1.
Belgium
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Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a sovereign state in Western Europe bordered by France, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and the North Sea. It is a small, densely populated country which covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres and has a population of about 11 million people. Additionally, there is a group of German-speakers who live in the East Cantons located around the High Fens area. Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries, the region was called Belgica in Latin, after the Roman province of Gallia Belgica. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, today, Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. It is divided into three regions and three communities, that exist next to each other and its two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region is a bilingual enclave within the Flemish Region. A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia, Belgiums linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its political history and complex system of governance, made up of six different governments. Upon its independence, declared in 1830, Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution and, during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number of colonies in Africa. This continuing antagonism has led to several far-reaching reforms, resulting in a transition from a unitary to a federal arrangement during the period from 1970 to 1993. Belgium is also a member of the Eurozone, NATO, OECD and WTO. Its capital, Brussels, hosts several of the EUs official seats as well as the headquarters of major international organizations such as NATO. Belgium is also a part of the Schengen Area, Belgium is a developed country, with an advanced high-income economy and is categorized as very high in the Human Development Index. A gradual immigration by Germanic Frankish tribes during the 5th century brought the area under the rule of the Merovingian kings, a gradual shift of power during the 8th century led the kingdom of the Franks to evolve into the Carolingian Empire. Many of these fiefdoms were united in the Burgundian Netherlands of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Eighty Years War divided the Low Countries into the northern United Provinces and the Southern Netherlands. The latter were ruled successively by the Spanish and the Austrian Habsburgs and this was the theatre of most Franco-Spanish and Franco-Austrian wars during the 17th and 18th centuries. The reunification of the Low Countries as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands occurred at the dissolution of the First French Empire in 1815, although the franchise was initially restricted, universal suffrage for men was introduced after the general strike of 1893 and for women in 1949. The main political parties of the 19th century were the Catholic Party, French was originally the single official language adopted by the nobility and the bourgeoisie
2.
Belgian Air Component
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The Belgian Air Component is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. The Belgian military aviation was founded in 1909 and is one of the worlds oldest air services, the commander is Major General aviator Frederik Vansina, appointed on 23 July 2009. The Belgian military aviation was founded in 1909 as a branch of the Belgian Army, King Alberts interest in the military use of aircraft was the main impetus for its formation. Coincidentally, in the aviation sector, Baron Pierre de Caters earned the first civil pilots brevet that same year. Caters would promptly establish an aviation school, at approximately the same time, the War Ministry followed the French militarys example and had pilots earn a civil pilots brevet before their military one. In 1910, three Belgian lieutenants earned their pilots brevets at the school, paying their own fees, two of the artillery lieutenants were Baudoin de Montens dOosterwyck, who earned Brevet No.19 on 30 September, and Alfred Sarteel, granted No.23 on 10 November. The third lieutenant, Georges Nelis, was the new forces first aviation candidate, an aircraft was personally purchased for him. In spring of 1911, the new air force established its aviation school with five pilots. It received its first aircraft via Baron Caters, who gave the aircraft to King Albert and they were disciplined for their efforts. Belgium entered World War I with aircraft tasked solely for reconnaissance missions, a truck was assigned to each squadron, along with a fifth truck serving as a mobile workshop. Each squadron had a commander, five pilots, and six observers, as a result, most of the new aviators were from the Engineers and Artillery components of the Belgian armed forces. As the war began, a squadron was created, staffed with civilian pilots called to the colors. Sous Lieutenant Henri Crombez flew one of the first war patrols, adjutant Behaeghe was the first to engage an enemy, a few days later. On 3 January 1915, two guns supplied by British were fitted to two Belgian aircraft, making a dual effort against the foe possible, these were Belgiums first dedicated fighter planes. In February, thirteen of the Belgian airmen flew 28 offensive patrols, on 26 March, Sous Lieutenant Boschmans sent a German two-seater into a steep dive when he seemed to hit the pilot, the German was not seen to either crash or land. This was the Belgian aviators first victory claim, in April, Lieutenant Fernand Jacquet mounted a machine gun on his pusher aircraft and sought out the enemy. On the 17th, he and his observer scored Belgiums first confirmed aerial victory, luckily for them, they missed, success would probably have blown them out of the sky. On 18 January 1916, the decision was made to form a fighter squadron
3.
