The Greek Airforce

The first period of the Greek Airforce officially started with the first flight of the Greek plane "Daidalus" , which belonged to Henry Forman, on May 13th 1912 and ended with the tragedy in Asia Minor.

A period of inactivity followed until after the end of the Balkan Wars. From 1914 the Navy Airforce, which was based at Elefsina at the beginning and at Palaio Faliro afterwards, began to develop under British Royal Airforce. At the same time the military Airforce tried to regain ground. It began to form many squadrons using mainly Greek personnel. A large number of airplanes was disposed on these squadrons. Most of them were new and after the war they were given to the corresponding Airforce.

The Greek Airforce also used English planes at the Navy Airforce, whereas the Military Airforce used French planes. The number of airplanes that were accorded, their condition and the terms of the deal with England and France are ambiguous and uncertain.

After the declaration of the war in September 1916 against the Germans and their allies, the Greek, Turkish and French squadrons were configured at the Macedonian Front. Also, a Navy Airforce station was established on the Greek island Limnos, at the port of Moudros, with the initiative of the famous Greek pioneer aviator Moraitinis.

The Navy station at Moudros was also the base of the British Royal Air Corp command, which operated under the command of Colonel Gorson of the Royal Marines. Gorson also reinforced the British squadrons of the area and he was responsible for the training of new pilots. So the Greek Airforce training centre operated at the port of Moudros. The training aircraft of the Greek pilots were Bleriot , BE-2E and BE-2C.

The frequent bombardment of the Turkish Navy station at Nagara that included German ships caused German air raids at Moudros that caused several damages at the Greek base.

The period 1919-1920 ended with the Minor Asia expedition. At the beginning of that expedition the Greek Airforce was in an incredibly good condition with modern material and European training. But by the end of the expedition the Airforce was seriously damaged and there was an immediate need for reorganization and for supply of new material.