KITS 02/2021

Nieuport Ni-17; N. unknown, Jean Matton, Escadrille N.48, France, Lunéville, France, July 1916

Jean Matton was a cavalryman at the outbreak of World War I, but reassigned to the air corps at the end of 1915 he underwent pilot training

at the military aviation school of Pau. He finished his training on January 14, 1916, sent to Escadrille N.57, but detached to MF20 (MF denoting the use of Maurice Farman aircraft) for the period between 2nd quarter of 1916 until July 23, 1916. He scored his maiden victory shared

with Georges Lachmann and Georges Flachaire five days later as the regular member of N.57. The victim was an Albatros C.I. On October

8, 1916 he took command of the Escadrille and led the unit until his death on September 10, 1917. Matton continued to score during this

period with the eighth and ninth (and his last) one shared with Armand de Turenne on July 6, 1917. In the late afternoon on September 10,

1917, he led the unit flying his SPAD VII (N.2416) for the aerial patrol. Near the Couckelaere (Belgium) the French pilots encountered combat

with Jasta 7 pilots. Jean Matton fell victim to one of them at 19.05, it is believed, his fatal opponent was German ace Carl Jacobs, for whom it

was 7th of his 48 victories. Nieuport flown by Matton during the summer of 1916 was in green and brown camouflage, with the undersides

probably in light blue colour (another option is factory silver coat). The cock´s head, the unit´s symbol, was painted without usual circle

around it.

38 eduard

INFO Eduard - February 2021