Thai Fighters

[Zoe Brain]

on 22 July 1917, despite the misgivings of some members of the Royal government, King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary....

Thailand sent a small expeditionary force consisting of 1,284 volunteers under the command of Major General Phya Pijaijarnrit (later promoted to Lieutenant General and known as Phya Devahastin) to serve with the British and French forces on the Western Front. Included was a contingent of the Army Air Corps.

The Thais arrived in 1918 and the air personnel began training at the French Army Flying Schools at Avord and Istres. Over 95 men qualified as pilots and some were sent to Bomber School at Le Crotoy, Reconnaissance School at Chapelle-la-Reine, Gunnery School at Biscarosse, and to Fighter Conversion Courses at Piox. According to some sources, Thai pilots made their first sorties in the final weeks of the war, although others claim the Thais finished their training too late to take part.

-- http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/thailand.htm





The initial wave of Thai fighter and bomber pilots certainly served in French units, but may not have flown operationally. It is likely, in view of the purchase and domestic construction of Nieuport 11/16s, Spad VII/XIIIs and Breguet 14s from 1919 that these were the types flown. Again it's not known whether these had French or Thai markings.





Formal Thai squadrons with these markings had been formed before the Armistice, but were not operational.

[Linz]

Now that would be an interesting addition. Having a Thai flight. Hmmmm!
Linz

[gully_raker]

Thanks Zoe, facinating stuff!
Many of the Thai Royal family were educated in British Universities & lived in Britian & married British wives.
Prince Bira (short version) drove Racing Cars in England & Europe & then after WW2 drove in GP races & was considered a very good driver. His older brother Prince Chula acted as his manager. They even had an Official Thai Colour (Blue & Yellow) back when British cars were Green, Italian Red, German White etc.
Just a bit of Trivia for what its worth.

[Bluedevil]

Interesting piece of information

Now I don't know if this has anything to do with the above but it shows dat the Thai people are well aware of their history...all I have to do now is find the dvd :

[Zoe Brain]

Thanks Zoe, facinating stuff!
Many of the Thai Royal family were educated in British Universities & lived in Britian & married British wives.

The Thais were stuck between an expansionist British Empire in Burma to the west, an expansionist French Empire in Cochin China (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) to the east, and chaos in China to the north.
The diplomatic highwire act they performed to retain independence is fascinating.

I've done quite a bit of work for the Royal Thai Navy - their newest two ships use a combat system I was chief architect for. Chinese ships with German electronics. The German influence is strong, always has been, and the Realpolitik involved in the Thai declaration of war must have been painful for everyone.

World War II was even more interesting of course. Thailand was notionally an ally of Japan, but in practice was something else. There was a 3-way covert struggle between the OSS, SIS, and Kempitai, the UK and US competing with each other, the Japanese counter-intelligence increasingly frustrated by their Ally's non-co-operation. Thai ministers had to carefully arrange appointments. First one might see Brits (who Thailand was notionally at war with), then the Japanese (who Thailand was notionally allied to, but were actually occupying the place), then the US (who the Thais never got around to declaring war on, despite increasingly strident Japanese requests, and Thai assurances that as soon as the court astrologers said the moment was propitious, they would do immediately). Imagine "Casablanca" with the Japanese as the SS. Captain Louis Renault was very Thai.

Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much

The Japanese military left behind an unlimited supply of ill-will towards themselves as the result of their occupation, much as the SS did in France.

But I digress.

Markings for Thai aircraft in Europe were standard French 3-colour, with white (Thai) numerals, roundels and fin flashes as seen on the photos.

[Guntruck]

Very interesting Zoe, altohugh when I first saw the thread title.....

[csadn]

http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/thailand.htm

So, that would make them Imperial Thai Fighters?

:)

[fleeing]

[Tommy Z]

In Pursuit of MvR!

[Max Headroom]

I see a high chance of overshoot based on speed there Tommy!

[Rat of Vengence]

Bwahahaha! This is gold!

Dave

[Ravenlord]

very interessting - didn´t know that thai-fighters (and tie-fighters) where involved in the war

In Pursuit of MvR!

NICE!!

Matthias

[Zoe Brain]

About the complicated tightrope-walking Thailand did in WWII...

The RAF and USAAF bomb raids put the RTAF in an awkward position. As the Air Force was engaged in transporting Allied secret agents to Don Muang, it also had to counter the Allied air raids. To suppress Japanese suspicions, the RTAF continued to try to intercept Allied bombers. As the Allied air supremacy grew even more, most airfields in Thailand were attacked by USAAF fighter-bombers. Even though the RTAF was secretly supporting the Allied cause, the Allied pilots had no way of distinguishing RTAF aircraft from Japanese operated aircraft.

So one part of the RTAF was busy ferrying around SOE and OSS agents....

Following contacts between various Thai Government officials and the Allies, several groups of agents, both from the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) were sent to Thailand , becoming known as Force 136. It became the special task of the 61 st and 62 nd BS to pick up Allied agents, as well as supplies, and fly them to Don Muang. Rough landing strips were built in isolated parts of Thailand , including at Na An, and near Sakhon Nakhon. An airfield was also constructed at Lomsak, being able to handle the Ki-21s.

... in Ki-21s, thoughtfully provided by the Japanese... another part was using Hawk 75s, Ki-27s and Hayabusas to try to intercept massed B-29 raids. And occasional fighter sweeps.

During another raid on Don Muang two days later, two RTAF Ki-43s attempted to intercept about 40 USAAF P-51 Mustangs. Both Ki-43s were damaged, and the Thai pilots had to force land their Hayabusas. The strafing attack cost the RTAF yet another four aircraft, including one Ki-30. Several IJAAF aircraft were claimed as destroyed or damaged as well.

2 Ki-43s vs 40 Mustangs. That took considerable courage, to put it mildly. -- http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/j...royal_thai.htm

Now on to WWI.
Blue Rider makes some 1/48 decals for Spad VII, Spad VIII and Nieueport 11s. These should give you an idea how these aircraft were marked.