Hallo,
One hears about the Zeppelin raids of World War I, but a lesser known aspect of the use of dirigibles during World War I is the French airship fleet. From what I gather, the French army and navy possessed airship units. In the first weeks of the war, two airships were damaged by gunfire from French troops who considered any airship to be a German Zeppelin. One airship had over 1,300 bullet holes and the other had was so badly damaged by friendly fire that it had to be scrapped. As a result, the French command grounded the fleet until April 1915.
The French airship returned to battle in 1915 flying night time bomber missions. Two were shot down in the fall of 1915 and two were destroyed near Verdun in the summer of 1916. At one point, during the latter part of 1916, the fleet was reduced on only one airship. Disappointed with the results, the French army turned over the remaining elements of its airship fleet to the French navy in early 1917. (Source: The First Air War, 1914-1918, by Lee Kennett)
I would like to learn more about the French airship fleet (aircraft, personnel, operations, etc). Can someone please provide additional information?
Best Regards,
Durand
French Airship Fleet
-
Prosper Vandenbroucke
- Member
- Posts: 892
- Joined: 08 Feb 2005, 16:52
- Location: Braine le Comte - Belgium
- Contact:
Hello,
take a look at the website here below:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jmpicquart/Bomb ... geable.htm
and also at this one:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/blimp/Dfrance.htm
and here you have an other one:
http://dirigeables.free.fr/francais.htm
and an other:
http://www.crrl.com.fr/actualite/Guynem ... ballon.htm
and the last one:
http://phivaast.club.fr/ecausseville/historique.htm
Hope this helps
Regards from Belgium
Prosper
take a look at the website here below:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jmpicquart/Bomb ... geable.htm
and also at this one:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/blimp/Dfrance.htm
and here you have an other one:
http://dirigeables.free.fr/francais.htm
and an other:
http://www.crrl.com.fr/actualite/Guynem ... ballon.htm
and the last one:
http://phivaast.club.fr/ecausseville/historique.htm
Hope this helps
Regards from Belgium
Prosper
Hallo Prosper,
Thank you for the links. They are helpful and a good start. The photographs and sketches are interesting and the text with what very little schoolboy French I remember promises to be more so. I am looking forward to more discoveries as I cut and paste text into Altavista.
Best Regards,
Durand
Thank you for the links. They are helpful and a good start. The photographs and sketches are interesting and the text with what very little schoolboy French I remember promises to be more so. I am looking forward to more discoveries as I cut and paste text into Altavista.
Best Regards,
Durand
Hi,
A 190-page-long regiment history of the 1st and 2nd "Regiments d'Aerostation" was published by Librairie Fournier in Paris in the 1920's I suppose (official date unknown). It gathers material about the development of dirigibles and balloons, main flights and operations throughout the war, a list of losses and citations. A very good source although in French (sorry).
I'm going back to school tomorrow after the summer holidays, but if you give me a couple of days, I can leaf through this and give you an insight at what you're looking for.
Best regards
Eric
A 190-page-long regiment history of the 1st and 2nd "Regiments d'Aerostation" was published by Librairie Fournier in Paris in the 1920's I suppose (official date unknown). It gathers material about the development of dirigibles and balloons, main flights and operations throughout the war, a list of losses and citations. A very good source although in French (sorry).
I'm going back to school tomorrow after the summer holidays, but if you give me a couple of days, I can leaf through this and give you an insight at what you're looking for.
Best regards
Eric
Good evening (French time),
Thanks for encouraging me: with the kids we have to deal with nowadays, a safe journey back to school really is a challenge...
More seriously, I think part of what I own could be photocopied or scanned and I guess you could use it without being fluent in French. I'll take but one example:
DIRIGEABLE: Adjudant Vincenot
DATE: 8-9 août 1914
DUREE: 4 heures 12
DISTANCE: 180 km.
ALTITUDE MAXIMA: 2200 m.
