nominations
- Groupe de Chasse I/7 : from 1932 until October 1942
- Groupe de Chasse I/7 Provence : from November 1 1943 until July 1 1947
- Groupe de Chasse I/1 Provence : from July 1 1947 until November 17 1951
- Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence : as of March 1 1962
Origins until the Second World War
The EC 1/7 Provence originated as Groupe de Chasse 1/7 GC 1/7 (Hunter Group) Dijon in 1932 which itself traces its origin back to two World War I wings: SPA 15 (Casque de Bayard) and SPA 77 (Croix de Jérusalem). In January 1939 the fighter group 1/7 relocated to Tunisia, and subsequently moved to Egypt after the 1940 armistice. It was disbanded in October 1942.
Successive attachments
- 1ere Escadre de Chasse (Template:Lang-fr) : du 1 au 17
- 7e Escadre de Chasse (Template:Lang-fr) : du 1 au 22
- 4e Escadre de Chasse (Template:Lang-fr) : du 26 au 24
Indochina and Algeria
GC 1/7 was recreated in September 1943 using Spitfire MK VB and participated in the North Africa campaign, the campaign to liberate Corsica and the Provence landings, thus giving it the name Provence. At the end of World War II, the unit was awarded the "Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)" and from December 1945 to January 1946, the fighter group received a consignment of captured Japanese Nakajima ki-43 "Hayabusa" fighter planes. Groupe de Chasse 1/7 received its first Mistral in April 1953, participated in the Algerian war and was reequipped with Mystère IV operating out of Dijon military base. It was disbanded in September 1961.
The Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence was recreated in March 1962 at Nancy – Ochey 133 Air Base, using Mystère IV. In 1973, the Squadron became the first Air force unit to be equipped with SEPECAT Jaguar and relocated to Saint-Dizier-Robinson 113 Air Base. 1/7 Provence Jaguars engaged in combat missions in Mauritania (1978), in Chad (1980’s), in the Gulf War (1990-1991) and in Bosnia. After the Escadron de Chasse 2/11 Vosges (Template:Lang-fr) was disbanded, 1/7 Provence was expanded to 3 flights: la SPA 91 (Eagle on a skull) in December 1996.
The Jaguar (JAG) époque
In July 2001 the squadron received several two-seat Jaguars and the Alpha Jets previously used by Escadron de Chasse 2/7 Argonne.
The Rafale époque
The Jaguars were retired in July 2005 and replaced by Rafale one year later. In January 2007 1/7 Provence Squadron had twenty Rafale B and C. In March 2007 three Rafales were deployed to Dushanbe in Tajikistan, and carried out their first patrol over Afghanistan two days later.
In September 2007, 1/7 Provence Squadron’s Alpha Jets were transferred to the newly recreated EE 5/2 Côte d'Or (Template:Lang-fr).
Constituent Escadrille
- SPA 15 Casque de Bayard
- GC III/7(6) Furie (since August 24 2016)
Bases
- Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base
- Haguenau Airport : From December 25 1944 until January 2 1945
- Po Chen Tong Air Base (Template:Lang-fr) : from November 17 1945 until July 1 1947
- Aerial Base 141 Oran la Sénia (Template:Lang-fr) : from April 1947 until end of 1950
- Aerial Base 156 Bizerte Sidi Ahmed (Template:Lang-fr) : end of 1950 until December 1961 de fin 1950 à décembre 1961
- Aerial Base 133 Nancy-Ochey (Template:Lang-fr) : from December 1961 until May 1973
- Aerial Base 113 Saint-Dizier-Robinson (Template:Lang-fr) : from May 1973 until June 24 2016
- Al Dhafra Air Base (Template:Lang-fr) : since June 24 2016
Aircraft
- Nakajima Ki-43 II Hayabusa (from 1945 to 1946)
- Supermarine Spitfire (from 1946 to 1953)
- De Havilland Vampire (from 1953 to 1962)
- Mystère IV (from 1962 to 1973)
- SEPECAT Jaguar (from 1973 to 2005)
- Alpha Jet (2001–2007, aircraft marked 7-PA to 7-PZ)
- Dassault Rafale (since 2006)
See also
- Major (France)
- Chief of Staff of the French Air Force
- List of active Squadrons of the French Air Force
- List of dissolved Squadrons of the French Air Force
- List of French Air Force aircraft squadrons
References
- The French word "Chasseur" translates to "Hunter" in English, and while this is a Fighter aircraft, the actual translation is different. The word "Fighter/Combat Aircraft" translates to "Avion de Combat" in the French language.
- When referring to a Escadron/Squadron of the French Air Force or any military unit in France, be careful (unless sure), the names after the numbers such as : "2/30 (number) "Normandie-Niemen" (official battle honor designation) actually sometimes designates locations, emblems or not, and mainly for military units referring to Battle honours inscriptions at these locations. Hence, a location would translate in any language to the same, usually, an emblem can be misinterpreted and Battle honours should not be translated. In addition, some of these unit squadrons are heir to others with direct official designations but different number sequences. On another hand, locations, emblems and battle honors can sometimes be misinterpreted and translated to another language (word) with a totally different word. Emblems also sometimes may refer to a region while they also could be wrongly misinterpreted. Therefore, it is better to keep their title designation in the French language (specially in case of military units which most harbor battle honor designations but not necessarily) and translate within the article itself, since some of these designated name designations/emblems/locations/battle honors have history behind them as well, where as a wrongly translated word or not (or composition word) would be incorrect in relation to a mentioned history designation of a Squadron/Escadron. For the reference, the previously stated would be related to Encyclopedic (Misplaced Pages) inter-languages integrity concepts which has no distinct official citation on a language Encyclopedia (in this case either French or English Misplaced Pages).
- The word "Fighter" (in reference to a Fighter aircraft) in the English language doesn't exist in the French Air Force repertoire; therefore the article was created under the official French designation; however these are Fighter formations.
- "Escadron de chasse 01.007 " Provence "" (in French). French MoD. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/actus-air/nouvelles-escadres-aeriennes-une-coherence-operationnelle-accrue-des-valeurs-renforcees
- Première mission des Rafale en Afghanistan
External links
- 1/7 Provence fighter squadron on the defence Ministry website Template:Fr icon
- German Plane shot down by Escadrille 77 in 1917