Escadron de Chasse 1/4 Gascogne
Escadron de Chasse 1/4 Gascogne is a squadron of the French Air and Space Force. It houses the Dassault Rafale and was the second unit of the French Air and Space Force to receive the aircraft.
History
3rd Reconstitution and nuclear era
On May 10, 1966, a Mirage IVA n°36 of the squadron conducted the first transatlantic flight with a combat aircraft at French reaction under the command of Commandant Dubroca and Captain Caubert in 7 hours and 40 minutes, in which three air supply aircraft reached Boston.End of the Mirage IV
On June 23, 2005, Mirage IV P n°59 conducted the last flight of Mirage IV of the squadron and the French Air Force, at the command of a commandant, operations chief of Gascogne. This aircraft was at Creil Airbase (BA110) but not on public display.The Escadron de chasse 1/91 Gascogne was credited with dropping 120 bombs and conducted 368 missions in Libya during Opération Harmattan.
Rafale
The squadron was reformed on March 31, 2009, and equipped with Rafale, the unit integrated the Strategic Air Forces. From August 31, 2015, to September 18, 2015, 15 Rafale of the Escadron de chasse 1/7 Provence, Escadron de Chasse 2/30 Normandie-Niemen, and the 1/91 Gascogne were deployed to conduct an air-to-air campaign.Unit awards
Operation Harmattan, then Unified Protector (2011)
EC 1/91 Gascogne obtained a cross a citation at the orders of the Aerial Army.Designations
- Groupe de Bombardement II/19: April 1, 1937 – September 1, 1940,
- Groupe de Bombardement I/19: September 1, 1940 – February 21, 1944,
- Groupe de Bombardement I/19 Gascogne: February 21, 1944 – November 1, 1955,
- Groupe de Bombardement 1/91 Gascogne: September 1, 1956 – September 17, 1962,
- Escadron de Bombardement 1/91 Gascogne: June 1, 1964 – July 1, 1996,
- Escadron de Reconnaissance Stratégique 1/91 Gascogne: July 1, 1996 – June 23, 2005,
- Escadron de Chasse 1/91 Gascogne: March 31, 2009 – September 1, 2016,
- Escadron de Chasse 1/4 Gascogne: since September 1, 2016