4e Escadre de Chasse


The 4e Escadre de Chasse '4e EC or 4th Fighter Wing' is a fighter unit formation of the French [Air and Space Force]. The unit was initially created on May 1, 1944 then dissolved on September 1, 1993 with the disappearing of the Escadre echelon from the French Air and Space Force.
The 4th Fighter Wing was reformed on an Aerial Base on August 26, 2015.

History

The 4e Escadre de Chasse was formed at Alto, Corsica on May 1, 1944, and initially was composed of a single group, equipped with 15 Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, being joined by Groupe de Chasse II/3 (GC II/3) Dauphiné on 8 June 1944. The wing was deployed on fighter-bomber missions over Italy from May to August 1944, and from June began to supplement these missions with operations over France. In September, following the Allied invasion of Southern France the previous month, the wing moved to mainland France. It was joined by a third group, Groupe de Chasse III/3 (GC III/3) Ardennes at the end of the year.
The 4e Escadre de Chasse left the FATac on September 1, 1991 to be attached to the Strategic [Air Forces Command].

Composition since 2015

The 4e Escadre de Chasse 4e EC was reformed in 2015 with the following squadrons:
On June 24, 2016, a ceremony celebrated the departure of the 1/7 Provence towards an Aerial Base in the United Arab Emirates and the arrival of Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine to Saint Dizier. The EC 3/30 Lorraine moved to Mont-de-Marsan that summer. Nevertheless, the latter is not part of the 4e Escadre de Chasse 4e EC, however, constitutes the 30e EC.

Historical Escadrons/Squadrons

Ardennes

Dauphiné

Flandres

  • '''Escadron de Chasse 3/4 Flandres'''

La Fayette

Limousin

  • '''Escadron de Chasse 3/4 Limousin'''

Navarre

  • '''Groupe de Chasse I/4 Navarre'''

EALA

During the Algerian War, three Light Support Escadrilles Aviation units were patronized by the 4e Escadre de Chasse :
  • EALA 5/70, re-designated EALA 17/72
  • EALA 7/70, re-designated EALA 18/72
  • EALA 3/4

Base

Equipment