THE RAFALE TRANSFORMATION SQUADRON
3/4 AQUITAINE

The traditions of AQUITAINE have their origin in the formation of the I/25 bombardment group, in 1936, by transfer of a naval aviation squadron (4B3), heir to the traditions of the B101 squadron which participated in the war 1914-1918, and by the creation of a 2nd squadron without traditions.

The B101, based in Dunkirk since April 1917, was equipped with"FBA" seaplanes  and specialized in the search for submarines off the coasts of the English Channel and the North Sea. She was cited twice in the Order of the Army with the wearing of the fourragère in the colors of the Croix de guerre 1914-1918.

After the war, it became the 1/Bl squadron, it was based in Cherbourg until 1927 and equipped with seaplanes Farman F168 "Goliath". She was then sent to Karouba (Bizerte) where she took the name of 4/B3 in 1933, which she kept until January 1936, when she was paid to the Ministry of Air to become one of the two groups of the 25th Bombardment Wing, while retaining its insignia.

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Following the disappearance at sea of an F168, aircraft of this type are prohibited from flying and the GB 1/25 is transformed on Block 200. Essentially, training on these new machines, maritime surveillance and the training of young crews who arrived as reinforcements in 1939 constituted the main aerial work of the Wing until the declaration of war in September 1939.

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The task of the 25th Squadron during the Campaign in France, from September 2, 1939 to June 25, 1940 is thankless and unobtrusive. Its old, unsuitable equipment and its theater of operations far from the combat lines do not allow it to materialize its hopes of intervention.
The GB I/25 is maintained in activity after the armistice of 1940 and takes part in the campaign of Syria against the British forces. In November 1942, the GB I/25 witnessed the Allied landings on the coasts of North Africa (Operation Torch) but did not intervene due to the occupation of the free zone by German forces. At the beginning of 1943, the squadron was integrated into the RAF as a "heavy group". He abandons his twin engines LeO 45  and joins England where it is equipped with Handley Page "Halifax" heavy bombers. It operates there as "347 Squadron" and receives its traditional name TUNISIA. It accomplished its first mission in June 1944. It was the start of nine continuous months of bombing operations, generally at night, over German territory. The "Halifax" carried out destruction missions in the industrial basin of the Rhur and the launch sites of V1 rockets. In 1945, support for the troops became more important, especially in the final line of advance towards Berlin. TUNISIA's last war mission was carried out at the end of April. In total, over this short period of engagement, the "347 Squadron" had 68 crew members killed, 11 missing and twenty bombers shot down, not to mention the prisoners.
For its actions in this conflict, TUNISIA is mentioned three times in the order of the army and receives the right to wear the fourragère in the colors of the Croix de Guerre.

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After the war, it was transformed into Transport Group I/25 TUNISIA (1949-1952) because of the carrying capacity of the "Halifax", then reverted to Bombardment Group I/25 TUNISIA in 1952 in order to participate in operations in Indochina. He then abandoned his old "Halifax" and re-equipped himself with des B26 "Invader" light bombers. During this campaign, the group flew 14,200 hours in some 7,179 war missions. The GB I/25 is the subject of four citations to the order of the Air Force under the Indochina campaign. These citations include the attribution of the War Cross of the Theaters of External Operations with palms. At the end of the conflict, the GB I/25 was dissolved in 1956 and the squadron's flag was given to the SHAA.

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With the arrival of the SO 4050 "Vulture", the Air Force reactivates its bombing units. This is how the 92nd Bombardment Brigade was created on December 12, 1958 at the COGNAC air base. Following him was founded the Bombardment Squadron II/92. A letter dated May 26, 1959 signed by Gal LECLERE, commander of the Bombardment Air Force, authorizes the II/92 Squadron to take over the custody of the traditions, insignia and pennants, of GB I/25 TUNISIE, and to bear the name "Squadron de bombardment II/92 AQUITAINE" (the traditional name TUNISIA can no longer be used, given the regulations and the fact that Tunisia has become an independent state).

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The EB II/92 was dissolved on September 1, 1974. Nevertheless, the 92nd Wing was maintained in activity, bringing together the last "Vautour II B" to which were added the "Vautour II N" that the 30th Fighter Wing, transformed on Mirage F1, donated to him. When the Squadron was dissolved in 1978, the traditions of AQUITAINE were taken over by the CIFAS 328 (equipped with Mirage IV A) then by the CITac 339 AQUITAINE from 2001 to 2006.

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The AQUITAINE squadron was reformed on October 6, 2010 on Saint-Dizier air base 113 as a transformation unit on the hunter Gust, both for the benefit of Air Force and Navy pilots. The pennants of the traditional GB I/25 squadrons are given to the first commander of the ETR. The 2/92 was attached to the 4th Wing during the summer of 2015 before taking the new designation ETR 3/4 AQUITAINE. Since that date, nearly two hundred pilots have been trained in the handling of the flagship of the Air Force.

 

Note: for a more complete history of the I/25 and the CIFAS, we advise you to read the research file  produced by Ltt REDON, assisted by Adc ROUSVAL and Adc RUFFIER.