Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
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Renard R.31
Single engine two-seat observation aircraft
In view of replacing the ageing Breguet XIX observation aircraft of the Aéronautique Militaire Belge, the young Renard company developed a twin seat parasol-wing aircraft which in the first studies was designated as Renard RR (for Rolls-Royce). Powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engine developing 487hp, the first flight of the renamed Renard R-31 took place at Haren airfield in December 1932 in the capable hands of Renard test-pilot Charles Rooms. After a much-elaborated series of test flights demanded by the Belgian authorities, the Belgisch Militair Vliegwezen/Aéronautique Militaire finally ordered 28 aircraft in March 1934, 22 of which were constructed by Sabca while Renard Constructions Aéronautiques build the 6 others. In August 1935 six more Renard R-31 were acquired by the AéM. After 1936 the Renard R-32 powered by a 1050hp Gnome & Rhône engine and equipped with an enclosed cockpit was reworked as a normal R.31 thus becoming the 35th machine for the AéM. The R-31 was armed with two FN-Browning 7. 62 mm machine guns, one forward firing and one in a turret in the back seat. There was also a rarely used provision for dropping four 10 kg bombs under the wings. The aircraft received the military registrations N-1 to N-35.
All the Renard R-31’s were used by the Bierset based observation squadrons - 9/V/1Aé (Sioux on blue circle) and 11/VI/1Aé (Sioux on red circle). At the start of the war some 21 aircraft were available who were operational during the whole of the “18-day Campaign” flying their last mission on May 27th, 1940. As not a single Renard R.31 remains anywhere in the world, a number of volunteers at the Royal Army Museum at Brussels is building a 1/1 scale replica using the original blueprints. In doing so, the most successful combat aircraft of Belgian design will be immortalized for generations to come. (Daniel Brackx)
C/N
25001 (Ren.)
N-1
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-1, 9/V/1Aé, 11/VI/1Aé, destroyed during German bombing raid on Evere on 10 May 1940.
C/N
25002
N-2
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-2, converted with Lorraine “Petrel” engine, returned to its original configuration, 11/VI/1 Aé, fate unknown.
C/N
25003
N-3
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-3, 9/V/1Aé, destroyed at Sint-Niklaas -Waas on 15 May 1940. (To be confirmed)
C/N
25004
N-4
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-4, 11/VI/1Aé, last seen at Hingene on 11 May 1940 - ultimate fate unknown
C/N
25005
N-5
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-5, 11/VI/1Aé, fate unknown
C/N
25006
N-6
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-6, 11/VI/1Aé, 9/V/1Aé (on loan),hit by German A-A fire on 15 May 1940. Upon landing at Hemiksem the a/c was too much shot up to be repaired and was set afire to avoid falling in enemy hands.
C/N
25007
N-7
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-7, 9/V/1Aé, destroyed on take off from Duras-Wilderen airfield on 11 May 1940 by three attacking Luftwaffe Henschel 123 of II(S)/LG2 (crew safe).
C/N
25008
N-8
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-8, 9/V/1Aé, bad landing because of a Luftwaffe Me109 in the lading pattern, stalled and crashed at Zwevezele-Wingene on 18 May 1940.
C/N
25009
N-9
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-9, 11/VI/1Aé, emergency landing at Kampenhout after being hit by A-A fire on 16 May 1940. Aircraft set afire by crew.
C/N
25010
N-10
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
Used as prototype for the Renard R32 (OO-ARY CofA N° 378), but eventually restored to R.31 standards, N-10, 9/V/1Aé, crashed upon landing at Lombardsijde on 26 May 1940.
C/N
25011
N-11
Date In
1936
Date Out
Mar 1938
History
N-11, 9/V/1Aé, 11/VI/1Aé, fatal crash at Beverlo/Hechtel on 15 Mar 1938.
C/N
25032
N-12
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-12, 9/V/1Aé, fate unknown. Out of sequence construction number!
