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THE AVIATION HALL

The Aviation Hall, opened to the public in 1972, is managed by the Royal Museum of Armed Forces – Musée Royal de L’Armée. The MRA is part of the WHI – War Heritage Institute – and is responsible for the layout and maintenance of the aircraft. The Aviation Hall can only exhibit part of the collection since there is a lack of space to exhibit all of it. The 145 pieces identified in 2016, of which many pieces remain outside of the museum are included in the general catalogue of  The Aviation Department of the Royal Army Museum in Brussels. This catalogue may be purchased in the Museum Shop of the Royal Museum of Armed Forces.

A brief presentation of the collection

On the first floor of the Hall de l’Aviation you will find an assembly of balloon nacelles, early pioneer aircraft, aircraft of the 1914-18 war, inter-world war aircraft and light aircraft of the post 1940-45 era.

On the ground floor can be found vintage rescue helicopters and most of the fighter aircraft used by the Belgian Airforce since 1946.

You will also find exhibited different aircraft used by Eastern Bloc countries during the « Cold War « as well as aircraft used by NATO during and after this period.

One part of the ground floor is devoted to the 1940-45 war, and transport aviation.

SABENA is represented by a Caravelle placed on high. The old Belgian airline has its own stand where a jet  engine and cockpit of a Boeing 707 are exhibited along with respective uniforms and  memorabilia of this era.

1900 – 1918 period
1919 – 1945 period
1946 – 2020 period
Airship
Balloon
Glider
Helicopter
Plane
ULM
KASSEL

12

Glider - Germany - Max.speed 40 km/h - First flight in 1920 - Entered the museum in 1971.

1919 - 1945 | Glider
Bristol

149 BOLINGBROKE IV-T

Training aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in September 1937 - Max.speed 475 km/h - Received as an exchange - Entered the museum in 1972.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Douglas

A-26 B INVADER

Ground-attack aircraft - United States - First flight in July 1942 - Max.speed 518 km/h - Used subsequently by a variety of private companies and acquired by the Belgian authorities - offered to the museum in 1976.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Auster

A.O.P. MK.6

Observation and liaison aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in May 1945 - Max.speed 200 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1947 to 1954 - Entered the museum in 1975.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Airspeed

AS-10 OXFORD Mk.I

Liaison and trainer aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight June 1937 - Max.speed 302 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1947 to 1954 - Entered the museum in 1958.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
North American

AT-6D HARVARD

Advanced trainer aircraft - United States - First flight in April 1936 - Max.speed 225 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1947 to 1958 - Entered the museum in 1959.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Fairey

BATTLE

Reconnaissance and light bomber - United Kingdom - First flight in March 1936 - Max.speed 388 km/h - In service with the Belgian Airforce from 1937 to 1940 - Entered the museum in 1990.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
TIPSY

BELFAIR

Elementary trainer - Belgium - First flight in November 1937 - Max.speed 190 km/h - Entered the museum in 1989.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
BÜCKER

BU 181B BESTMANN

Elementary trainer aircraft - Germany - First flew February 1939 - Max.speed 215 km/h - A wreck recovered at Ostend, restored by the AELR - Entered the museum in 1977.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Douglas

C-47B DAKOTA

Transport aircraft - United States - First flight in December 1935 - Max.speed 360 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1946 to 1976 - Entered the museum in 1973.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Caudron

C.800 ÉPERVIER

Side by side two seater glider - France - first flight January 1942 - Entered the museum in 1973.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
DE HAVILLAND

DH 82 A TIGER MOTH

Two seater training school aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight October 1931 - Max.speed 167 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1945 to 1948 - Entered the museum in 2005.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
DE HAVILLAND

DH 89A DRAGON RAPIDE

Liaison and training aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in April 1934 - Max.speed 253 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1947 to 1954 - Entered the museum in 1973.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
DE HAVILLAND

DH 98 MOSQUITO NF.30

Night-fighter - United Kingdom - First flew in November 1940 - Max.speed 655 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1947 to 1956 - Entered the museum in 1957.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Fieseler

FI 156C-3 STORCH

Liaison and observation aircraft - Germany - First flight in May 1936 - Max.speed 175 km/h - Rebuilt example - Entered the museum in 1972.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
HENRI MIGNET

HM-293 POU-DU-CIEL

Microlight - Ultralight hand-made aircraft - France - First flight in 1933 - Max.speed 210 km/h - Entered the museum in 1982.

1919 - 1945 | ULM
HAWKER

HURRICANE MK.IIC

Fighter aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in November 1936 - Max.speed 545 km/h - Allied Flight Metropolitan Squadron then with the Belgian Airforce from 1946 to 1951 - Entered the museum in 1958.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
JUNKERS

JU 52/3mg3e

Civil and military transport aircraft - Germany - First flight in September 1930 - Max.speed 271 km/h - In service with SABENA from 1936 to 1946 - Entered the museum in 2001.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
SABCA

JUNIOR

Glider - Belgium - First flight around 1931 - Entered the museum in 1971.

