Actual RCAF serial, 9895. Although wearing Canadian serial 10038, the aircraft is otherwise painted as RAF Blenheim Mk.IV L9416 of No 139 Sqn. Based at Plivot in France, L9416 was shot down by Bf 109s during a mission against a German column on the Maastricht - Tongeren road on 12 May 1940. The crew survived.

The Nie 17 / Nie 23 was a major Allied fighter of the Great War, and towards the end of 1916 the Nie 17 equipped every French fighter squadron. One of the gems in the Brussels Air Museum, this Belgian example appears to be the only original survivor worldwide.

The Brussels Air Museum is like a cathedral to aviation, but like many cathedrals it's in a bad state of repair

Ex RAF Hurricane IIc LF658 ex 309 Squadron. Transferred to Belgium in September 1946. Here awaiting restoration in the Musee Royal de l'Armee when it was incorrectly marked as LF345.

French designed single seat fighter built towards the end of World War 1. Exhibited in the Musee Royal de l'Armee in Brussels wearing Belgian AF markings.

How the Sopwith F.1 looks like a camel was always lost on me, but it's just about the metal fairing fitted over the machine gun breeches to protect the guns from freezing at altitude. Original WWI aircraft in the Brussels Air Museum.

Rejected in favour of the SPAD S.VII in its own country, the French Hanriot fighter was quite succesful in Italian and Belgian service and was flown by the top Belgian ace of the Great War, Willy Coppens.

The Belgian army got 16 Battle light bombers in 1938. On 11 May 1940, six of them were shot down in a single attack against German-held bridges over the Albert Canal. The pilot of T-70, Capt André Glorie, was killed. His aircraft is represented by R3950 which served in the RAF and RCAF. Its restoration is unfortunately incomplete.

Built for the RAF in 1939 as R5922 this DH.89, like many, was civilianised post-war as G-AKNV for Lancashire Aircraft Corporation, then to Eire as EI-AGK, returning to UK registry with Derby Avn in 1955 but same year to Avions Fairey as OO-AFG. After mods, Air Affairs became owners in 1962; next registered OO-CNP with Centre National de Parachutisme, she flew till a forced landing in 1970 and storage at Wevelgem. Donated to the Brussels museum in 1973, she has just emerged from an immaculate restoration

Twelve Do 27s were acquired by the Belgian Army in 1960.