{{Short description|Greek military aviator (1885–1956)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Air Commodore | name = Michael Moutoussis | native_name = Μιχαήλ Μουτούσης | image = Michail Moutousis.jpg | caption = Moutoussis {{c.|1912}} | birth_date = {{c.|lk=no|1885}} | death_date = 16 March {{death year and age|1956|1885}} | birth_place = Erineos, Achaea, Kingdom of Greece | death_place = Athens, Kingdom of Greece | nickname = | allegiance = {{ubl|Kingdom of Greece|Second Hellenic Republic}} | branch = {{ubl|Hellenic Army|Hellenic Air Force}} | service_years = 1912–1932 | rank = Air commodore | commands = | unit = Hellenic Army Air Service | battles = {{tree list}} * Balkan Wars **First Balkan War ***Battle of Lemnos * World War I **Macedonian front * Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922){{tree list/end}} | awards = | other_work = }} '''Michael Moutoussis''' ({{langx|el|Μιχαήλ Μουτούσης}}, 1885 – 16 March 1956) was a Greek military officer and pioneer of military aviation. Together with Aristeidis Moraitinis, he performed the first naval air mission in history during the Balkan Wars.<ref name=Boyne /><ref name=haf>{{cite web |title=History: Balkan Wars |url=http://www.haf.gr/en/history/history/history_2.asp |access-date=3 May 2010 |work=Hellenic Air Force |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718062057/http://www.haf.gr/en/history/history/history_2.asp |archive-date=18 July 2009 }}</ref>
==Early career== left|thumb|307x307px|Moutoussis c. 1913. Moutoussis, originally an Engineers officer, became one of the first six Greek officers in 1912 who were selected to receive aviation training in France, in order to man the newly established aviation branch of the Hellenic Army.<ref>{{cite web | title=Michail Moutousis (The History of the Hellenic Airforce) | url=http://www.earlyaviators.com/emoutous.htm | access-date=3 May 2010 | work=earlyaviators.com | archive-date=10 May 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510155711/http://www.earlyaviators.com/emoutous.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> In the following Balkan Wars (1912–1913) he initially carried out bombing missions on Turkish positions.<ref>{{cite book | last=Paris |first= Michael | title=Manchester University Press ND | publisher=Manchester University Press ND| year=1992 | page= 112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SxcNAQAAIAAJ&q=moutoussis%2B1913 | isbn=978-1-57607-345-2}}</ref> At the beginning of December 1912,<ref>See pp. 248-256 of the article by Nikos D. Karabelas [https://www.academia.edu/10384625/Etienne_Labranche_and_Kostia_Vlastos._Two_war_correspondents_of_Le_Temps_in_Preveza_during_1912-13._Etienne_Labranche_and_%CE%9A%CF%89%CE%BD%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%91._%CE%92%CE%BB%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%84%CF%8C%CF%82._%CE%94%CF%8D%CE%BF_%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%AF_%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_Le_Temps_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD_%CE%A0%CF%81%CE%AD%CE%B2%CE%B5%CE%B6%CE%B1_%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85_1912-13 Etienne Labranche and Kostia Vlastos. Two war correspondents of ''Le Temps'' in Preveza during 1912-13] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072016/https://www.academia.edu/10384625/Etienne_Labranche_and_Kostia_Vlastos._Two_war_correspondents_of_Le_Temps_in_Preveza_during_1912-13._Etienne_Labranche_and_%CE%9A%CF%89%CE%BD%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%91._%CE%92%CE%BB%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%84%CF%8C%CF%82._%CE%94%CF%8D%CE%BF_%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%AF_%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_Le_Temps_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD_%CE%A0%CF%81%CE%AD%CE%B2%CE%B5%CE%B6%CE%B1_%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85_1912-13 |date=10 July 2024 }}, in ''Prevezanika Chronika'', vol. 49-50, Preveza 2013, pp. 235-282.</ref> he was positioned in the Epirus front, where he performed various scouting and bombing operations in the region around Ioannina.<ref>{{cite web | title=Aviation in War | format=PDF | url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%200089.html | access-date=3 May 2010 | work=flightglobal.com | archive-date=25 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025193608/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%200089.html | url-status=live }}</ref> At the end of the month he was ordered to move to the Aegean front of the war, where he took part in the Battle of Lemnos.