Flottille 4F

Flotille 4F (abbreviated to 4F) is a French Aeronavale aircraft squadron based at Base Aéronavale de Lann Bihoué and equipped with three Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, these aircraft are operated from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Flotille 4F
Active	1918–1926 1930–1943 1944–1997 2000–present
Country	France
Allegiance	French navy
Branch	French Naval Aviation
Type	Naval aviation
Role	Airborne Early Warning
Size	90+
Garrison/HQ	Base Aéronavale Lann Bihoué
Nickname(s)	The four (La quatre)
Colors	Orange
Equipment	Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
Engagements	World War II First Indochina War Lebanese Civil War Bosnian War War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Opération Harmattan
Decorations	Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures Cross for Military Valour

A E-2C Hawkeye in 2004

Post-war history

A TBM-3E in the 1950s

The squadron was formed in July 1944 to operate the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, it converted to the Grumman TBM-3E Avenger in October 1953.^[1] In 1959 the squadron re-equipped with the Breguet Alizé carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft, the squadron operated these aircraft until 1997.^[1]

Flotille 4F was re-formed on 10 March 2000 to operate three Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye carried-based airborne early warning aircraft.

References

1. Jackson 1979, p. 78

Bibliography

• Jackson, Paul A. (1979). French Military Aviation. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0 90459718 0.
• Morareau, Lucien (February 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (1)" [History of French Carrier Units: The 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 1]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (243): 14–21. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Morareau, Lucien (March 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (2)" [History of French Carrier Units: 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 2]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (244): 42–44. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Morareau, Lucien (April 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (3)" [History of French Carrier Units: 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 3]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (245): 21–26. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Morareau, Lucien (May 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (4)" [History of French Carrier Units: 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 4]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (246): 36–42. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Morareau, Lucien (June 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (5)" [History of French Carrier Units: 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 5]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (247): 26–32. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Morareau, Lucien (July 1990). "Histoire de l'Aéronautique embarquée en France: la 4eme Flotille, à la reconaissance et bombardement (6)" [History of French Carrier Units: 4th Reconnaissance and Bombardment Squadron, Part 6]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (248): 12–21. ISSN 0757-4169.