The French
Army Air Service (Aéronautique Militaire)
was formed in October
1910. France led the world in early aircraft design and by 1912
five squadrons were in service with field armies, each equipped
with six aircraft. By August 1914 the French had 132 aircraft (Farman
MF7, Farman HF-20 and Bleriot XI).
In the
early months of the First World War the French Army Air Service
provided accurate reconnaissance before the Battle of the Marne.
Heavy losses forced the French government in 1915 to order another
2,300 machines. This included the Nieuport II, Farman MF-II, the
Voisin V and the Morane-Saulnier.
By 1916
French aircraft manufacturers were producing nearly 500 machines
a month. However, losses were so heavy that by the start of the
summer offensive France had only 1,149 aircraft on the Western Front.
Production was increased and in April 1917, numbers of available
aircraft had reached 2,870. By the Armistice the French Army Air
Service had 3,222 aircraft and 127,630 men.
