Important note
Photos provided on this website are not an endorsement of any political idea or of war. War is one of the most regrettable human activities.
All photos on this page are copyright Robert Mary and may only be reproduced with my express permission. You may contact me here
Historical information
On 25 December
'44, the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry armoured Regiment arrived in Florennes
, and for a couple of days
were quartered in the aerodrome buildings before moving to the combat
zone in support of units engaged in the counter-offensive.
Built in
1942 by the Luftwaffe and liberated in September '44
by American troops, the aerodrome would be used by the Fighter
and Bomber Groups of the USAAF.
The museum
Located in the aerodrome buildings, the Museum displays a 1944 MK XIV
Spitfire as well as the various aircrafts that have figured prominently
in the history of the Belgian Air Force. In addition,
the Museum also covers the history of the aerodrome and of the squadrons
that were based there, with many display cases containing photographs,
documents, flight equipment, model aircraft and souvenirs.
Florennes Air Base
hosts a large and easily accessible museum with a Spitfire XIV centerpiece.
The Museum has several showcases displaying articles related to the
Base and its first Commander's history. Colonel Lallemant DFC with
bar. In the atrium F-84E, F-84F, Mirage V and F-16 are close to a Griffon
cruise missile and trailer.
The Spitfire XIV displayed here is equipped for reconnaissance missions
with a "F-24 Vinten" camera. This plane was ordered to the
RAF in October 1943. She was used by the 2nd Squadron (LASHAM) from
September 1944 and then by the Canadian 414th Squadron until September
1945. On August 13th, 1948 the
aircraft belonged to the 161st Wing (named later 2nd Wing), 352nd Belgian
Squadron.
After technical maintenance in Gosselies (near Charleroi) she was tranferred
to the 3rd Belgian Squadron of the 2nd Wing. It was out of operational
use
in
November
1951. She
came at Florennes in 1955 and was installed one year later without
her equipment on
her pedestal above the lawn. Then the Spitfire Monument was built up.
All pieces are the original ones except the propellers which had to
be
entirely rebuilt. The matriculation "RL-D" was for Raymond
Lallemant who was the Belgian Air Base Commander (Group Captain according
to RAF ranking), his rank emblem is mentionned on each
side of the windscreen and the black and white chekers form the identification
of the Wing, today they identify all aircrafts from Florennes Air Base.
The official
website of the museum stands here.
Location information
The museum is
located at Florennes Military Air Base (Base J. Offenberg, rue Henry
de Rohan-Chabot, 5620 Florennes).
Museum’s authorities can be contacted here.
Visit this website in order
to get more info on the activities foreseen for the 60th anniversary
of the air base.
The official website stands here
Personal note
As you enter a military base you must leave your identity card at the
entrance gate during the time of your visit and get necessary authorisations
to make photos. You can watch an interesting movie about the Belgian Air
Force in the atrium
(you
can
even
purchase
it in
DVD format).
The museum
is located at 110
km of
Liège
(Belgium).
Year of Visit : July 2007