Trainer (aircraft)
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A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. Civilian pilots are trained in a light aircraft, with two or more seats to allow for a student and instructor. The aircraft may be modified to withstand the conditions imposed by training flights. The two seating configurations for trainer aircraft are, pilot and instructor side by side, or in tandem, usually with the pilot in front, the tandem configuration has the advantage of being closer to the normal working environment that a fast jet pilot is likely to encounter. It is now the norm for pilots to begin their training in an aircraft with side by side seating. This, however, has not always been the case, given the expense of military pilot training, air forces typically conduct training in phases to eliminate unsuitable candidates. The cost to air forces that do not follow a graduated training regimen is not just monetary. There are two areas for instruction, flight training and operational training. In flight training a candidate seeks to develop their flying skills, in operational training the candidate learns to use his or her flying skills through simulated combat, attack and fighter techniques. Typically, contemporary military pilots learn initial flying skills in an aircraft not too dissimilar from civilian training aircraft. In this phase candidates are screened for mental and physical attributes. Aircraft used for this include the Slingsby Firefly, as at one time used by the United States Air Force Academy. The U. S. replaced the Firefly and the Enhanced Flight Screen Program with the Diamond DA20, at the end of this stage, pilot trainees are assessed as to where their attributes lie, as fast jet, multi-engine or rotary wing pilots. Those who are judged unsuitable for a commission, but show other attributes, may be offered the chance to qualify as navigators. Smaller and more financially restricted air forces may use ultra-light aircraft, gliders, after the ab-inito phase a candidate may progress to basic, or primary, trainers. These are usually turboprop trainers, like the Pilatus PC-9 and Embraer Tucano, prior to the availability of high performance turboprops, basic training was conducted with jet aircraft such as the BAC Jet Provost, T-37 Tweet, and Fouga Magister. Those candidates who are not suitable to continue training as fast jet pilots may be offered flying commissions, examples of such jet trainer aircraft include the supersonic T-38 Talon, the BAE Hawk, the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, the Aero L-39 and the Yakovlev Yak-130. Effective combat aircraft are a function now electronics as much as, if not more so than and it is at this stage that a pilot begins to learn to operate radar systems and electronics
4.
Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
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The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and Dornier Flugzeugwerke of Germany. It was developed specifically to perform the trainer and light attack missions, both the French Air Force and German Air Force procured the Alpha Jet in large numbers, the former principally as a trainer aircraft and the latter choosing to use it as a light attack platform. As a result of post-Cold War military cutbacks, Germany elected to retire its own fleet of Alpha Jets in the 1990s and has many of these aircraft to both military and civilian operators. The Alpha Jet has been adopted by a number of air forces across the world and has seen active combat use by some of these operators. In the early 1960s, European air forces began to consider their requirements for the coming decades, britain and France established a collaborative program to pursue development of what was initially intended to become a supersonic jet aircraft. This aircraft was to be produced in two variants for different roles, trainer and light attack aircraft. As such, the Jaguar was not well suited for the training mission. France also valued military cooperation with West Germany, wanting to break a perceived German ideological preference for American aircraft, in 1968, a joint specification was produced out of these talks. One substantial change to the requirements was that the trainer was now specified to be subsonic, supersonic trainer aircraft having proven to be superfluous to practical requirements. At one point, both the German government and the German Air Force had been keen to relocate pilot training activities from the United States to France as part of the project, each of these proposals were to be powered by twin SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac turbofan engines. On 23 July 1970, the Breguet-Dassault-Dornier TA501 was declared the winner of the competition, in February 1972, the approval to proceed with full development was issued. In May 1972, the first project meeting was held in Bordeaux, by November 1972, the project had passed its first mock-up review. Two prototypes were to be built by Dassault in France and a further two were to be built by Dornier in Germany, the remaining two prototypes were in the air before the end of 1974. Manufacture of Alpha Jet sub-assemblies was divided between France, Germany and Belgium, each country performing final assembly and checkout of the type in separate facilities. A total of 4,500 people were employed in the manufacturing of the Alpha Jet in Germany, both Belgium and Egypt, who were early export customers for the Alpha Jet, domestically performed the final assembly of their French-configuration Alpha Jet E aircraft. On 4 November 1977, the first production made its first flight. In September 1978, deliveries of production Alpha Jets formally commenced, prototype 01 was specifically used early on to support the development of the Larzac engine. Initial flight was on 9 April 1982, cameroon obtained seven and Egypt obtained 15
5.
