The first Belgian fixed wing aircraft were assigned to the "Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers", a department within the Army which was formed on 31 October 1910. They received their first airplane, a Farman, on 5 May 1911 with the first flight also on this date. When Belgium got involved in the First World War, the military aviation branche consisted of 4 squadrons equipped with different types of Farman aircraft. In march 1915, the Compagnie was renamed as Militair Vliegwezen and had been expanded to 6 squadrons. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War the Militair Vliegwezen had three active Air Force Regiments flying Renards, Fiat CR42, Hurricanes, Gladiators and Fairey Foxes and Battles. During WW II, the Belgian Military Aviation was active as the "Belgische Luchtvaartsektie" within the Royal Air Force.
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