Marcel O. Albert This is Me

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1. 1. www.efsim.com

   www.efsim.com/index.cfm?Action - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/5/2008   Last Visited: 3/5/2008

   Marcel Albert achieves 23 recorded victories, 6 of which are individual, while in the GC I/3 of the Squadron 340 of the RAF and the Normandy-Niemen Squadron.
   
   Details
   
   Marcel Albert was born on November the 25th 1917 in Paris and joined the French Air Force in December of 1938.He is trained in Istres, and becomes a flight instructor at the Chartres Air Force Base when the war begins.In February of 1940, he is Sergeant and is assigned to the 2nd Squadron of the GC I/3.
   
   Before the Armistice he is sent to North Africa with his group and in October of 1941, just after his promotion to Flight Sergeant, he escapes to Gibraltar with his D520 with Albert Durand and Marcel Lefevre to join forces with the FAFL.In the beginning of 1942, he goes to a training unit and joins the Squadron 340 in May.
   
   In July of 1942 he is Aspirant and is transferred to the Normandy-Niement Squadron.In December he is promoted to Pilot Officer and arrives on Soviet ground.In September of 1943, he takes charge of the 1st Squadron and is rapidly promoted to Flying Officer.
   
   He returns to Paris on June the 20th 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, aboard his Yak, a present from Stalin.He leaves the Air Force in 1948 with the rank of Squadron Leader.

2. 2. Marcel Albert Top French Ace of WW II

   www.aviationartstore.com/alber - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/2/2007   Last Visited: 7/9/2008

   Captain Marcel Albert
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   Limited Edition prints are signed by the Artist and Albert.
   
   How to Order, Add to Cart
   
   This story of Marcel Albert is by:
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   Marcel is in the center of this photo.
   
   Marcel and his fellow aviators are unaware in this photo of the future a head of them.
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   Marcel flew against the German Ace Horst Petzschler many times and they may have shot at one another in aerial combats.Marcel and his fellow Free French were not communist.They were true France Patriots fighting against the Germans only.Marcel was the top French Ace of WWII and met General Charles De Gaulle several times and received many awards from both Russia and France.
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   De Gaulle gave Marcel a document in person that was personally signed by the General clearly stating that Marcel was the top French Ace of WWII.
   
   Marcel Albert, the top French Ace of World War II.
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   Marcel Albert is on the left in the photo above.
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   Marcel and other French pilots along with their ground crews joined together and formed the Free French Air Force.
   
   Albert and the group went to Russia to help the Russians in their war against Germany on the eastern front.The group was known as the Normandie-Niemen.Marcel had already fought the German Luftwaffe when they invaded France in 1940.
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   Marcel remembers temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees below zero!The group trained in the two seated version of the Yakovlev-7 and the Yak-1B fighter.Marcel and the other French pilots fell in love with the Yak-1B.The fighter was constructed with steel tubing and fabric covering, light metal alloys, and wood.The engine was powerful which gave the Yak speed, easily maneuverable, and well armed with small cannon and twin machine guns.
   
   Marcel Albert
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   On March 26, Marcel, and fellow squadron mates, da la Poype, and Risso flew the first sortie when they were scrambled after a reconnaissance aircraft that was never contacted.
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   Marcel in Russia.The young dashing Free French fighter pilot.
   
   By mid-summer 1943 the skies over western Russia was controlled by the Soviet Air Force including the Normandie-Niemen group.Losses in the regiment was thinning the ranks.
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   Marcel Albert was named an official "Hero of the Soviet Union".
   
   The war record of the Normandie-Niemen was an impressive 5,240 missions delivering a squadron total of 273 confirmed aerial victories, 37 probable, and 45 enemy aircraft described as "sorely damaged".Marcel was the groups top ace with twenty two confirmed, one probable, and two other aerial victories flying in France at the beginning of the war.
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   Marcel has letters signed by De Gaulle celebrating Marcel Albert as being the highest scoring French Ace of WWII.
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   Marcel Albert was born in Paris in 1917.Marcel developed an interest in aviation and joined the military and entered flight training in at the Caudron Flight School at Anberieu, near Leon.He received his wings as a Sergeant in May 1938.
   
   He was then sent to Istres for advanced flight training and combat tactics.His first post was the Centre Instruction Chasse at Chartres.Here he flew the French-built Bloch 152, the Morane-Saulnier 406, and the American-built Curtiss Hawk 75.
   
   On September 1st 1939, Germany invaded Poland and tensions in Europe where high.Marcel was posted to Escadrille GC I/3 in February 1940.Here he flew the new Dewontine 520, France's newest fighter.
   
