Question. French Air Force squadron nomenclature Cold War era

[jomni]

Hi for French Air Force squadrons, I see them being numbered as 1-2 or 1/2. What do those numbers mean?

Also for abbreviation like USAF or RAF, is it acceptable to use FAF? Or should I use some other initials for my scenario?

[jomni]

Deleted

[Tofke]

for french air force 1/2 means "1er escadron de chasse de la 2ème escadre"

[Fishbed]

That's all together the French version of your Squadron/Wing stuff, a little bit complicated if you add to that the change of numbers implied by the 2nd world war, then the change of nomenclature when we started to try to sound more "NATO" like.

For the abbreviation, "AdlA", "AdA", or more remotely "AA" for Armée de l'Air are sometimes used, even if they can't be considered as official as USAF or RAF, for instance, could be.

[jomni]

Thanks I eventually just named them EC 1/2 etc. In my scenario. Trying to figure out this escaron - escadrille thing...

So their Escadron are actually larger than US squadrons in terms of numbers and are divided into Escadrille. Germans have different organization as well like I./JBG 32, etc.

[Fishbed]

Yes, take it as a French equivalent to the Geschwader/Gruppe/Staffel/Schwarm thing. A French unit names EC 1/2 is the first "escadron" of the fighter "escadre" numbered 1 (sister unit would be EC 2/2), like I./JBG 32 is the first "Gruppe" of the Jabo "Geschwader" numbered 32 (sister unit would be II./JBG 32). "Escadres" ceased to exist after the cold war (as a regrouping of "escadrons"), so now "escadrons" are on their own as autonomous units, even if most retain their original numbering.

Wing = Geschwader
Group = Gruppe = Escadre
Squadron = Staffel = Escadron (formerly known as Groupe)
Flight = Schwarm = Escadrille