{{Italic title}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name= Escadrille MF 62 - N 62 - SPA 62 |image= |caption= |dates= 1915 |country= {{flag|France}} |allegiance= |branch= 15px&nbsp; French Air Service |type= Reconnaissance/Pursuit |role= |size= |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |equipment= |equipment_label= |battles= 150px<BR>World War I |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours= |commander1= |commander1_label= |commander2= |commander2_label= |commander3= |commander3_label= |notable_commanders= |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label= |identification_symbol_2= |identification_symbol_2_label= |identification_symbol_3= |identification_symbol_3_label= |identification_symbol_4= |identification_symbol_4_label= }}

'''''Escadrille 62''''' is a French Air Force squadron. It was founded on 11 August 1915 at Lyon–Bron Airport.

==History== ''Escadrille 62'' was originally equipped with Farman two-seater reconnaissance aircraft; thus, its first designation was ''Escadrille MF62''. Its first assignment was to ''VI Armée'' of the French Army. On 5 May 1916, it was incorporated into a larger ad hoc unit, ''Groupe de Combat de la Somme''&mdash;the other units included in the group were ''Escadrille N3'', ''Escadrille N26'', ''Escadrille N73'', and ''Escadrille N103''. On 25 May 1916, it rearmed with Nieuports, becoming ''Escadrille N62''. Because the ''escadrille'' was a temporary augmentation to the ''groupe'', it was detached and reassigned to the ''VI Armée'' as that unit's ''Escadrille d' Armée'' for the remainder of the war.<ref name=Franks>{{cite book |last1=Franks |first1=Norman |last2=Bailey |first2=Frank W. |title=Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 |date=1992 |publisher=Grub Street |isbn=978-0-948817-54-0 |page=94}}</ref>

''Escadrille 62'' won five citations during its short participation in the First World War. The first, in January 1917, was for the destruction of 15 enemy aircraft and six observation balloons. On 16 November 1917, its second citation was for destroying 15 more aircraft; the ''escadrille'' was then entitled to wear a fourragère signifying its right to the ''Croix de Guerre''. At about the same time, it also re-equipped with SPADs to become ''Escadrille Spa62''. They used their new aircraft for deep photographic reconnaissance missions {{convert|50|km|abbr=on}} behind enemy lines. On 25 January 1918, they took 180 photos; on 2 February they took 130 more. They were cited for this on 7 February 1918. On 18 July 1918, they were again cited for destruction of enemy aircraft&mdash;20 airplanes and an observation balloon. Their final citation came after war's end, on 18 December 1918, crediting them with 19 more victories; it entitled the ''escadrille's'' members to wear the fourragère of the ''Médaille Militaire''. ''Escadrille 62'' was credited with a wartime record of 68 destroyed enemy airplanes and seven downed observation balloons.<ref name=Franks />

''Escadrille SPA.62'' continues to serve in the current French Air Force.

==Commanding officers== [[File:François Coli.PNG|thumb|François Coli]] * Lieutenant Horment * Capitaine François Coli * Capitaine Blaumautier<ref name=Franks />

==Notable personnel== thumb|Sargent Pierre Réjon] * Marcel Bloch * Charles Borzecki * André Louis Bosson * François Coli * Jean-Paul Favre de Thierrens * Charles Quette* Paul Tarascon<ref name=Franks /> * {{ill|Pierre Réjon|pt|Pierre Réjon}}, the first Black military pilot in France and the first French pilot of African descent to have an officially homologated aerial victory, serving with the escadrille from June 1918.{{cn|date=April 2026}}

==Aircraft== * Maurice Farman * Nieuport * SPAD<ref name=Franks />

==References== {{reflist}}

== Further reading == * Bailey, Frank W., and Christophe Cony. ''French Air Service War Chronology, 1914-1918: Day-to-Day Claims and Losses by French Fighter, Bomber and Two-Seat Pilots on the Western Front''. London: Grub Street, 2001. * Davilla, James J., and Arthur M. Soltan. ''French Aircraft of the First World War''. Stratford, CT: Flying Machines Press, 1997. * ''Les escadrilles de l'aéronautique militaire française: symbolique et histoire, 1912-1920''. Vincennes: Service historique de l'armée de l'air, 2004. {{ISBN|2-11-094692-X}}

==External links== *[http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille062.htm Escadrille MF 62 - N 62 - SPA 62]

{{wwi-air}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

Category:French Air and Space Force squadrons Category:Military units and formations established in 1915