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Normandie-Niémen french pilots jackets.
- Thread starter Kermit3D
- Start date
flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
They were part of the RAF as The FRENCH FIGHTING FREE FORCES .... All of them were volunteers.
Kermit3D
Well-Known Member
Okay, I get it. 
I found this on Wikipedia:
" The first 14 fighter pilots of the G.C.n°III hailed from units of the Royal Air Force or from the Fighter Group Île-de-France in England (The English) and from the Alsace Fighter Group (groupe de chasse Alsace) North Africa (The Libyans). The English, eight strong, included aspirant Joseph Risso (French: Joseph Risso), aspirant Yves Mahé, lieutenant Didier Béguin, aspirant Marcel Albert, aspirant Marcel Lefèvre, aspirant Albert Durand, aspirant Yves Bizien and aspirant Roland de la Poype. The six Libyans were aspirant Noël Castelain, lieutenant Raymond Derville, lieutenant André Poznanski, lieutenant Albert Preziosi, captain Albert Littolff, and commandant Jean Tulasne. "
I found this on Wikipedia:
" The first 14 fighter pilots of the G.C.n°III hailed from units of the Royal Air Force or from the Fighter Group Île-de-France in England (The English) and from the Alsace Fighter Group (groupe de chasse Alsace) North Africa (The Libyans). The English, eight strong, included aspirant Joseph Risso (French: Joseph Risso), aspirant Yves Mahé, lieutenant Didier Béguin, aspirant Marcel Albert, aspirant Marcel Lefèvre, aspirant Albert Durand, aspirant Yves Bizien and aspirant Roland de la Poype. The six Libyans were aspirant Noël Castelain, lieutenant Raymond Derville, lieutenant André Poznanski, lieutenant Albert Preziosi, captain Albert Littolff, and commandant Jean Tulasne. "
Kermit3D
Well-Known Member
For the anecdote, I had the chance to interview Joseph Risso at his home near Marseille, when I was a student. I was working on the realization of a little video game about Normandy niemen.
General Risso had welcomed us with immense kindness, in all simplicity. He told us about his career as a French pilot on the Russian front... this man had an incredible life.
... a great moment that I will never forget.
General Risso had welcomed us with immense kindness, in all simplicity. He told us about his career as a French pilot on the Russian front... this man had an incredible life.
... a great moment that I will never forget.
Flightengineer
Well-Known Member
During WW2 Britain supplied some Irvins to the USSR. Some Russian pilots wore these jackets. French pilots could get them already in Russia. I don’t know for sure, but at the time it wasn’t amazing.
Saint-ex
Well-Known Member
Do you know what is the patch wore on the A-2 here ?
Pilot
Well-Known Member
Not sure... a training squadron if I recall correctly... but unsure.
Will ask my friend.
Pilot
Well-Known Member
My friend came back to me about the patch...
No info, most probably a training squadron and a self made patch.
Pilot
Well-Known Member
France was ruined after the „ Front Populaire „ and the Debacle/ Desaster of 1940.
No chance to decently equip not gear up anyone in the armed forces prior the 1960ies ( 1960...les 30 glorieuses/ the 30 glories).See our military gear and equipment during Indochina, Suez, Algeria, etc...
France was heavily depending on the various allied Lend-Lease program/donations... (and the last installments were only paid back in 1987 by Monsieur Jacques Chirac...).
I am very much afraid that a similar situation may arise very soon if C-19 keeps its gripping for much longer... except there is no more Lend Lease from our allies.
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flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
Friend of mine had his father ordered a custom shearling jacket A CUSTOM inspired IRWIN with a look of a B6. The jacket was worn till the end of the war during service. He was a part of the crew on a PBY CATALINA.
Sideslip
Well-Known Member
My grandmother's cousin was Albert Preziosi. He escaped to England on 17/18 June 1940 by stealing an aircraft with some other pilots, flew P-40s in Libya and ended up in Normandie-Niemen. Unfortunately, he was lost on a mission in the Orel region on 28 July 1943. I was able to visit the Normandie-Niemen memorial in Moscow during a business trip some years ago. When my Russian colleagues found out that one of my ancestors flew in Russia during the war, they thanked me for what he had done (I had done nothing of course other than have a related bloodline, but they were much warmer to me than the other HQ guys). There is also a Normandie-Niemen themed restaurant in Moscow. I have no photographs of him in flying gear, but here is one of him in Russia (centre, second from the left). Albert was a pre-war pilot, his brother, Jean Preziosi did St Cyr and ended up a Jedburgh during the war.
Sergey65
Member
About 10 years ago I bought this Irvine English flight jacket from an antique shop in Moscow. The seller told me that this jacket was brought to him by a relative of the Russian veteran.
The reverse side of the collar of this jacket is bright yellow. Obviously for better visibility and quick pilot detection on the water.
Yes, in the middle of the war, many Russian pilots used British and American flight jackets and suits supplied by the Lend Lease to the USSR.
Sideslip, deep bow and eternal memory to your relative.
Best regards,
Sergey
The reverse side of the collar of this jacket is bright yellow. Obviously for better visibility and quick pilot detection on the water.
Yes, in the middle of the war, many Russian pilots used British and American flight jackets and suits supplied by the Lend Lease to the USSR.
Sideslip, deep bow and eternal memory to your relative.
Best regards,
Sergey
Chris 55
Well-Known Member
Nice Irvin and with having the yellow hood they are getting rare now.
So your jacket would be around 1941-43 I believe.
