<S> to the Normandie-Niemen Group & Free French

[Rich46yo]

Nice slice of Historia about some very brave, and very skilled, Free French pilots who fought the Luftwaffe in their Yak 3s. Heres a nice page with a short description and their aces. http://www.acesofww2.com/Normandy-Niemen/Normandie-Niemen.htm

Another fine reason for the Yak-3 to be brought into Aces High. As a  to the Free French forces, 500,000 strong, who bravely fought their occupiers.

[Gabriel]

Indeed.

Probably my favorite unit/story in the war.

And they flew such beautiful planes 

[Noir]

  I played many times with the idea of creating this squad in the MA

[Ruah]

For sure,

when the Yak-3 comes I would be very interested in that. . .

[Rich46yo]

There was a famous battle where a very small, ill equipped column of Free French took on a heavily armed Italian Division in Africa, Chad I think. After a fierce battle the Free French won the oasis. The Free french forces fought as well and as hard as any allied force in the war.

Enough with the French jokes. Its time we honored the Free French and I think bringing in the Yak-3 that the Normandie-Niemen Group flew to Glory would be a fine  to the Free French forces. Land, sea, and air.

[Bruv119]

nice angle to support the inclusion of the yak-3 rich. 

The Yak-3 should be added to compliment the LA7 as the Soviet uber late war rides.

As for the frenchies give them something they flew in early war.

[Anaxogoras]

It's impressive that they chose the Yak-3 for their post-war fighter when they had the opportunity to test a wide variety of allied types.

[Noir]

It's impressive that they chose the Yak-3 for their post-war fighter when they had the opportunity to test a wide variety of allied types.

We had a lot of american types also. Our F4U4's lasted long in the 50's IIRC, we had B26's, A26's, F8F also. Actually I never saw a post war french Yak3 anywhere...I need to find more info

[Rich46yo]

Yes while it was a nice angle notice I didnt include this thread in wishlist, where I have asked for the Yak-3 numerous times. It was more to  and talk about a great airplane, and little known group that flew them well. The only 'angle" I had was History.

I could "wish" and "angle" till Im blue in the face. Aces High is going to model what they want to model. Not that I have ever been dissapointed mind you.

A D.520 or MS.406 wouldnt be a bad EW choice either. Nice angle.

[sparow]

<S> to all French!
<S> to Normandie-Niemen!
<S> to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and all Free French combatants!

Here's the Yak-3 that stands at the Musée de L'Air at Le Bourget, near Paris:



But, personally, I would prefer to see this one, to honour French Air Force and aviation industry:



If you like, you may watch all other pictures here: http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb38/Sparow_bucket/Le%20Bourget/

<Salut> les gars!

[straffo]

There was a famous battle where a very small, ill equipped column of Free French took on a heavily armed Italian Division in Africa, Chad I think. After a fierce battle the Free French won the oasis. The Free french forces fought as well and as hard as any allied force in the war.

Enough with the French jokes. Its time we honored the Free French and I think bringing in the Yak-3 that the Normandie-Niemen Group flew to Glory would be a fine  to the Free French forces. Land, sea, and air.

It's either Fezzan or Koufra (where took place the oath of Koufra :« Jurez de ne déposer les armes que lorsque nos couleurs, nos belles couleurs, flotteront sur la cathédrale de Strasbourg. » /"swear not to lay down arms until our colours, our beautiful colours, float on the Strasbourg Cathedral")

[straffo]

It's impressive that they chose the Yak-3 for their post-war fighter when they had the opportunity to test a wide variety of allied types.

Their choice was political and practical/doctrinal as the Yak3 was more like the planes they were used to use and how the intended to use it.
FAF training in the 30's/40's  was directly coming from WWI the emphasis was more on individual performance rather than collective.

@noit : il y a une yak3 au Bourget mon grand

[Rich46yo]

It's either Fezzan or Koufra (where took place the oath of Koufra :« Jurez de ne déposer les armes que lorsque nos couleurs, nos belles couleurs, flotteront sur la cathédrale de Strasbourg. » /"swear not to lay down arms until our colours, our beautiful colours, float on the Strasbourg Cathedral")

Right, that was the one. This was a great victory of the FFF and where they really cemented their reputation as a serious fighting force for the Allied cause. It was as important a moment for them as say, "Nuts" at Bastogne was for us Yanks. Or McArthur saying, "I shall return".

With not much more then rifles they beat a much larger force and took a very strategic objective that gave the Allies a lot of momentum in Africa.