Installed in 1977 - must have been a real challenge

Les Manchots (the Penguins) was a Belgian display team of the Elementary Flying School (Elementaire Vliegschool - EVS) during the late 60s. This aircraft was at the time stowed away in a dark corner of the museum.

The second Brussels Aero Show took place just a few weeks before the outbreak of WWII. Britain displayed this 'Speed Spitfire', the heavily modified 48th Spitfire I. It had demonstrated a top speed of 657 km/h (408 mph) but this was not good enough for a world speed record attempt. Its radiator was then replaced with an evaporative cooling system. Meanwhile though the He 100 V8 and the Me 209 brought the world speed record to 746 km/h and 755 km/h (469 mph) which the Type 323 could never touch. K9834 was converted to a photo recce Spitfire but it range was too short to be of use. In the background is the Reid and Sigrist RS.1 Snargasher trainer, G-AEOD.

Preserved at the Brussels Air Museum from 1983.

Preserved at the Brussels Air Museum from 1983.

Delivered to the Belgium Army as SE-3130 OL-A11 in 1961. Reserialled as A11 in 1974. Converted to an SE-313B in 1976. Preserved at the Brussels Air Museum from 1988.

Prototype of the Z-22 Junák (boyscout), developed from Czech-built Bücker Bu 181 Bestmann with side-by side seating. Sign at the nosewheel of the Praga E-211 prototype OK-BFA reads 'All the Czechoslovak aircraft have arrived from Prague through the air'. Photo from: KOVO Foreign Trade Company

A five-seat air taxi, the Praga E-211 was a refined development of the pre-war E-210. It was abandoned in favour of the more promising Aero 45. The first of two prototypes first flew on 13 June 1947 and flew to Belgium on 1 July for display at the 3rd Brussels Air Salon. This event took place in the complex housing the Military Museum, but probably in the other wing. British company Cunliffe-Owen displayed a full-size model of their Concordia small airliner. Photo from: Flight