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Old December 25th, 2011, 01:35 PM
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Fallout Re: Question about Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient, French Indoch

I would've thought the French sourced references would've answered your questions, I see not. So for the French absolutely no jets and from the book I own HELL IN A VERY SMALL PLACE The Siege of Dien Bien Phu by Bernard B. Fall I will present only the fighters and bombers portion from Appendix C: The Role of Airpower page 485 of this great book;
Fighters
Fighter Group 1/22 "Saintonge"}
Fighter Group 2/22 "Languedoc"} F8F Bearcats (U.S)
3rd Carrier Assault Flotilla SB-2C Helldivers (U.S.)
(On Arromanches until April 30)
11th Carrier Fighter Flotilla F6F Hellcats (U.S.)
(On Arromanches until April 30)
14th Carrier Fighter Flotilla 18 F4U Corsairs (U.S.)
(On Belleau Wood, replacing
decimated 11th Flotilla on May 1)

Bombers
Bomber Group 1/25 "Tunisie" B-26 Marauders (U.S)
28th Bomber Flotilla (French Navy) PB4Y2 Privateers (U.S)
It continues on in order to list Transports, Recon, Lia. & Med Evac, Civilian and Additional transports flown.


At that battle 6 Bearcats actually provided close air support from the airfield there until it was rendered unusable and to the armor question it appears only two CHAFFEE tanks were there both having been flown in crated with final assembly done on site. What in the end killed the French in regards to air power was just the total lack of it especially in transport resupply capability. This mistake among others would not be repeated again in Algeria.
So this answers Jets-No Corsairs-yes but, only after the U.S. was finished with them near the end of a little war we were in, The Korean War. Or you can refer back to Post #11

Regards,
Pat

Last edited by FASTBOAT TOUGH; December 25th, 2011 at 01:49 PM..
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