for all pictures Vincent van der Meer ©
It is 1952 before the escadrille SPA 162 «Tigre» reforms to join SPA 89 «Guèpes» and form the fighter squadron 01.012 "Cambresis" operating the MD450 OURAGAN Jet on Mont de Marsan Air Force Base.
On the 1st of July 1953, The Squadron was officially assigned to the 12th Wing at Cambrai-Epinoy Air Force Base.
The famous Mystère IV A arrived at Cambrai during year 1955.Four years later, on april 20th of 1959, the brand new three first SMB2 of the 1/12 Sqn landed at Cambrai AFB.
This new aircraft started a long carrier of 17 years at the squadron. the pilots of the Sqn flying on SMB2 have done many NATO missions until 1962.
By the time, in 1961, date of the first Tiger meet in Woodbridge, EC 1/12 are together with 74 Squadron RAF and 79th TFS USAF the first members of the NATO Tiger Association.
From may 1977, EC 1/12 Sqn has started to convert its pilots to the Mirage F1 C and became fully operational in January 1978.
After the conversion of the pilots to air to air refueling, the Sqn was sent to «Manta» Operation in N’Djamena-Tchad
during summer 1984.From 1986 to 1991, the EC 1/12 has done many missions in Tchad during «Epervier» Operation.
End of 1990, that’s the beginning of Koweit-Irak conflict and the Sqn was ready to start operational missions from Doha AFB - Qatar. During the war, the 1/12 Sqn was assigned to protect Qatar emirats with air defense missions.
On the 28th of april 1992, The first Mirage 2000 C landed at Cambrai and the pilots discovered a fantastic, manoeuvrable, and fully equipped aircraft which allows them to use new tactics during air defense missions.
Less than one year later, the Sqn was sent for a long period of ops missions during «Alysse» operation ( no flying zone other south Irak ) .
In 1995, once again the HQ could relay on the technicians and the pilots of the 1/12 Sqn during «Crecerelle» operation over Bosnia.
Since 1996, the Sqn received a third flight called «SPA 166 - Tarn».
And that’s during 1999 «Allied Force» Operation that the Efficiency , professionalism and Fighting Spirit of the Sqn was congatulated by the nineteen nations involved in Kosovo Operations.
In 2002, the «Cambresis» Tiger Sqn celebrated its 200 000 flight hour within 50 years of existence.
As you know, french ministry of defense has decided to close Cambrai AFB and by consequence the 1/12 Tiger Squadron will be closed in 2012.
But TiGER SPiRiT will stay and we will be back....
On April 30, 2012 EC 1/12 Cambrésis was disbanded during a ceremony at their base BA 103 Cambrai.
EC 1/12 was the last of the three founding members of the NATO Tiger Association that was still actively participating in the annual NATO Tiger Meets. 79 Squadron(USAF) redeployed to the USA in 1992, and 74 Squadron (RAF) was disbanded in 2000.
Luckily the French Air Force staff recognized the importance of the NTA, and found a solution to keep the traditions alive. SPA 162 the Flight that was originally invited to join the Tigers, is kept alive. The Flight will find a new home in Saint-Dizier flying the Rafale with the EC 1/7 Provence.
We can now only hope that, like with EC 1/12, the tiger spirit will spread true the entire Squadron. And give Escadron de Chasse 1/12 a last ‘Tigre Tigre Tigre’
hosted the Tiger Meet:
NATO Tiger Meet - 1964
NATO Tiger Meet - 1972
NATO Tiger Meet - 1979
NATO Tiger Meet - 1986
NATO Tiger Meet - 1994
NATO Tiger Meet - 2003
NATO Tiger Meet - 2011
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MIRAGE 2000C 118-12YG TIGERMEET 2001 KLEINE BROGEL
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MIRAGE 2000C 91/103-YR NTM 2009 KLEINE BROGEL |
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MIRAGE 2000C 80/103-LI DURING NTM2010 AT VOLKEL |
MIRAGE 200C 80/103-LI AT NTM2011 CAMBRAI |
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MIRAGE 2000C 88/103-KV NTM2011 CAMBRAI |