Need a name & have a ?

[Wrench 9,848]

I'm trying to find the actual squadron name for the AdA unit, ECN I/71. It was a night fighter unit in the late 1950s. I know AdA units were named after provinces or colonies, but can't find much of anything on this one.

Also, looking for info on the Matra 122 air-to-air unguided rocket pod. What little i've found seems to point it's just the same as the 155 pod (looks and amount of rockets carried). Making the a-a rocket isn't a big deal ... same specs as I used for those on the Scorpions.

thanks in advance

 

[+Menrva 4,200]

I don't think it had a name, look here: http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories/france-algeria.html

It was one of those squadrons born purposely for combat missions in Algeria. It was kind of short lived, it was not one of AdA's mainland squadrons named after French provinces.

[+Gunrunner 314]

Yup, Menrva is right, it was never named, like most ad-hoc squadrons raised for our decolonisation wars.

Do you need help on documentation for ECN 1/71, I could spend some time tonight.

As for the Matra 122, that doesn't sound right, to me the Matra 122 is the training, 7 rounds version of the Matra 155, it might have been used as an ad-hoc air-to-air weapon on planes without guns though (edit: checked, the Type 122 is exactly that, not a dedicated AA version, there doesn't seem to be a specific AA SNEB version).

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Gunrunner

[eccmo 1]

Maybe this will help

21e escadrille du 21 RABN du 01/01/1932 au 01/10/1932

21e escadrille du GB III/21 du 01/10/1932 au 01/07/1933 (21 EB)

21e escadrille du GCN du 01/07/1933 au 01/10/1933 (11 EB)

3e escadrille du GC II/41 du 01/10/1933 au 01/04/1937 (41 EM)

5e escadrille du GC III/1 du 01/04/1937 au 01/01/1939 (1 EC)

1e escadrille du GCN I/13 du 01/01/1939 au 01/01/1940

Escadrille EACN 1/13 du 01/01/1940 au 12/11/1942

Escadrille ECN 1/71 du 10/10/1958 au 31/08/1962

 2ème section de l'escadron de tir 1/200 Lubéron du 03/11/1977 au 01/09/1998

2ème escadrille de l'EH 5/67 Alpilles du 16/02/2015 à aujourd'hui

Found on https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/escadrille/escadrilledivers1.htm clicking on traditions VB-135

[+Gunrunner 314]

In case it's needed, here's my translation/research dump so far

October 1, 1958		Creation as Escadrille de Chasse de Nuit 1/71 (ECN 1/71) in Tébéssa (Algeria),
			using the means of the Escadre de Chasse 30 (EC 30) from Reims (France),
			inheriting the traditions of VB 135, receiving the radio callsign "Rengaine"
			but receiving no name
			Equipped with 6 MD 315R
June 15, 1959		Move to Bône-les-Salines (Algeria) with permanent detachments to Oran, Méchéria, Tébéssa,
			El-Oued-Guelmar, Ouargla, Biskra and Bir-el-Ater
September, 1959		Equipped with 6 MD 315R and 3 Meteor NF.11
January, 1960		Equipped with 9 MD 315R and 6 Meteor NF.11
May, 1961		Arrival of the first B-26N
October, 1961		Retirement of the Meteor
			Equipped with 9 MD 315R and 6 B-26N
November 4, 1961	Transformed into the Escadron de Chasse de Nuit 1/71 (ECN 1/71)
July, 1962		Moved back to Reims (France)
August 31, 1962		Dissolution of the unit

Known planes
	Meteor NF.11	NF11-41		346-QN
	Meteor NF.11	NF11-19		346-QC
	Meteor NF.11	NF11-38		(?346-Q?)Z
	B-26N		42-32579	
	B-26N		44-34213
	B-26N		43-22609
	B-26N		44-35926
	MD 315R		13			
	MD 315R		15			
	MD 315R		24			
	MD 315R		26			
	MD 315R		32			
	MD 315R		70			

All B-26N have a N tailcode.

Reminder, the Armée de l'Air's organization at the time (and still today), doesn't follow exactly the US/UK schemes;
to simplify it's using the Escadrille/Escadron/Escadre levels, instead of the Squadron/Group/Wing ones.
An Escadrille is a smaller unit than a Squadron, usually the equivalent of two flights. It's not a subdivision of an Escadron,
but an Escadre, it's at the same level as the Escadron for most purposes, just a smaller unit.
An Escadron is usually a larger unit than a Squadron, usually regrouping the equivalent of 2 to 4 Escadrilles,
it's the new name of what was once known as a Groupe and is close to US WW2 Groups. An Escadron doesn't have Escadrille subdivisions
on an organisational level, some may be considered to have Escadrilles, but mostly as a way to carry traditions of multiple units
within a single organisational unit.
An Escadre is the largest unit below the Commandement (at that time) and is roughly the equivalent of a Wing.
In the present case, the change from an Escadrille to an Escadron is mostly administrative, apparently changing nothing in terms of personel or planes available.

Sources :
https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/escadrille/escadrilledivers1.htm#EEC171
http://www.passionpourlaviation.fr/tag/escadrille-de-chasse-de-nuit/
http://www.deltareflex.com/unite/ecn71.pdf

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Gunrunner

[Wrench 9,848]

I see I have to change the tail code; I went the "traditional" method of individual letters. Easy fix.

I (re)used the stock Matra 155s, renamed and created a A-A rocket (like I did for the Scorpions) from the 68mm SNEB. 

The sites I saw for the 26N said 8 aircraft converted. I used generic serial, except for 2 seen in a photo, and another a profile. Easy enough to make new decals of the serials listed above. Left the wing guns in place, as we don't have a dual-50 cal gun pod. 

this is just one of those "make do" projects, while I'm waiting for the Vietnam 48 to be fixed by Menrva. It will, however, BE release when I'm (more or less) satisfied with it. Don't know how it'll be used in game...with no proper NW Africa terrain..sigh.

this is a GREAT help!!!

[+Gunrunner 314]

Looking good.

Yeah, the tailcode thing is weird, but every picture I could properly source seems to confirm it, but I've yet to find a picture with two B-26N of 1/71 showing their tailcode to be absolutely sure of it.

One of the hypothesis, considering all pictures have a very small N (smaller than the numerical code), rather than the usual large letter, is that the N is not actually a tailcode, but something to indicate the aircraft is a B-26N.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Gunrunner