MISSION EFFECTUEE: reconnaissance: region Bensdorf, Dieuze, Chateau-Salins
Can you decypher and use such data? There are only 3 pages of them and I could scan them for you if you want me to.
Best regards
Eric
Thanks for encouraging me: with the kids we have to deal with nowadays, a safe journey back to school really is a challenge...
More seriously, I think part of what I own could be photocopied or scanned and I guess you could use it without being fluent in French. I'll take but one example:
DIRIGEABLE: Adjudant Vincenot
DATE: 8-9 août 1914
DUREE: 4 heures 12
DISTANCE: 180 km.
ALTITUDE MAXIMA: 2200 m.
MISSION EFFECTUEE: reconnaissance: region Bensdorf, Dieuze, Chateau-Salins
Can you decypher and use such data? There are only 3 pages of them and I could scan them for you if you want me to.
Best regards
Eric
French Aisrchips
Hi!
I know myself Jean-Marie Picquart and his website I can recommand indeed when it goes about WWI airship
history.
However I should advise once my link on Rod Filan's WWI website (Canada)
go once to http://www.earlyaviator.com amongst the submitted threads is my own "Early Airships" and in general you migth find those which were in service in France by the start of WWI amongst!
I loaned a book to Regulus "Le mesonge du 3-4 Août 1914" in which was told which French airships were operational and were based at that moment..but didn't get it back, so I cannot consult it now!
But following that book only a couple of them were at that date "gonflated" (Filled with gas!) and in fact operational...the others had to be gonflated and made operational and that took a day or two at least!
It's indeed so that in general the history of French Airships by the start of WWI remained a bit obscure!
Not quite well covered!
1915 than you had the last constructed Lebaudy airship which came in service, the "Tissandier" but quite
long, 3 motor gondolas, 9 propellers , and found uneffective! (Only a few quite dull photo's from to find!)
During WWI a lot of Zodiac's (VZ vedette Zodiac's and ZD=Zodiac Destroyers), Astra's and Astra-Torres
(= A.T. + n°) airship were constructed in France.
Also at Chalais-Meudon was also an airship construction warf...
(Constructed for more there the airships "T-1" (1915- burned or exploded above the Mediterrean Sea, why wasn't revealed, but could eventually have been shot down by own Navy ?) and "T-2" 1918 -the C.M. 14 - Capitaine Caussin )
But to you I accept the Rod Filan website will give a number of photo's on French airships which might be of interest! There are also a lot of planes on this one too!
VBR
Jempie
I know myself Jean-Marie Picquart and his website I can recommand indeed when it goes about WWI airship
history.
However I should advise once my link on Rod Filan's WWI website (Canada)
go once to http://www.earlyaviator.com amongst the submitted threads is my own "Early Airships" and in general you migth find those which were in service in France by the start of WWI amongst!
I loaned a book to Regulus "Le mesonge du 3-4 Août 1914" in which was told which French airships were operational and were based at that moment..but didn't get it back, so I cannot consult it now!
But following that book only a couple of them were at that date "gonflated" (Filled with gas!) and in fact operational...the others had to be gonflated and made operational and that took a day or two at least!
It's indeed so that in general the history of French Airships by the start of WWI remained a bit obscure!
Not quite well covered!
1915 than you had the last constructed Lebaudy airship which came in service, the "Tissandier" but quite
long, 3 motor gondolas, 9 propellers , and found uneffective! (Only a few quite dull photo's from to find!)
During WWI a lot of Zodiac's (VZ vedette Zodiac's and ZD=Zodiac Destroyers), Astra's and Astra-Torres
(= A.T. + n°) airship were constructed in France.
Also at Chalais-Meudon was also an airship construction warf...
(Constructed for more there the airships "T-1" (1915- burned or exploded above the Mediterrean Sea, why wasn't revealed, but could eventually have been shot down by own Navy ?) and "T-2" 1918 -the C.M. 14 - Capitaine Caussin )
But to you I accept the Rod Filan website will give a number of photo's on French airships which might be of interest! There are also a lot of planes on this one too!
