Yak-3 Fighters of the Normandie-Niemen Regiment Returning to France, 1945

October 11, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet-built Yak-3 fighters of the French Normandie-Niemen Regiment after their return to France in 1945, showing traces of Soviet markings.

WWII photo showing Soviet-built Yak-3 fighters of the French Normandie-Niemen Regiment after returning to France in 1945, with faint Soviet red stars still visible beneath the new markings.

This World War II photograph captures Soviet-built Yakovlev Yak-3 fighters of the French Normandie-Niemen Regiment shortly after their return to France in 1945. The aircraft shown still bear faint traces of their original Red Army markings, with the outlines of the red star visible beneath the newly painted French insignia — a silent reminder of their combat service on the Eastern Front.

The Normandie-Niemen Regiment was a remarkable symbol of Franco-Soviet cooperation during the war. Formed in 1942, the unit’s French pilots fought shoulder to shoulder with the Soviet Air Force against the Luftwaffe. Flying Soviet Yakovlev fighters, they achieved exceptional combat success — over 270 confirmed victories — and became one of the most decorated foreign units in Soviet service.

In June 1945, as a gesture of gratitude and respect, Joseph Stalin gifted 41 Yak-3 aircraft to France. On June 20, 1945, the French aviators flew these same planes across Europe, landing to cheering crowds and military honors. The Yak-3 remained operational in the French Air Force until 1956, marking more than a decade of postwar service for these legendary fighters.

Technical photo data:

📍 Location: France
📅 Date: 1945
📝 Event: Return of the Normandie-Niemen Regiment and their Soviet-built Yak-3 fighters to France
📷 Author: Unknown