Georges Felix Madon, Le Diable Rouge

[2996 Victor]

Bonjour, mes amis!

 

Having finally succumbed to the siren song of Great War aeroplanes, I'm rediscovering so much that I'd forgotten during the last 25 years, and of course new research has turned up much new and exciting information. As an aside to my preferred Austro-Hungarian/Italian Front fighter subjects, during some preliminary Italian SPAD researches my memory was jogged by the red-painted SPADs of Georges Felix Madon, France's No.4 ace.

 

The t'interweb turns up some fascinating information on the man himself, and his tragic death in 1924, but very little about his aircraft other than profiles (and we all know how iffy they can be!) and models built by others based on who-knows-what information.

 

Unfortunately, I sold most of my WW1 library while I was married ("What do you need all that rubbish for???"), including a complete set of Windsock Datafiles  What I'd like to ask is if there are any known photos of Madon's SPADs or other info. I'm primarily interested in the S.XIII(s?) which I believe had camouflaged wings. I would imagine Osprey's SPAD Aces would have something, and what about Windsock Datafile 32?

 

Any suggestions welcomed!

 

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[derekS]

Hi,Mark,

I`ve checked Datafile No32,nothing in there.

InSquadron/Signal NO93[SPAD Fighters in action] there is aphoto

captioned as aSPAD 12 with Madon in the cockpit. It says that the

fuselage &tail are painted red with the wings in standard camouflage.

Could be,the fuselage seems to be one colour , with no markings,the

tail is not in shot.

However,in Windsock vol 4 No3,the same photo is captioned as having

clear doped wings.It also says that Madon flew a SPAD 13 serial S515

with a red fuselage.I`ve not found a photo.

 

HTH

Derek S

 

[2996 Victor]

29 minutes ago, derekS said:

Hi,Mark,

I`ve checked Datafile No32,nothing in there.

InSquadron/Signal NO93[SPAD Fighters in action] there is aphoto

captioned as aSPAD 12 with Madon in the cockpit. It says that the

fuselage &tail are painted red with the wings in standard camouflage.

Could be,the fuselage seems to be one colour , with no markings,the

tail is not in shot.

However,in Windsock vol 4 No3,the same photo is captioned as having

clear doped wings.It also says that Madon flew a SPAD 13 serial S515

with a red fuselage.I`ve not found a photo.

 

HTH

Derek S

 

Hi Derek,

 

thank you so much for checking those sources, that's brilliant!

 

I think I'm right in saying Madon flew an S.XII and a couple of S.XIIIs with red fuselages, allegedly at least one of the latter had a white front cowling ring. If it were a XII in the photo reproduced in the Squadon/Signal book and in WS Vol.4/No.3, I think I would expect CDL wings rather than camouflaged. I'm sure I've seen a profile with info in a publication somewhere (other than on the web), but it must be 25+ years ago and the memory plays tricks!

 

I'll have to keep wracking my addled brains and looking through what references I've got left.

 

Thanks again and kind regards,

 

Mark

[berman]

I recommend purchasing French Aces of WWI volumes one and two published by Aeronaut. Volume two H to Z has eight color profiles of George Felix Madon's aircraft.

These are Bleriot 11, Farman MF 11, Nieuport 17, two Spad 7's, Spad 12, Spad 13, and Nieuport Monoplane.

[2996 Victor]

36 minutes ago, berman said:

I recommend purchasing French Aces of WWI volumes one and two published by Aeronaut. Volume two H to Z has eight color profiles of George Felix Madon's aircraft.

These are Bleriot 11, Farman MF 11, Nieuport 17, two Spad 7's, Spad 12, Spad 13, and Nieuport Monoplane.

Many thanks for the lead - these books look very interesting if quite expensive!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[48-Alone-Is-Great]

French page about Madon, his squadron and the planes: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille038.htm

[2996 Victor]

1 hour ago, 48-Alone-Is-Great said:

French page about Madon, his squadron and the planes: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille038.htm

Brilliant, thanks, that's incredibly interesting!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[2996 Victor]

My copy of the Osprey SPAD XIII Aces has finally turned up an lo! there is a profile of one of Mason's SPAD XIIIs and - huzzah! - a supporting photograph! This purports to be a late XIII. It's serial is unknown and it is with a white cowl ring, both features being visible in the photo. Excellent!

 

I think I will invest in the Aeronaut books in due course, nonetheless.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[G.R.Morrison]

Avions 166 (Nov./Dec. 2008) includes the two photos from the Esc. 38 site referenced in post no.8 of this thread, and a portside profile of SPAD XIII No.730 in March 1918 at Le Melette.  (There's a box-like motion-picture camera attached to the undercarriage.)

 

GRM

 

[2996 Victor]

On 30/10/2021 at 21:51, G.R.Morrison said:

Avions 166 (Nov./Dec. 2008) includes the two photos from the Esc. 38 site referenced in post no.8 of this thread, and a portside profile of SPAD XIII No.730 in March 1918 at Le Melette.  (There's a box-like motion-picture camera attached to the undercarriage.)

 

GRM

Hi GRM,

 

many thanks for this lead, and apologies for not having responded sooner. I've managed to find a copy of Avions No.166, which hopefully will arrive before ling!

 

Thanks again and kind regards,

Mark