Paul-Joseph de Montgolfier was born in Saint-Marcel (Ardèche, France) on 28 April 1913. He flew in the French Air Force, flying Curtiss 75 Hawks with the GC II/5 fighter group when World War II began. On 6 November 1939, Paul de Montgolfier and 8 other pilots were escorting bombers over the Sarre region when they were jumped by 27 Messerschmitt fighters of JGr 102. The French pilots scored 5 victories (and another 5 probable victories, including one shot down by Montgolfier) for the loss of only two of their own. This fight - known as the "9 against 27" fight was to became legendary and Hannes Gentzen, the CO of JGr 102, was summoned back to Berlin and threatened with court-martial for such disastrous results.