<ref>See the article by [https://www.academia.edu/10477182/%CE%99%CF%80%CF%84%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%B9_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7_%CE%9D%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B7_%CE%97_%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B7_%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%9B%CF%8C%CF%87%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%91%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD_%CE%89%CF%80%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF_%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AC_%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD_%CE%91_%CE%92%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C_%CF%80%CF%8C%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BC%CE%BF_1912-1913_ James S. Curlin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604003535/http://www.academia.edu/10477182/%CE%99%CF%80%CF%84%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%B9_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7_%CE%9D%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B7_%CE%97_%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B7_%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%9B%CF%8C%CF%87%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%91%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82_%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD_%CE%89%CF%80%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF_%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AC_%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD_%CE%91_%CE%92%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C_%CF%80%CF%8C%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BC%CE%BF_1912-1913_ |date=4 June 2017 }} in ''Prevezanika Chronika'', vol. 49-50, 2013, pp. 283-320.</ref>
==Reconnaissance over the Dardanelles== On {{OldStyleDate|5 February|1913|24 January}} a few days after the Greek naval victory at Lemnos, First Lieutenant Moutoussis and Ensign Aristeidis Moraitinis were ordered to find the position of the retreated Ottoman fleet in the Dardanelles with their seaplane, a converted Maurice Farman MF.7. When they reached the Nara naval base, they noted down the Turkish ships and installations. Before they left the area, they also dropped four bombs, but without inflicting any serious damage or casualties.<ref name=Boyne/> During the return flight, an engine failure forced them down in the Aegean Sea; they were finally collected by the crew of the nearby {{ship|Greek destroyer|Velos|1907|6}}.<ref>{{cite web | author=Jon Guttman | title=Air Attack Over the Dardanelles - Sidebar: September '98 Aviation History Feature | url=http://www.historynet.com/air-attack-over-the-dardanelles-sidebar-september-98-aviation-history-feature.htm | access-date=4 May 2010 | work=historynet.com | date=23 September 1998 | archive-date=4 January 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104234939/http://www.historynet.com/air-attack-over-the-dardanelles-sidebar-september-98-aviation-history-feature.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> This operation is regarded as the first naval-air operation in military history and was widely commented upon in the press, both Greek and international.<ref name=Boyne>{{cite book | last=Boyne |first =Walter J. | title=Air Warfare: an International Encyclopedia: A-L | publisher=ABC-CLIO | year=2002| pages= 66, 268|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FW_50wm8VnMC&dq=moraitinis&pg=PA66| isbn=978-1-57607-345-2}}</ref><ref name=haf/>thumb|left|173x173px|The Farman MF.7 of Moutoussis and Moraitinis collected by ''Velos'' after their Dardanelles mission.Moutoussis also participated in the Macedonian front of World War I as well as in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), where he was positioned in Proussa Air Field.<ref>[http://www.haf.gr/en/history/publications/volume2.asp "History of the Hellenic Air Force", Vol. II, 1919-1929] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920215648/http://www.haf.gr/en/history/publications/volume2.asp |date=20 September 2011 }}. Hellenic Air Force Publications .</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{Commonscatinline}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moutoussis, Michael}} Category:1885 births Category:1956 deaths Category:People from Aigialeia Category:Hellenic Army officers Category:Greek military aviators Category:Greek military personnel of the Balkan Wars Category:Greek military personnel of World War I Category:Balkan Wars pilots Category:Bomber pilots Category:Naval aviators