   The Dewontine D-520 fighter that Marcel fought the German Blitz in.
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   On May 20th just before the armistice with Germany, Marcel claimed another enemy aircraft, a Heinkel 111 bomber.Because of the confusion with the fall of the French Air Ministry, the Heinkel was not confirmed and listed as a probable.
   
   Another great photo of a Dewontine D-520 and the dashing young Marcel.
   
   After the armistice, the Vichy French government sent Marcel's squadron to North Africa.After a few missions, at Mersel Kebirs, Marcel and other pilots left for Gibraltar on October 14,1941 and joined General De Gaulle and the Free French in England.
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   For this action, the Vichy French condemned Marcel Albert to death for treason.The allies were afraid that the French Navy would be used against them in the Mediterranean.The RAF and Americans launched "Operation Torch", attacking the French fleet and landing American troops in the North African Ports.Marcel almost found himself fighting against the Allies.
   
   Marcel knew that he did not want to fight against the allies and decided with two other pilots to fly to Gibraltar where they surrendered their aircraft.For this act the Vichy French Government sentence Marcel Albert to death for treason.
   
   Marcel made his way to England and volunteered to fly for the RAF.Marcel was assigned to the 340 Squadron and flew 47 missions with the RAF.
   
   In late 1942, Marcel and 13 other pilots with 50 mechanics left Scotland for Russia to form the Normandie Regiment.This was a squadron of free French pilots flying the Russian Yakovlev Yak-1B, the Yak-3, and Yak-9 fighters.
   
   Marcel claimed his first victory on June 16th against a Focke Wulf 189.Most of Marcel's missions against the Germans were in the support of the Russian ground troops.Strafing German infantry, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns and supply convoys.
   
   As the Russians forced the Germans back, Albert became an ace with his victories steadily climbing.On October 12, 1943, Marcel and his squadron were attacking German bombers, when Focke Wulf's bounced them.
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   Together they claimed 29 German aircraft shot down with Marcel claiming three himself.
   
   Marcel was a skilled pilot and aerial combatant.Only two enemy bullets ever hit his plane, which were from the rear gunner of a Junkers JU87 Stuka.While attacking the Junkers Ju87, Marcel came in close on the right side of the Stuka and looked over to see the rear gunner swing his gun around and fire at Marcel.It looked like a fire works display, with fireballs streaking across the distance between the two aircraft.Marcel's plane was hit just under his foot and once in the gas tank.Fortunately, Marcel's gas tanks were full and did not catch on fire.Marcel pulled ahead of the Stuka and came around again.This time giving himself more distance on the rear of the Stuka, Marcel fired striking the German in the tail sending the plane out of control to the earth.These were the only two enemy bullets that ever hit his plane.
   
   On a mission against a German airbase at Lyda, Poland, Marcel was flying escort for Russian bombers striking the airstrip.His mission was to make sure that no aircraft took off to attack their bombers and to cover the bombers from any Germans that may already be airborne.They found the airfield filled with at least 200 enemy aircraft and no defensive air activity.The Germans had their aircraft lined up perfect for the aerial attack.
   
   While flying around the field as the Russian bombers were dropping their bombs on the parked enemy aircraft, Marcel noticed buses rushing to the airfield which contained the German pilots and ground crew.Marcel and his fellow fighter pilots descended on them and cut the buses to pieces.
   
   The bombing mission was successful but there were many German aircraft left untouched.They were scheduled for another strikes that afternoon to finish off the German planes.Marcel knew that this was not wise.They had caught the enemy off guard once but may not be so lucky again.
   
   As Marcel guessed, the Germans were waiting for them.Even though Marcel and the other fighter pilots fought to protect the bombers, they lost eight of their planes.
   
   Life in the Russian Air Force had many drawbacks, especially as they quickly advanced as the Germans retreated.Many times, Marcel and his squadron were flying from airfields that were within miles of the front.Food and other supplies were also at a minimum.Advancing sometimes quicker than the supplies lines could help them.For several months, Marcel and the others ate dog food.
   
   Albert was promoted to Captain and was one of the few foreigners ever to receive the highest USSR award for valor, the Gold Star and the title "Hero of the Soviet Union".The Yak 3 above, Number 6, was the plane that earned him most of his victories.
   
   Marcel Albert flew for three different air forces during his combat career.The French, the English, and the Russians.Marcel ended the war with 23 confirmed aerial victories.Three Junkers Ju88's, three Junkers Ju87 Stuka's, one Dornier Do 17's, one Heinkel He 111, one FW 189 observation plane, three Henschel Hs 129's, two Bf

3. 3. www.aviationartstore.com

   www.aviationartstore.com/print - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/19/2008   Last Visited: 1/19/2008

   Top French Ace, Marcel Albert
   
   Italian Torpedo Bomber Pilot, Dal Corradini, SM 79 Pilot