Fairey Battle I

Single enigine two seat bomber & reconnaissance aircraft

 In 1937 the Belgian Government ordered 16 Fairey Battle I bombers to replace a number of ageing Fairey Fox biplanes. The first five Battles were delivered in the month of March 1938 and were taken on charge by the 3rd Regiment d'Aéronautique based at Evere airbase near Brussels. The aircraft were used by N°5 Squadron of the 3rd Aé which in the meantime had seen its mission change from reconnaissance to bomber unit. Already during the "Phony War" it became rapidly clear to the British as well as the Belgian military authorities that the Battle was very vulnerable and very rapidly becoming obsolete as the aircraft was very slow, poorly manoeuvrable and was missing the means to defend itself. Due to this the Belgian authorities didn't place the initially planned order for supplementary aircraft. In stead the Belgian Government tried too late to obtain Bréguets, Douglas and Caproni bombers. The Belgian Battles became famous for there ill fated attack on the Albert canal bridges of Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven and Briegden. This suicidal mission did not achieve its aim as not a single bridge was destroyed but 6 out of 9 aircraft were shot down.