VBR
Jempie
WWI French Airships
Hi!
I try to give you the list of WWI French Airships...migh be incomplete, but
Astra :
"Adjudant Réau" (Cruiser 1909) : last flight on 08.08.1914! (Thus barely used WWI!)
"Conté" (Scout 1912) : shot down twice and twice repaired.
Astra-Torres :
"Pilâtre de Rosier" (Grand Cruiser 1915) was to long and less maniable was cut into two and made two new airships from : "Pilâtre de Rosier" and "Alsace" both shot down by the Germans!
AT-1 until AT-4 (1916)first French navy airships
AT-5 until AT-9 (1917)
AT-10 until AT-17 (1918) built to carry 75mm gun
AT-18-19 (1919) carried heavy anti-submarine weapons
Chalais-Meudon airships
"Fleurus I" (1912 Scout) : bombed in shed 1918.
"Fleurus II (Named also "Lorrain" ?) & Fleurus III (Named also "Tunesie"?)"1915-1916
(Deleted post WWI)
Chalais-Meudon "T-1" (had a submarine mettallic shaped gondola & Lost with crew 1916!)
Chalais-Meudon C.M. 14 "T-2" Capitaine Caussin Used by the Americans! Had a 47 mm anti submarine gun!
C.M. 1 until 4 (1917-1918) used by French Navy.
C.M. 5- 8 only C.M. 5 was constructed against armistice! (Sold to USA)
Clément-Bayard airships
"Dupuy-de-Lôme" (1912) Shot down by own French troops on 24th August 1914!
"Montgolfier" CB V ,( 1913) no info ?
"General Meusnier" 1915-1916 (got 1916 another gondola)
Lebaudy airships
1914-15 "Tissandier" Refused by both French and British Army! (In fact not used really WWI!)
Zodiac Airships
"Capitaine Ferber" but possible deleted 1914 just pre WWI ?
"Commandant Coutelle" (1913 enlarged 1915 ) based at Epinal
"D'Arlandes" (1915-16) for navy
"Champagne" (1915-16) for Navy
VZ-1 until VZ-5 Vedtette Zodiac 1916...V-Z 5 was in fact the former Belgian airship "Belgique III" gasbag used with a gondola from from a Vedette Zodiac! For more 2 Blegian crews Lt Coucy and Ernest Demuyter served in French service (mixted-French-Belgian crews!) on this and other French airships!
VZ-7 until VZ-15 (1918)
VZ-16 until VZ-23 (Only VZ 16 until VZ 20 built!) 1919
ZD-1 until ZD -5 (Zodiac Destroyer) 1918
ZD-US 6 until 8 1919 Only ZD US-6 built and were ordered by US Navy! Carried a 75 mm gun!
I gues so a bit these were all WWI used ones.
Notice hopwever some of the post-WWI French constrcuted airships were perhaps still in service as "school-airships"! (Lebaudy's ?)
Also "Zodiac III"which was until outbreak WWI based in Belgium at Wilrijk (Belgian Army Airship) was just as the Milititary "Belgique III" transported by raod on wagons to France/Rochefort and was used there as School-airship at Rochefort or La Rochelle!
VBR
Jempie
(Sorry but before I could finish the post I touched a wrong button somewher! So twice mailed now!)
I try to give you the list of WWI French Airships...migh be incomplete, but
Astra :
"Adjudant Réau" (Cruiser 1909) : last flight on 08.08.1914! (Thus barely used WWI!)
"Conté" (Scout 1912) : shot down twice and twice repaired.
Astra-Torres :
"Pilâtre de Rosier" (Grand Cruiser 1915) was to long and less maniable was cut into two and made two new airships from : "Pilâtre de Rosier" and "Alsace" both shot down by the Germans!
AT-1 until AT-4 (1916)first French navy airships
AT-5 until AT-9 (1917)
AT-10 until AT-17 (1918) built to carry 75mm gun
AT-18-19 (1919) carried heavy anti-submarine weapons
Chalais-Meudon airships
"Fleurus I" (1912 Scout) : bombed in shed 1918.
