The most valuable crates belonged to rich young British grand tourists. The term "grand tour" was coined in to denote an institutionalised pilgrimage of juvenile lords, who usually travelled when they were between the ages of 16 and 23, often after university, but before inheritance and marriage. The early tourists headed for Rome via France, guidebook and tutor on hand, some detouring to Germany and the low countries, though by the s, a visit further south to the freshly excavated sites of Herculaneum discovered in and Pompeii discovered in was de rigueur.
William Beckford travelled with such an impressive entourage tutor, painter, harpsichordist, personal physician and servants that on passing through Augsburg in , he was mistaken for the emperor of Austria. The tour was a key male rite of passage and had no counterpart for young ladies, for whom an education in Latin and Greek was exceptional.
French Air Force
I dare say I have met above forty since I have been in Italy. As John Brewer explains in the exhibition's catalogue: For James Boswell the exalted end result was "a mind … well furnished with classical ideas". In practice a young gentleman's grand tour was often a less than noble pilgrimage.
Many elders feared the young milordi were luxuriating in the Italian flesh-pots rather than stiffening their republican virtues and public spirit. The 9th Earl of Kintoul warned his ward off Italian women, "bewitching sirens who fascinated young men if they were not on their guard".
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In women as in sculpture, learning to discriminate was half the battle. Sophisticated connoisseurs saw no contradiction between sexual intrigue behind closed doors and the public exhibition of classical objects that testified to their "virtu". The tour entrenched the aesthetic allegiances and cultural parameters of the British ruling classes between the Restoration and the Regency.
The Westmorland's hold was full of the spoils of the tour. Lewisham sent back art copies and intaglios, larva from Vesuvius and flower bulbs, as well as books in Italian relating to Italian art. Duncannon freighted architectural drawings, views of Switzerland and Roman sites, painted fans, art books and amateur watercolours.
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Not all freight on the Westmorland belonged to blue blood, however. The biggest spender among the shippers was the wealthy young Cornish mine-owner Francis Basset, on tour with his tutor, his local vicar. Basset sent home a full-length portrait by Pompeo Batoni sitting for Batoni to record the trip in oils was a must for the dilettanti , portrait busts, watercolours, prints and engravings, and an extensive collection of books. French and Italian literature, studies of music, philosophy and politics, as well as copies of old masters such as Titian and Correggio. Unsurprisingly, the out-of-pocket owners did not let their costly souvenirs go without a fight, lobbying via agents and diplomats in Spain for the return of their property.
But only the Catholic Henry Arundell, Baron of Wardour, had a crate returned to him, containing relics for his private chapel. Lost to the owners, but recorded for posterity, the sea chests represent a freeze-frame of the aesthetics of a generation. There was a strict hierarchy of aesthetic value, with antiquities at the top of the tree.
The keenest consumers sponsored new excavations in the hope of turning up an Apollo for themselves. There were no outstanding pieces of classical sculpture on the Westmorland.
But there were a number of copies of old masters. The repetitions suggest that the young men were working through a canon, probably instructed by their tutors. The tutor was not just a factotum, but an all-purpose director of studies, who managed finances, as well as organising travel, lodging and tuition. Familiarity with the local art market was essential. Tutoring was an attractive opportunity for the bright and adventurous — James Hay went eight times over 30 years with different gilded youths.
However, the term Group did not entirely disappear: Groupe de Ravitaillement en Vol A fighter squadron escadron can number some twenty machines, spread in general in three Escadrilles. A Transport Escadron French: The squadrons have retained the designations of the former Escadres disbanded during in the s.
Not all escadrons Squadrons are necessarily attached to an Escadre.
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The Escadrille flight has both an administrative and operational function, even of the essential operational control is done at the level of the Esacdron. A pilot is assigned to the Escadrille, however the equipment and material devices, on the other hand, are assigned to the Escadron. Since the putting into effect of the ESTA Aeronautic Technical Support Escadrons , material devices and the mechanics are assigned directly to the base then put at disposition of the based Escadrons. The Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air comprise: Protection Squadrons protect airbases inside and outside the national territory, and in exterior operations as well.
AirFlying activity in France is carried out by a network of bases, platforms and French air defence radar systems. It is supported by bases, which are supervised and maintained by staff, centres of operations, warehouses, workshops, and schools. Both in France and abroad, bases have similar infrastructure to provide standardised support. Some French air bases house radar units e. Others house material warehouses or command posts. As swift as the French Air Force operates, the closure of Aerial Bases is more constant and immediate, having known a strong acceleration since the s.
An airbase commander has authority over all units stationed on his base. Depending on the units tasks this means that he is responsible for approximately to personnel. On average, a base, made up of about personnel nearly people including family , provides a yearly economic boost to its area of about 60 million euros.
Consequently, determining the sites for air bases constitutes a major part of regional planning. More than ten bases have been closed since Aircraft of the French Air Force include: In , forecasts for personnel of the French Air Force were expected to number 50, out of which 44, aviators on the horizon in They form several functions:.
Non-navigating personnel of the French Air Force include and are not limited to: Systems Aerial Mechanics French: Commandos parachutistes de l'air , in Informatics, in Infrastructures, in Intelligence, Commissioner of the Armies French: Pilots, Mechanical Navigating Officer French: Convoyeur de l'Air CVA. Officers , within their recruitment and future specialty, are trained at:.
Sous-Officiers are formed at:. Military Air Technicians French: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Air warfare branch of France's armed forces. List of French Air Force bases.
Ranks in the French Air Force. Archived from the original PDF on 13 December Retrieved 20 December Aircraft of the French Air Force. Air forces in Europe. States with limited recognition. List of air forces. Retrieved from " https: Views Read Edit View history. In other projects Wikimedia Commons. This page was last edited on 14 December , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.