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Belgian Air Force
The Belgian Air and Space Component (, ) is the Air force, air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces, and until January 2002 it was officially known as the Belgian Air Force (; ). It was founded in 1909 and is one of the world's oldest air services. The commander is Major General Thierry Dupont, appointed on 17 September 2020. History Foundation and early years Luchtcomponent was founded in 1909 as a branch of the Belgian Army, carrying the name . Albert I of Belgium, King Albert's interest in the military use of aircraft was the main impetus for its formation. Coincidentally, in the civil aviation sector, Baron Pierre de Caters earned the first civil pilot's brevet that same year. De Caters would promptly establish an aviation school. At approximately the same time, the War Ministry followed the French military's example and had pilots earn a civil pilot's Aircrew brevet, brevet before their military one. In 1910, three Belgian lieutenants earned their pilot's brevets at the school, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviation or naval aviation units. Typically, air forces are responsible for air supremacy, gaining control of the air, carrying out Strategic bombing, strategic and tactical bombing missions, and providing support to land forces, land and naval forces often in the form of aerial reconnaissance and close air support. The term air force may also refer to a tactical air force or numbered air force, which is an operational formation either within a national air force or comprising several air components from allied nations. Air forces typically consist of a combination of fighter aircraft, fighters, bombers, Military helicopter, helicopters, Military transport aircraft, transport planes and other aircraft. Many air forces may command and control ot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Airbus A330 MRTT
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refueling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 15 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 82 aircraft, of which 64 had been delivered by 31 May 2025. A version of the A330 MRTT, the EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45, was selected by the United States Air Force for its KC-X, aerial tanker replacement programme, but the programme was cancelled. Design and development The Airbus A330 MRTT is a military derivative of the Airbus A330, A330-200 airliner. It is designed as a dual-role air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft. For air-to-air refuelling missions, the A330 MRTT can be equipped with a combination of any of the following systems: * Refuelling other aircraft ** Airbus Military Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS) for Aerial refueling#Flying boom, receptacle-equipped receiver aircraft. ** Cobham plc, Cobham 905E under-wing refuelling pods for Aerial ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deperdussin Monocoque
The Deperdussin Monocoque was an early racing aircraft built in 1912 by the Aéroplanes Deperdussin, a French aircraft manufacturer started in 1911 and reorganized as the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés ( SPAD) in 1913. It is so named because of the method of construction of its fuselage. The aircraft is noted for winning the Gordon Bennett Trophy in 1912 and 1913, and for raising the world speed record for aircraft to . Background The usual method of construction of an aircraft's fuselage at this time was to use a wire braced box-girder covered in fabric. The first use of monocoque construction in aviation is attributed to Eugene Ruchonnet, a Swiss marine engineer who had built an aircraft nicknamed the ''Cigare'' in 1911, which had a fuselage constructed by building up several layers of thin wood, each lamination applied at right angle to the one underneath. Design The Deperdussin Monocoque was a mid-wing monoplane with parallel-chord wings with the spars mad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blériot Aéronautique
Blériot Aéronautique was a French aircraft manufacturer founded by Louis Blériot. It also made a few motorcycles between 1921 and 1922 and cyclecars during the 1920s. Background Louis Blériot was an engineer who had developed the first practical headlamp for cars and had established a successful business marketing them. In 1901 he had built a small unmanned ornithopter, but his serious involvement with aviation began in April 1905 when he witnessed Gabriel Voisin's first experiments with a floatplane glider towed behind a motorboat on the river Seine. A brief partnership with Voisin followed, but after the failure of the Blériot III and its modified version, the Blériot IV, the partnership was dissolved and Blériot set up his own company, "Recherches Aéronautique Louis Blériot" (Louis Blériot Aeronautical Research) at Courbevoie in March 1909. Blériot's early experiments File:Bleriot V.jpg, Blériot V File:Bleriot VI.jpg, Blériot VI File:Bleriot VII.jpg, Blériot VI ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Farman Aviation Works
