Pics : 'Normandie Niemen'

The funniest, Martin, that you come up with these great sites almost within walking distance of my home and that I have never been there. As an excuse there is so much to see that I don't know where to start, as you said France is a treasure for the History lover. There is a great Resistance museum near Orleans. they have parts of of US. bombers there and I haven't had time to get there..can you imagine?

 

thanks!!
i will try to get there on my 2009 trip!!!
thanks again!!!

 

Presidents salute heroic French war pilots

Nicolas Sarkozy and Vladimir Putin have hounoured the legendary French pilots who fought in World War Two, unveiling a memorial to the Normandie-Niemen air regiment at Lefortovo Park in eastern Moscow.


RussiaToday : Features : Presidents salute heroic French war pilots

Photos here.
>>> Nouvelle page 0





from this site.
Mémorial Normandie Niemen sommaire



Found this too,great photos of the last yak.
Yak 3 / Yakolev 3 / Russian fighter

 

Great news. I knew that he was in Russia these days but I didn't know he had a thought for these brave pilots. A good point for both leaders. Thanks for posting the link

 

Many thanks for that, WW..an amazing coincidence as to be honest, I'd hardly even heard of the NN until last month. Even my wife was impressed by the photo of Putin & Sarkozy and had to concede that maybe I hadn't 'dragged her to an obscure museum' after all......

 

Martin tell your wife that the Normandie Niemen is a big thing in both Russia and in France. There was even a stamp issued some years ago and the veterans were decorated by Stalin.

 

Lithuania also did some stamps.
Lithuania - Postal History - Soviet Stamps 1947-1990 on Lithuanian Subjects

 

Bingo, Wesex you beat me on that one. Ididn't know about the CCCP ones, thanks for that. i like the French one because it tells the battle curiculum

 

Book about them for sale at £1.60!!!!

FRENCH EAGLES, SOVIET HEROES: The French Normandie-Niemen Squadrons on the Eastern Front 1943-45 *::*World War II*::*Time Periods*::*Naval & Military Press



For the first time in the English language the story is told of the most highly decorated French Air Fighter Group of all time.Their battle honours included Kursk, Smolensk, Berezina, Niemen and Koenigsberg.They became the second highest scoring Fighter Regiment of the Red Air Force. Normandie’s Marcel Albere was to become France’s top ace of WW2.Their reputation like that of the British Commandos was such that Field Marshal Keitel issued orders that Normandie pilots were to be executed on capture.They flew the Yak-3 the best dogfighter of WW2, they outflew and outfought the crack German JG51 Moulders Group in East Prussia.They became the first western allies to capture and occupy German territory.Uniquely in June 1945, Stalin gave every French pilot a Yak-3 to return home in.The book contains a comprehensive roll of every pilot, including their victories, awards and casualties.Normandie had racked up an impressive 273 confirmed victories and another 36 probables.An amazing aerial combat story of a fearless group of pilots who served France in her darkest hours.
90% Details Product Code:8842Author:John D. ClarkeISBN:0750940743Format:2005. 288pp, with 3 maps and 40 b/w illustrations, hb. Published Price £19.95Shipping Time:This item is usually dispatched Next DayRetail Price:£19.95Our Price:£2.00 save 90% January sale price: £1.60

 

One for the "someday" list!!!