1919 - 1945 | Glider
KREIT & LAMBRICKX

KL-12

Single seater ultra-light aircraft (self-build) - First flight in October 1932 - Max.speed 220 km/h - Entered the museum in 1937.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
KRAMME & ZEUTHEN

KZ III U2

Tourist aircraft - Denmark - First flight in September 1944 - Max.speed 185 km/h - Entered the museum in 1975.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
MILES

M.14A MAGISTER 1

Elementary flight school trainer aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in March 1937 - Max.speed 225 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1946 to 1953 - Entered the museum in 1974.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Gloster

METEOR F.8

Fighter aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in March 1943 - Max.speed 953 km/h - Belgian Airforce from 1951 to 1963 - Entered the museum in 1963.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
MORANE-SAULNIER

MS 230

Advanced trainer, liaison and aerobatics - France -First flight in February 1929 - Max.speed 205 km/h - In service with the Belgian Airforce from 1931 - Entered the museum in 1977.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
MORANE-SAULNIER

MS 315

Elementary trainer aircraft - France - First flight in October 1932 - Max.speed 170km/h - Received as an exchange - Entered the museum in 1977.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Ballon Belgica 1

Nacelle

Competition balloon - Ernest de Muyter’s nacelle - Winner of the Gordon Bennett Cup in 1921, 1922 and 1923 - Entered the museum in ?

1919 - 1945 | Balloon
FNRS 1

NACELLE A. PICCARD

Stratospheric balloon - financed by the Fonds National Belge for scientific research - The bathyscaph nacelle was built in Belgium - First flight in May 1931 - Maximum altitude 15,780 m. - Entered the museum in1972.

1919 - 1945 | Balloon
NORD AVIATION

NORD 1002 PINGOUIN 2

Liaison and private tourist aircraft - France - First flight in 1934 as a Messerschmitt 108 - Max.speed 300 km/h - Restored from a wreck - Entered the museum in 1973.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
PERCIVAL

P.31C PROCTOR IV

Training and liaison aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in October 1939 - Max.speed 257 km/h - Entered the Museum in 1952.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
PERCIVAL

PERCIVAL D.2 GULL FOUR MK.II

Private touring aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight beginning of 1932 - Max.speed 257 km/h - Entered the museum in 1975.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
SABCA

PONCELET VIVETTE

Motorized glider - Belgium - First flight in 1923 - Entered the museum in 1927.

1919 - 1945 | Glider
FNRS 1

Replika

Stratospheric balloon - financed by the Fonds National Belge for scientific research - The bathyscaph nacelle was built in Belgium - First flight in May 1931 - Maximum altitude 15,780 m. - Entered the museum in1972.

1919 - 1945 | Balloon
TIPSY

S.2

Civil and sport aircraft - Belgium - First flight in May 1935 - Max.speed 175 km/h - Entered the museum in 1966.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Schneider

SCHNEIDER

Glider - Germany - First flight in 1930 - Max.speed 160 km/h - Entered the museum in 1971.

1919 - 1945 | Glider
Schneider

SG 38 SCHULGLEITER

Training school glider - Germany - First flight on 6th December 1937 - Max.speed 115 km/h - Entered the museum in 2015.

1919 - 1945 | Glider
STAMPE & VERTONGEN

SV-4

Two- seater trainer and aerobatic aircraft - Belgium - First flight in May 1933 - Max.speed 200 km/h - Replica of the aircraft “Escape of Divoy and Donnet” - Entered the museum in 1964.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
STAMPE & VERTONGEN

SV-4B

Two- seater trainer and aerobatic aircraft - Belgium - First flight in May 1933 - Max.speed 200 km/h - Replica of the aircraft “Escape of Divoy and Donnet” - Entered the museum in 1964.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
TIPSY

TRAINER I

Elementary trainer - Belgium - First flight in May 1937 - Max.speed 180 km/h - Entered the museum in 1989.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
SUPERMARINE

TYPE 361 SPITFIRE LF IXC

Fighter aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in March 1936 - Max.speed 502 km/h - From the RAF to the Belgian Airforce from December 1943 to 1954 - Restored aircraft - Entered the museum in 1952.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
SUPERMARINE

TYPE 379 SPITFIRE F.XIV

Fighter aircraft - United Kingdom - First flight in March 1936 - Max.speed 706 km/h - From the RAF to the Belgian Airforce from 1944 to 1954 - Restored aircraft - Entered the museum in 1951.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
Fairchild

UC-61K FORWARDER

Training and communication aircraft - United States - First flight in 1932 - Max.speed 198 km/h - Belgian registration - Offered to the museum in 1970.

1919 - 1945 | Plane
YAKOVLEV

YAK-11 MOOSE

Advanced trainer - Soviet Union - First flight in November 1945 - Max.speed 460 km/h - Entered the museum in 1992.

1919 - 1945 | Plane