About the book: 2013 / During the First World War, French aviation was a worthy rival to the Kaiser's Air Force - the French "newports" and "spads" were in no way inferior German “fokkers” and “albatrosses”, and the names of the famous “Gallic” aces are inscribed in history in gold. Where did all this loud glory disappear to at the beginning of World War II? Why was the vaunted Armais de l'Eure (French Air Force) unable to repel the Luftwaffe in 1940? What is the reason for the crushing defeat of French aviation - are the aircraft designers and industrialists to blame for not providing it with modern aircraft, or the general staffs who adopted a flawed aircraft construction program, or the insufficient training of French pilots? A new book by a leading Air Force historian answers these questions by analyzing the combat capabilities of all without exceptions of French fighters of the Second World War (both the newest and obsolete, not only mass-produced, but also experimental machines) and the features of their combat use at all stages of the French campaign - both during the “Phantom War” and during the German Blitzkrieg. Of particular interest is information about the actions of Vichy aviation in North Africa, Syria, Indochina, Senegal and Madagascar, as well as about the combat operations of Free French fighter units, including the legendary Normandy-Niemen regiment».