C/N
25013
N-13
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-13, 11/VI/1Aé, made inoperative at Oostende/Stene on 28 May 1940 and abandoned.
C/N
25014
N-14
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-14, 11/VI/1Aé, abandoned at Bierset.
C/N
25015
N-15
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-15, VI/1Aé Bierset, no further information.
C/N
25016
N-16
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-16, dual control aircraft also equipped for blind flying training, 9/V/1Aé, when landing back at Hemiksem on 15 May 1940, the aircraft was badly damaged by AAA fire. Parts were salvaged and aircraft set afire when Hemiksem was evacuated.
C/N
25017
N-17
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-17, 9/V/1Aé, destroyed (lost the left u/c leg and wheel) while landing on landing at Lombardsijde on 26 May 1940.
C/N
25018
N-18
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-18, Pilot School, 11/VI/1Aé, shot down at s'Herenelderen on 11 May 1940
C/N
25019
N-19
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-19, 9/V/1Aé, probably made inoperative and abandoned at Lombardsijde on 28 May 1940.
C/N
25020
N-20
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-20, 11/VI/1Aé, fate unknown.
C/N
25021
N-21
Date In
1936
Date Out
1940
History
N-21, 11/VI/1Aé, equipped with under-fuselage hook, ultimate fate unknown, last noted at Hannut in Jan 1940.
C/N
25022
N-22
Date In
1936
Date Out
Oct 1937
History
N-22, 9/V/1Aé, Crashed in the harbor channel of Oostende after mid-air collision with Renard N-12 off Bredene on 18 Oct 1937.
C/N
25023
N-23
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-23, 9/V/1Aé, aircraft hit by numerous bullets during recce mission on 18 May 1940, exact fate after landing at Zwevezele unknown.
C/N
25024
N-24
Date In
1936
Date Out
1939
History
N-24, 9/V/1Aé, crashed because of structural failure after overstressing aircraft in a dive.
C/N
25025
N-25
Date In
1936
Date Out
Jul 1937
History
N-25, 9/V/1Aé, aircraft got into a spin and crashed. at Fooz on 1 July 1936.
C/N
25026
N-26
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-26, 9/V/1Aé, abandoned at Evere airfield.
C/N
25027
N-27
Date In
1936
Date Out
Sep 1939
History
N-27, 9/V/1Aé, crashed at Wezemaal on 16 Jul 1936 during test-flight.- in relation to previous crash.
C/N
25028
N-28
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-28, 11/VI/1Aé, last noted at Hingene airfield on 11 May 1940, fate unknown.
C/N
25029
N-29
Date In
1936
Date Out
-
History
N-29, 11/VI/1Aé, crashed at Hollogne-aux-Pierres on 30 Sep 1939, due to the wing(s) breaking off after a brutal recovery from a dive. Crew safe.
C/N
25030
N-30
Date In
1936
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-30, 9/V/1Aé, damaged during recce mission over Kwaadmechelen-Beringen-Lummen-Diest region. Most probably abandoned at Steenokkerzeel airfield.
C/N
25031
N-31
Date In
1936
Date Out
Mar 1940
History
N-31, 11/VI/1Aé, written off in emergency landing on the beach at Klemskerke on 6 Mar 1940.
C/N
25033
N-32
Date In
1938
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-32, 11/VI/1Aé, noted at Ets Aé in Feb 1940, made inoperative at Oostende/Stene on 28 May 1940 and abandoned.
C/N
25034
N-33
Date In
1938
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-33, /III/3Aé, 9/V/1Aé, made inoperative and abandoned at Lombardsijde on 28 May 1940.
C/N
25035
N-34
Date In
1938
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-34, 11/VI/1Aé, last noted at Peutie on 12 May 1940, shot down by a/a fire near Pecq-Iez-Tournai on 23 May 1940, crew killed.
C/N
25036
N-35
Date In
1938
Date Out
May 1940
History
N-35, 11/VI/1Aé, abadoned at Bierset on 10 May 1940, aircraft was in maintenance.