9 Squadron (Belgium)
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9 Squadron is a training squadron of the Belgian Air Component, constituting the Basic Flying Training School together with 5 Squadron. The 9ème Escadrille de Chasse was originally the 1ère Escadrille de Chasse, on 1 March 1918, while stationed at Les Moëres aerodrome near Veurne, it would be reorganized into the 9ème Escadrille and become part of Belgiums first fighter wing, the Groupe de Chasse. The squadron continued to use the equipment and personnel of the 1ère Escadrille, 9ème Escadrille also inherited the Thistle symbol and motto “Nemo me impune lacessit” or “No-one can challenge me unpunished”. The squadrons fleet consisted largely of Hanriot-Dupont 1s, supplemented by a some Sopwith Camels, the 10ème Escadrille and 11ème Escadrille were the other squadrons of the Group, also known as the Groupe Jaquet, after its Commanding Officer, Capitaine Fernand Jacquet. Headed by Capitaine Walter Gallez,9 Squadron counted a number of fighter pilots amongst its ranks, Willy Coppens, Jan Olieslagers. During the initial years of World War I, the Aviation Militaire Belge was based in the remnant of a small country. Only in September 1918 did the Belgian Army advance, to support the offensive, 9ème Escadrille moved to Moerkerke near the Dutch border in October 1918. At the end of the war, 9ème Escadrille was credited with 51 verified aerial victories,41 of which were enemy observation balloons, in turn, it suffered three pilots wounded in action or captured. After the armistice,9 Squadron was stationed at Sint-Agatha-Berchem, in the outskirts of Brussels, in 1919, they moved again to Schaffen near Diest to be integrated in 2nd Group. The squadron equipment was augmented by Fokker D-VII aircraft, yielded by the Germans as compensation for damages during World War I, in March 1920,9 Squadron was equipped with SPAD XIII aircraft, and together with 10 Squadron, made up 4th Group. Still at Schaffen, the Squadron received their new Nieuport-Delage 29 aircraft in July 1922, in 1935, the Squadrons at Bierset were re-organised into 9 Squadron and 11 Squadron of the 5th Group of the 1st Aeronautical Regiment. Initially still equipped with Bréguet XIX, they received the Belgian Renard R31 monoplane. Their mission changed from Bombardment to Observation, as of 1938, the “Sioux” symbol appeared on the aircraft, designed by Roger Delannay. On 9 Squadron aircraft the Sioux was surrounded by a blue circle, just before the outbreak of World War II,11 Squadron was assigned to 6th Group. 9 Squadron remained the only flying unit in the 5th Group which was now under command of Commander Breulhez. To improve mobility and the possibility of deployed operations, each comprised an maintenance squadron, a field train of about 25 vehicles. Commanded by Captain Lekeuche,9 Squadron took a part in the 18 days campaign. On the morning of the 10 May,9 Squadron rejoined its diversion airfield at Duras,9 Squadron was one of three squadrons that continued to fight until the surrender on 28 May 1940
6.
Willy Coppens
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Willy Omer François Jean baron Coppens de Houthulst was Belgiums leading fighter ace and the champion balloon buster of World War I. He was credited with 37 confirmed victories and six probables, Coppens was born in Watermael-Boitsfort, son of Omer Coppens a Belgina impressionistic painter that studied in the Royal Academy of Ghent. He was conscripted into the army in 1912, to serve with the Premiere Regiment Grenadiers, in 1914, following the German invasion of Belgium, Coppens transferred to The Motor Machine Gun Corps. On 6 September 1915, he signed up for training in the Compagnie des Aviateurs. Ultimately, due to insufficiencies in Belgian training, he took eight weeks of leave to train to fly and he and 39 other Belgians learned to fly on their own expense in Britain. He received his pilots certificate on 9 December 1915, after this training in Britain he had further training at the Farman School in Étampes, France and joined the Sixieme Escradrille as a sergent 1st class on 8 April 1917 flying BE-2c two seaters. Later that month, he was assigned to Quatrieme Escadrille to fly a Farman pusher, on 1 May, he received a Sopwith 1½ Strutter two seater and promptly flew it into his first aerial combat. In mid July, he transferred to the single seater fighter unit 1ère Escadrille de Chasse and he received the last remaining Nieuport 16 in the squadron, everyone else had upgraded to Nieuport 17s. When Hanriot HD. 1s were offered to the squadron, he was the pilot to initially accept one. His enthusiasm for the aircraft type prompted other pilots to move over to Hanriots. On 19 August Coppens was promoted to Adjutant and he continued his nervy but unsuccessful combat career against enemy aircraft until 17 March 1918. On that day he carried out his first attack on German observation balloons, though handicapped by lack of incendiary ammunition he punctured two balloons, causing the observers to bail out and the balloons to collapse to the ground. Finally, on 25 April Coppens scored his first victory by downing a Rumpler two seater, on 8 May he finally found his metier, when he shot two balloons down in flames. A week later, using his usual tactics of close range fire and it bounced up beneath him and momentarily carried his Hanriot skyward. After his aircraft fell off the balloon, he restarted its engine, the balloon sagged into an explosion. Later when on another run, he got shot at from a balloon. He parked his plane on top of the balloon, shut down his engine in order to protect its propeller. From then on, Coppens record was spectacular, between April and October 1918 he was credited with destroying 34 German observation balloons and three airplanes, nearly as many victories as Belgiums other five aces combined
Belgium
