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The CAF French Wing is proud to present the latest issue of its documentary series, History and Duty of Remembrance.

In this episode, Stéphane Duchemin receives Henri Ecochard, Free French and Piper L-4 pilot.

Henri Ecochard was 16 when war was declared in 1939 and 17 when, a year later, he joined the Free French forces in England. In 1941, he left for Equatorial Africa and joined Syria in June. He took part in the Libyan campaign in 1942 and the Tunisia campaign in 1943. He was trained on the Piper L-4 in 1944 in Algeria and then took part in the Liberation of Europe with the 1st DFL until his demobilization after the victory against Germany in 1945.

In this interview, he looks back on his years of war and was very moved to find his Piper Cub (those of the Association Ham & Jam) during the Paris Villaroche Air Legend.

NB: The video is in French, but you can select automatically translated English subtitles by clicking the settings button on the lower part of the video.

Source: CAF French Wing website

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As part of the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in June 2019, preparations have begun for an exceptional commemoration. These jubilee commemorations will probably be the last ones to be attended by veterans of World War II.

From the 6th to the 9th of June 2019, the French association L-Birds back to Normandy is organizing an unprecedented gathering of liaison aircraft, often referred to as L-Birds (L for Liaison). This gathering will include Piper L-4 Grasshoppers, Stinson L-5 Sentinels and other rare L-Birds, some of which are the only airworthy remaining examples !

More than 40 liaison aircraft, all authentic and in their wartime colours, will fly to Normandy from all over Europe. This will be the largest concentration of liaison aircraft since 1945, all being veterans and representing the various types of liaison aircraft used by the belligerents during the war. They will be displayed together, flown by pilots from 13 different countries.

The rallying point before the commemorative flights will be the Saint André de l’Eure airfield, a former German base which became Advanced Landing Ground B-24 when the Allies took control. This airbase was home to C-47 Dakotas and hundreds of L-Birds during the Battle of Normandy.

More info can be found on the association’s website : L-Birds.fr.