"Fleurus II (Named also "Lorrain" ?) & Fleurus III (Named also "Tunesie"?)"1915-1916
(Deleted post WWI)
Chalais-Meudon "T-1" (had a submarine mettallic shaped gondola & Lost with crew 1916!)
Chalais-Meudon C.M. 14 "T-2" Capitaine Caussin Used by the Americans! Had a 47 mm anti submarine gun!
C.M. 1 until 4 (1917-1918) used by French Navy.
C.M. 5- 8 only C.M. 5 was constructed against armistice! (Sold to USA)
Clément-Bayard airships
"Dupuy-de-Lôme" (1912) Shot down by own French troops on 24th August 1914!
"Montgolfier" CB V ,( 1913) no info ?
"General Meusnier" 1915-1916 (got 1916 another gondola)
Lebaudy airships
1914-15 "Tissandier" Refused by both French and British Army! (In fact not used really WWI!)
Zodiac Airships
"Capitaine Ferber" but possible deleted 1914 just pre WWI ?
"Commandant Coutelle" (1913 enlarged 1915 ) based at Epinal
"D'Arlandes" (1915-16) for navy
"Champagne" (1915-16) for Navy
VZ-1 until VZ-5 Vedtette Zodiac 1916...V-Z 5 was in fact the former Belgian airship "Belgique III" gasbag used with a gondola from from a Vedette Zodiac! For more 2 Blegian crews Lt Coucy and Ernest Demuyter served in French service (mixted-French-Belgian crews!) on this and other French airships!
VZ-7 until VZ-15 (1918)
VZ-16 until VZ-23 (Only VZ 16 until VZ 20 built!) 1919
ZD-1 until ZD -5 (Zodiac Destroyer) 1918
ZD-US 6 until 8 1919 Only ZD US-6 built and were ordered by US Navy! Carried a 75 mm gun!
I gues so a bit these were all WWI used ones.
Notice hopwever some of the post-WWI French constrcuted airships were perhaps still in service as "school-airships"! (Lebaudy's ?)
Also "Zodiac III"which was until outbreak WWI based in Belgium at Wilrijk (Belgian Army Airship) was just as the Milititary "Belgique III" transported by raod on wagons to France/Rochefort and was used there as School-airship at Rochefort or La Rochelle!
VBR
Jempie
(Sorry but before I could finish the post I touched a wrong button somewher! So twice mailed now!)
Hallo Jempie,
Many thanks to you for the information. It is very interesting. Your mention of the post WW I constructions reminded me of something I read. As part of the post-war agreement, France received three airships from Germany: L 72, LZ 113, and the commercial ship Nordstern. Feelings were so bitter and strained between the former enemies that the Germans handed over the airships, but refused to provide operating and technical information. As I understand it, two of the three ships were dismantled by the end of 1921. The exception was L 72, which had been renamed the Dixmude. After setting an endurance record, it was lost in an explosion near Sicily in 1923. It was the last of the German war-era ships.
Best Regards,
Durand
Many thanks to you for the information. It is very interesting. Your mention of the post WW I constructions reminded me of something I read. As part of the post-war agreement, France received three airships from Germany: L 72, LZ 113, and the commercial ship Nordstern. Feelings were so bitter and strained between the former enemies that the Germans handed over the airships, but refused to provide operating and technical information. As I understand it, two of the three ships were dismantled by the end of 1921. The exception was L 72, which had been renamed the Dixmude. After setting an endurance record, it was lost in an explosion near Sicily in 1923. It was the last of the German war-era ships.
Best Regards,
Durand
-
Edward L. Hsiao
- Member
- Posts: 2105
- Joined: 01 Aug 2003, 09:43
- Location: Flagstaff,Arizona
Re: French Airship Fleet
Were there any French airships shot down by German fighters during World War I?
Edward L. Hsiao
Edward L. Hsiao