Vichy French Air Force

Australian troops at the French Aleppo airfield, Syria, in June 1941. In the foreground are Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighters. Français : Soldats australiens sur l'aéroport français d'Alep (Syrie) en juin 1941. A More

Australian troops with captured Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighters and a Potez 630 bomber, Syria, in July 1941.

Australian troops with Morane-Saulnier MS.406C1 fighters of Groupe de Chasse I/7, Aleppo-Nerab, Syria, in July 1941.

An Australian soldier (Clive H. Roughley) standing in the cocpit of a French Bloch MB.200 at Rayak, Syria, in 1941.

Tail section of a French plane in front of damaged buildings and hangars at a North African air base which was captured by the Allies.

Français : Inspection du Général Maxime Weygand à la BA de Sétit - Aïn-Arnat en 1940 avec le Gal Nogués et l'Amiral Abrial : salut aux couleurs

Crop of image showing an inspection visit of General Weygand to an air base

Acre, Syria, 1941-07-12. Vichy Air staff entering the conference building

ALEPPO, SYRIA. 1941-11. THIS CAPTURED VICHY GLENN-MARTIN BOMBER WAS USED AGAINST AUSTRALIAN TROOPS, AND IS BEING GUARDED BY MEN FROM THE 9TH DIVISION CAVALRY REGIMENT. IT WAS LATER TAKEN OVER BY THE RAAF. THE More

Français : ALEPPO, SYRIA. 1941-11. WITH ITS UNDERCARRIAGE SHOT AWAY, THIS VICHY MACHINE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. A FIRE WHICH BROKE OUT WHEN THE MACHINE CRASHED COMPLETED ITS DESTRUCTION.

ALEPPO, SYRIA. 1941-11. THESE OLD FASHIONED FARMAN PLANES WERE USED BY THE VICHY FORCES FOR RECONNAISSANCE AND BOMBING. THEY WERE FITTED, HOWEVER, WITH MODERN CAMERAS WHICH PROVED SO HELPFUL TO THEIR ARTILLERY More

Aleppo, Syria. 1941-11. Australians inspecting a crashed Vichy plane, a Potez, at the aerodrome, where heavy British air action immobilised Vichy aircraft during the campaign.

ALEPPO, SYRIA. 1941-11. AUSTRALIANS INSPECTING A CRASHED VICHY PLANE, A POTEZ, AT THE AERODROME, WHERE HEAVY BRITISH AIR ACTION IMMOBILISED VICHY AIRCRAFT DURING THE CAMPAIGN.

ALEPPO, SYRIA. 1941-11. THE WRECKAGE OF THREE VICHY PLANES, ONE A TWIN-ENGINED MACHINE FITTED WITH HISPANO-SUIZA ENGINES, AT THE AERODROME. THE MACHINES WERE DESTROYED AFTER AN AIR ATTACK ON THE AERODROME.

Aleppo, Syria. Damaged French fighters being set on fire with incendiary bullets.

BAALBEK, SYRIA. 1941. A VICHY FRENCH FARMAN 220 BOMBER/TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS DAMAGED DURING ALLIED AIR ATTACKS ON THE LANDING GROUND NEAR BAALBEK. NOTE THE BULLET HOLES IN THE SIDE OF THE PLANE. THE SAM More

Baalbek, Syria. 1941. Some of about fourteen Vichy French aircraft damaged during Allied air attacks on the airfield near Baalbek. Seen in this image are a Potez 25 biplane, pair of Potez 630 light bombers in More

Damaged Vichy planes set on fire by the Australians. (negative by G. Silk)

Syria. Damaged Vichy planes set on fire by the Australians. (negative by G. Silk)

Syria. Damaged Vichy planes set on fire by the Australians. (negative by G. Silk)

These French fighter planes, captured at Aleppo, will be used by Free French pilots against the Axis. (negative by G. Silk)

Three unidentified Australian ground crew members from No 3 Squadron RAAF, standing on the starboard wing of a damaged Vichy French Air Force, Liore et Olivier 451 twin engined light bomber at the Rayak airfie More

Le général Maxime Weygand accueilli par le général Nogués à sa descente d'avion en 1940 à la BA144 Ain-Arnat / Sétif, salués par le commandant et les officiers de la base.