Farman Aviation Works () was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard Farman, Richard, Henri Farman, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French nationalization and rationalization of its aeronautical industry, Farman's assets were assigned to the SNCAC, ''Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre'' (SNCAC). In 1941 the Farman brothers reestablished the firm as the "''Société Anonyme des Usines Farman''" (SAUF), but only three years later it was absorbed by SNCASO, Sud-Ouest. Maurice's son, Marcel Farman, reestablished the SAUF in 1952, but his effort proved unsuccessful and the firm was dissolved in 1956. The Farman brothers designed and built more than 200 types of aircraft between 1908 and 1941. They also built cars until 1931 and boats until 1930. Background In 1907, Henri Farman bought his first aircraft from Gabriel Voisin and soon began to improve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Airship Belgique
An airship, dirigible balloon or dirigible is a type of aerostat (lighter-than-air) aircraft that can navigate through the air flying powered aircraft, under its own power. Aerostats use buoyancy from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air to achieve the lift (physics), lift needed to stay airborne. In early dirigibles, the lifting gas used was hydrogen gas, hydrogen, due to its high lifting capacity and ready availability, but the inherent flammability led to several fatal accidents that rendered hydrogen airships obsolete. The alternative lifting gas, helium gas is not flammable, but is rare and relatively expensive. Significant amounts were first discovered in the United States and for a while helium was only available for airship usage in North America. Most airships built since the 1960s have used helium, though some have used thermal airship, hot air. The envelope of an airship may form the gasbag, or it may contain a number of gas-filled cells. An air ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aldershot
Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up area, Aldershot Urban Area – a loose conurbation, which also includes other towns such as Camberley and Farnborough, Hampshire, Farnborough – has a population of 243,344; it is the thirtieth-largest urban area in the United Kingdom, UK. Aldershot is known as the ''Home of the British Army'', a connection which led to its rapid growth from a small village to a Victorian era, Victorian town. History Early history The name is likely to have derived from alder trees found in the area (from the Old English 'alor-sceat' meaning copse, or projecting piece of land, featuring alder trees). Any settlement, though not mentioned by name, would have been included as part of the Hundred (division), Hundred of Crondall referred to in the Domesday Book ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hendon
Hendon is an urban area in the London Borough of Barnet, northwest London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient Manorialism, manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Greater London since 1965. Hendon falls almost entirely within the NW4 postcode, while the West Hendon part falls in NW9. Colindale to the northwest was once considered part of Hendon but is today separated by the M1 motorway. The district is most famous for the London Aerodrome which later became the RAF Hendon; from 1972 the site of the RAF station was gradually handed over to housing development and to the Royal Air Force Museum London, RAF Museum. The railways reached Hendon in 1868 with Hendon railway station, Hendon station on the Midland Main Line, followed by the London Underground further east under the name Hendon Central tube station, Hendon Central in 1923. Brent Street emerged as its commercial centre by the 1890s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aircrew Brevet
An aircrew flying badge (unofficially and incorrectly known as an aircrew brevet – which is actually French for a diploma or certificate) is the badge worn on the left breast, above any medal ribbons, by qualified aircrew in the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, British Army, Indian Air Force, Pakistan Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, South African Air Force and Sri Lanka Air Force. An example of a real pilot brevet (i.e. certificate) is shown: United Kingdom Royal Air Force In the Royal Air Force, RAF, the Flying Badge (colloquially referred to as wings), is awarded upon the completion of a significant stage of Military Flying Training System, flying training. Aircrew first undertake Elementary Flying Training, and are then streamed to either fast jet, helicopter, RPAS or multi-engine pipelines. The award of wings usually occurs upon completion of the secondary phase of training ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pierre De Caters
Baron Pierre de Caters (25 December 1875, in Berchem – 21 March 1944, in Paris) was a Belgian adventurer, aviator and car and motorboat racer. In 1908, he was the first Belgian to fly an aircraft. He was also the first Belgian to receive a pilot's license from the Belgian air club on 2 December 1909 and received a gold medal for the first kilometer in the same year. He was the first aircraft manufacturer in Belgium and the first instructor of military aviation. He also took part in car and motorboat races in Belgium and France. In 1904, he briefly held the land speed record, driving a DMG Mercedes Simplex at on a beach course in Ostend, Belgium. In World War I he joined Belgian military aviation, commanding the flying school of Étampes. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
