Pre WW2 Belgium Parachute Bailouts ?

[paulmcmillan]

All

Just listened to a presentation from 1962 on Parachutes - In it the presenter claimed that a number of Belgian aviators were alleged to have jumped out of perfectly OK planes in order to become members of the Caterpillar Club -He said a few aviators were multiple claimants - I don't actually believe this to be true but does anyone have a list of pre-war Belgium air force accident to se if there is any possibility of validity in his claims ?


https://soundcloud.com/aerosociety-p...-jackson-fraes

Towards the end of this

Thanks Paul

[paulmcmillan]

for clarity here are my list of Belgian Caterpillar Club members to Dec 1933

Dec ? 1932 F LeGrand Captianne Aviateur, Belgian Air Force, Diest Belgium - Fairey "Firefly"
Collision with 2 Seat Breguet XIX

Feb 21 1933 Oscar Borisewitz, Sergt, Belgian Air Force, Schaffen Belgium - Fairey "Firefly" No Y46 - Injured Jaw and Arm
Collision with another "Firefly" piloted by Capt. Vanderlinden - Killed No Y24
-- Over Nivelles Aerodrome during aerial fighting practice

May 1 1933 Adjuntant Sauveniere, Belgian Air Force, Nivelles, Belgium -- > Sauvenière Louis Joseph Fr. ?

July 27 1933 E Tollet Capt. Belgian Air Force, Gosselies, Belgium - Collision ?
July 27 1933 M. Vermeulen Belgian Air Force, Gosselies, Belgium -- Collision ?

July ? 1933 M.Hanset Sergt, Belgian Air Force, Diest Belgium

[paulmcmillan]

https://www.key.aero/article/database-fairey-firefly

Maybe linked to this

"Over the next few years, the Firefly squadrons were kept busy with military exercises, display flights and training. Unfortunately, a number of crashes marred the type’s early service, though an investigation concluded there was no flaw with the aircraft. In fact, a Firefly on test was found to have strength factors somewhat greater than Fairey had claimed. As most of the mishaps took place during aerobatics, it was likely the manner in which the aircraft were flown contributed to the accidents.""

[paulmcmillan]

Capt. Vanderlinden - Killed is

Vanderlinden Corneille M.O. 27.05.1883 Naissance à Oudenaken
(Omer) ......19.. Lieutenant
01.03.1923 Elève-pilote 22e promotion à Gosselies
12.03.1924 Brevet civil à Gosselies
17.05.1924 Brevet élémentaire
16.07.1924 Brevet militaire
......19.. Capitaine aviateur, commandant le 1er groupe à
Nivelles
07.12.1930 Raid Evere 07.12.1930 - Léopoldville 15.12.1930 -
Evere 30.03.1931, avec capitaine aviateur Robert
Fabry
15.12.1930 Arrivée à Léopoldville
25.03.1931 Arrivée Evere (Bloqués 3 mois à Fort-Lamy)
15.02.1933 + Tué sur Fairey Firefly n° Y24 à
Tourinnes-St-Lambert, collision avec Y46

[paulmcmillan]

Borisewitz Oscar 27.01.1911 Naissance à Anvers
(Dit “Bisuit”) 30.04.1931 Elève-pilote 65e promotion
......1930 Brevet FAI n°280731
26.03.1932 1/2Aé 2/2Aé.
31.03.1932 Admis à l'école 1/1/2Aé Sous-lieutenant
17.07.1942 + Suicidé à Rabat (Maroc)
Pelouse d’honneur de la Faé au cimetière de Bruxelles

[Leendert]

Paul,
Edouard Tollet and civilian René Vermeulen in Fairey Fox AF6015 at Ransart.
Wing broke off whilst in looping. Pre-delivery test flight.
Both men could jump. Tollet landed safely, Vermeulen's hand got caught in parachute ropes, hand had to be amputated in hospital.
See (in Dutch): https://www.luchtvaartgeschiedenis.b...edouard-tollet

Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

Paul,

Capt. Jean LeGrand was in Firefly Y-10 on 27 Oct (not Dec) 1932. Wing broke off in dive towards the Breguet. LeGrand parachuted safely.
Incident was widely covered in Belgian press, questioning the quality of the wing construction of the Firefly.
See (in Dutch): https://luchtvaartgeschiedenis.be/co...n-jean-legrand

Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

Paul,
Indeed Louis Sauvenière. He got killed in another accident on 13 Aug 1933 at Knokke-Zoute. Flew in a light civil plane and (answering his fighter pilot's nature) engaged himself in aerobatics outside the envelope the light plane was designed for. Wing broke off.
Sauvenière got out, but was too low already for parachute to open fully.
Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

Paul,
A Belgian newspaper of 27 Sep 1933 reports another para jump, this time involving Capt. Raoul Bosin and Col. Robert Desmet on a navigation flight. Crash at Remicourt on 25 Sep 1933. Plane got caught in sudden wind draft in dark clouds at 2,000 mtrs. Bosin was lifted out his seat and could jump. Desmet got out later. Both landed safely.
Breguet 19 B-93

Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

Paul,
A Belgian newspaper of 7 Oct 1933 reports the following incident: during maneuvers with AA troops between Middelkerke and Westende along the coast, a military plane got in a heavy gust of wind at 3,000 mtrs. over Middelkerke. Pilot Lt. Arendt was thrown out and could parachute down.
Observer Sgt. Jacobs took over control of a/c and brought it safely back to Stene (Ostend) airfield.
Unfortunately no type was mentioned of airplane.

Incident was on 4 Oct 1933.

Regards,
Leendert