| Escadrille Spa.88 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1917–1918 |
| Country |  France |
| Branch |  French Air Service |
| Type | Fighter Squadron |
| Battle honours | ThriceMentioned in dispatches Fourragere of theCroix de Guerre |
Escadrille Spa.88 (also known asEscadrille N.88) was a French fighter squadron active for the final 20 months of theFirst World War. It spent 1918 as part ofGroupe de Combat 13, beingMentioned in dispatches three times, granted theFourragere of theCroix de Guerre, and credited with 32 enemy airplanes and fourobservation balloons destroyed.
Escadrille Spa.88 was founded asEscadrille N.88 in late March 1917, as its original airplanes wereNieuport fighters. While formed in the FrenchVII Armee, on 30 June 1917 it was transferred toVI Armee.[1]
On 26 September 1917, the squadron wasMentioned in dispatches. four days later, it was refitted withSPAD S.7 andSPAD S.13 fighters and redesignated asEscadrille Spa.88. This was a prelude to being incorporated, along with three other squadrons, intoGroupe de Combat 13 the next day, 1 October.[1]
From 5 December 1917 to 15 January 1918,Escadrille Spa.88 was detached from theGroupe. After rejoiningGroupe de Combat 13, theGroupe was one of those incorporated intoEscadre de Combat No. 2 on 26 February. In turn, theEscadre was gathered into theDivision Aerienne on 14 May 1918, as part of the French accretion of airpower. TheDivision Aerienne was tasked to the U.S. 1st Army for theBattle of Saint-Mihiel. On 10 September, as part ofGroupe de Combat 13, the squadron was again Mentioned in dispatches.[1]
By war's end,Escadrille Spa.88 was credited with destroying 32 German airplanes and fourobservation balloons. On 19 November 1918, eight days after the ceasefire, the squadron was once again Mentioned in dispatches. It was also granted the right for its members to wear thefourragere of theCroix de Guerre.[1]
