Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
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Koptekst 2
Supermarine Spitfire LF.16
Single engine single seat fighter
At the end of World War II, two RAF fighter squadrons composed almost solely of Belgian pilots (N°s 349 and 350 Squadrons) were equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVI (later this designation would become LF.16). When Belgium created its own independent air arm (still called Militaire Vliegwezen - Aviation Militaire) in October 1946 twenty seven of these LF.16 Spitfires were taken over on 'temporarily loan" from the RAF pending the delivery of the Griffon powered Spitfire F.14 fighters which were ordered by the Belgian Government.
Already as early as March 1946, many of the Spitfire LF-16's of both Squadrons had their RAF roundels replaced by Belgian ones although these aircraft were never Belgian owned. The 27 Spit LF16s transferred to Belgian on loan, never were attributed Belgian serial numbers, instead maintaining the RAF registrations. In function of the deliveries of Spit Mark 14's, the Packard Merlin powered LF.16 were returned individually to the United Kingdom. The last of these machines was being transferred in March 1948.
RW344
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Feb 1947
History
RW344/MN_A, written off in landing accident at Beauvechain on 01 Feb 1947, not returned to RAF.
SL596
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Aug 1947
History
SL596 (RAF), SL596/MN- ., SL596/GE-Z, returned to the RAF and scrapped
TB348
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1948
History
TB348/MN-., returned to the RAF and scrapped.
TB373
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1947
History
TB737/GE-N, crashed at Beauvechain on 16 Jan 1947
TB386
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1948
History
TB386 (RAF), TB-386/MN-B, returned to the RAF and scrapped.
TB622
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Nov 1947
History
TB622/GE-., returned to the RAF and scrapped.
TB709
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Fate Unknown
History
TB709/MN-D, crashed while serving with 350 Sqn, fate unknown, not returned to RAF.
TB748
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Oct 1946
History
TB748/MN-., crashed on 30 Oct 1946, returned to RAF.
TB866
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1948
History
TB866/GE-Q (RAF), TB748/MN-Q, returned to the RAF and scrapped
TB867
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Aug 1947
History
TB867/MN-G, returned to the RAF and scrapped.
TB868
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Aug 1947
History
TB868/MN-V, returned to RAF.
TB892
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Aug 1947
History
TB892/MN-W, returned to the RAF and scrapped
TB991
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Feb 1947
History
TB991 (RAF), TB991/GE-G, GE-L "Liège", Accident at Beauvechain on 03 Feb 1947, Uneconomical to repair, not returned to RAF.
TD140
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Sep 1947
History
TD140 (RAF), TD140/GE-X 349 (Belg) Sq RAF, to Belg A.F. in Oct 1946 as TD140/GE-K, returned to RAF and scrapped
TD184
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Sep 1947
History
TD184 (RAF), TD-184/GE-R, "Suzy", returned to RAF and scrapped.
TD188
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jul 1947
History
TD188/MN-L, returned to RAF.
TD231
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Mar 1948
History
TD231 (RAF), TD231/MN-J, returned to the RAF, became instructional airframe 6538M of 4SOTT (RAF).
TD237
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1948
History
TD237 (RAF), TD 237/GE-P, JE-J (Johnny Johnson code), GE-D bare metal, returned to RAF and scrapped.
TD253
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Dec 1946
History
TD253/MN-Y, accident 04 Dec 1946
TD281
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Nov 1947
History
TD281/MN-S, returned to RAF, instr. airframe 6540M at 4SoTT.
TD325
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Dec 1946
History
TD325/MN-M, crashed at Meldert on 20 Dec 1946, not returned to RAF.
TD348
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Aug 1947
History
TD348/ GE-E, /GE-N, returned to RAF.
TD372
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jul 1947
History
TD372 (RAF), 349 (Belg) Sq RAF, to Belg A.F. in Oct 1946 as TD372/GE-B "Molly", returned to RAF in Jul 1947.
TE119
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jul 1947
History
TE119/GE-H, /(MN)-H "Mady", Returned to RAF and scrapped in the UK after accident.
TE274
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Jan 1948
History
TE274/GE-K, returned to RAF.
TE284
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
Dec 1947
History
TE284/GE-T, returned to RAF, To Greek Air Force.
TE444
Date In
Oct 1946
Date Out
May 1947
History
TE444 (RAF), 349 (Belg) Sq RAF, to Belg A.F. in Oct 1946 as TE444/GE-P, not returned to RAF after accident on 8 May 1947.
RAF aircraft having worn Belgian roundels in the Spring/Summer of 1946 but were not transferred to the Belgian Air Force.
TB137/MN-K, TB-252/MN-J, TB356/MN-Z, TB492/GE-, TB590/R.d.V, TB755/GE-, TB866/MN-Q, TB900/GE-D "Winston Churchill", TB906/GE-V "Helen", TB910/GE-J "Bertje", TD124/MN-E, TD281/MN-S, TD288/GE-, TD339/GE-T "Denise", TE191/GE-G "Stad Gent".