1/25 "BISON" SQUADRILLE
Approval No. A810
Heraldic definition: Bison cake passing bypassed on a terrace with a chief two stars with five spokes a crescent moon in the sinistral canton of the chief all Argent
The 1/25(2) "Bison" squadron was created at the same time as the 25th Bombardment Squadron on January 1, 1936 from the naval aviation squadrons (the first joined the I/25 while the 4B2 the GB II/25).
A fortuitous creation, the 1-25(2) does not inherit any tradition and therefore traces its own path since its birth. It is difficult to separate from the 4B3 "Owl" since they experienced the same adventures and the same story.
With the Farman F168 "Goliath" then the Block 200 in 1939, the 1/25(2) mainly took part in coastal surveillance and anti-ship warfare missions. The outbreak of the Second World War led to the installation of the I/25 at Bougie (today Bejaya, in Algeria) to carry out flights to protect convoys and search for enemy submarines.
From May 26 to June 12, 1940, the 1/25(2) of GB I/25 was detached to Salon de Provence then to Istres and transformed into a modern bomber, le Lioré and Olivier 45 commonly called LéO 45. With the declaration of war by Italy on June 10, 1940, it was placed at the disposal of the command of the air forces of the South-East. Despite her lack of training on these new machines, she participated in six night bombardments on the Italian base of Novi-Ligure. However, the general withdrawal of aviation towards North Africa is ordered, and the armistice temporarily puts an end to the activities of the squadron, the Group and the Wing.
After a dark period under the colors of Vichy and a campaign in Syria against the British, the 1/25(2) joined the heavy groups of the FAFL (347 Squadron) and equipped itself with the very heavy bombardier_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b- 136bad5cf58d_"Halifax".
After the war, the 1/25(2) exchanged its "Halifax" for des B26 "Invade". The end of the Asian conflict also puts an end to the existence of GB I/25 TUNISIA. The 4B3 is put on hold, although for a limited time since the traditions of the I/25 are very quickly taken over by the new Bombardment Squadron (EB) 2/92 AQUITAINE equipped with the new heavy fighters SO 4050 "Vulture" IIB.
The dissolution of 2/92 in 1974 led to the transfer of traditions to the Center d'Instruction des Forces Aériennes Stratégiques (CIFAS 328), still based in Bordeaux-Mérignac. According to the name changes of the unit, the 1/25(2) thus welcomed le Mirage IV A and the Mirage III B, even if the badge was not worn on these magnificent fuselages.
In 1992 the 1/25(2) was put on hold again to be reactivated only in 2001 on the air base 116 of Luxeuil as the 2nd squadron of the new Tactical Training Center (CITAC) 339 AQUITAINE, in charge of the Mirage 2000 N crew training.
In 2010, the 1/25(2) became the second squadron of the newly created Escadron de Transformation Rafale 2/92 AQUITAINE on the latest air force vector, le Gust.