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History of the Airfield of the Beverlo Camp
Even today, we remain uncertain about the exact time when the Ministry of War decided to establish the airfield at the Beverlo Camp at this location. Some sources mention 1913. Earlier plans had proposed a site slightly further south, but ultimately, the proximity to the road between Leopoldsburg and Hechtel was chosen.
The first military units to use this airfield were the "communication troops" of the time. Based on the illustration below, we can confirm that they were the only natural flyers to ever operate from this location. On the old postcard, you can clearly see the mobile pigeon lofts where the swift and (reliable?) military messengers of the early days were housed during their downtime.
Later, and certainly until 1910, units equipped with balloons were stationed here.
In that same year, the then-Minister of War, General Hellebaut, was invited to take a flight with the private Farman plane owned by Knight de Laminne. Along with Baron de Caters, de Laminne was one of the pioneers and advocates of the fledgling aviation industry.
After the short flight, Hellebaut was extremely impressed. His first encounter with flying immediately led him to consider the purchase of such aircraft. He proposed that de Laminne train the first military pilots, and a decision was made to establish a flight school for the Belgian army. Although a military hangar was planned in Kiewit, Hasselt, to house Georges Nélis' Farman aircraft, the Kempen heathland in Brasschaat was chosen as the location for the flight school. Thus, this Antwerp municipality became home to the first official military airfield in Belgium.
Knight de Laminne played a significant role as a pioneer of aviation in Belgium and as the first military instructor, and his name is inscribed on the very first page of our airfield’s history. On June 6, 1910, he became the first person ever to land at the Beverlo Camp airfield.
After a flight of just over half an hour from Kiewit, he reached our airfield, marking the first air journey over Belgium.
What isn’t visible on this postcard is the large crowd of spectators who turned up for the event. However, a mass of people did indeed gather. Our flying knight had announced his arrival by circling several times over the military camp and the village, knowing that a low-flying aircraft quickly attracts attention. Although in 1910, did an airplane really need to fly low to draw attention?
This landing likely took place as a civilian in a civilian aircraft, as it is well known that on April 13, 1911, at 6:52 am, after a 22-minute flight from Kiewit, a Farman biplane landed, piloted by Georges Nélis, Belgium’s first certified military pilot, and Pierre Lebon. Both of them made history with this flight. Until then, military aircraft had only flown in the vicinity of the fields where they were stationed, taking off and returning to the same location. With this flight, the practice of flying to other airfields was introduced.
Their arrival once again attracted a lot of attention from the military personnel present. After a 20-minute rest, the aircraft took off again toward Kiewit, where Lebon safely landed after an 18-minute flight at an altitude between 200 and 300 meters. In the summer of 1913, a few months after King Albert I separated ballooning and aviation by Royal Decree, the first squadron was sent to Beverlo, which included Lieutenants Hubert and Poot. At the time, a squadron consisted of four aircraft, each with two crew members.
From that point on, the Beverlo airfield, along with the airfields in As and Brasschaat, was classified as a military auxiliary airfield (aérodromes militaires auxiliaires).
The airfield is located 2.5 km east of the Leopoldsburg train station, 22 km north of Hasselt, in the far west of Hechtel, on a military training ground.
At that time, there was a concrete hangar along Kamperbaan measuring 66 by 22 meters, 4.7 meters high, with gates 20.8 meters wide, alongside two smaller “Bessoneau” hangars, which were 20 by 18 meters. There was no permanent repair facility for aircraft.
The landing field, with a grass surface, was 500 meters long and 200 meters wide. Pilots were advised to land and take off as much as possible from the center of the field, as the rest was too unreliable (fragile, in poor condition, or marshy).
These were also the preferred times for King Albert I to travel to the Camp in his own plane to observe exercises of his favorite army unit.
A newspaper article from the 1920s tells us that His Majesty, on a 28th of March, during the camp period of the 2nd Regiment under Major General Gillieaux, learned about the synchronization of machine guns perfected by Lieutenant Stellingwerff, before witnessing shooting exercises in the Hechtel dunes.
After the brigade inspection, he concluded his speech with the following words: "I express my confidence. I know that the army and the country can count on you, both the officers and the lower personnel of the Air Force. Stay true to your predecessors in the war of 1914-18."
In 1920, Commander Moors mentioned in his small illustrated Guide of the Beverlo Camp the presence of a "large hangar for airplanes, which serves as shelter for military aircraft during army exercises.” He also referred to the special safety measures in place for accessing the field. "The boundaries of the airfield are marked by large signs. It is strictly forbidden for troops and lone individuals to cross the airfield or dig holes when the flying units are in session."
Later, activities continued, albeit on a very low scale. Flying units regularly conducted exercises here, but the limited and irregular nature of the activities meant that the airfield was not used permanently.
During World War II, the Germans occasionally used this airfield for takeoff and landing of fighter planes. It is even said that Adolf Hitler himself landed here in the spring of 1943 when he inspected a division of the 12th SS Panzer Division, which had a training camp in the area.
By August 1943, the airfield had been rendered unusable with obstacles like iron pickets and ditches.
In 1971, a new era began when Lucien Plees, the mayor of Beverlo, made the airfield the home of Aeroclub Sanicole. The airstrip was extended to 700 meters, and the construction of the control tower, clubhouse, and hangars began.
Today, Aeroclub Sanicole has grown into an organization with 150 members and hosts the internationally renowned Sanicole International Airshow.
At that time, the Germans had also prepared a reserve airfield at Spiekelspade Heide, just south of this field. However, there was no flight activity there either.
According to the informant of the aforementioned network, there would be no change in the situation until June 5, 1944. (Luc and Marc Leopoldsburg calling London, from Marius, P.R. Louche, archive museum Camp v. Beverlo)
During the first years after the war, the airfield was used only very sporadically. It was not until the 1950s that the bright yellow Piper Cubs of the Army's Light Aviation Corps used the field day in and day out to practice observing artillery fire. This was also the period when the first Dornier 27s made their appearance.
During this time, the 8th Engineering Regiment was also tasked with beginning the demolition of the existing infrastructure. This unit, stationed at another barracks in Leopoldsburg, planned to reuse the beams of the large hangar for their new accommodation. However, when this unit was disbanded a few years later, this had still not occurred.
I learned from Mr. A. Wouters, then a non-commissioned officer assistant in these works, that these activities did not always proceed according to plan and calculations. The dynamite used occasionally caused debris to be propelled too far or in an unforeseen direction, although without serious consequences.
A notable detail of these cleanup activities is the sturdiness of the existing control tower at the time. After a charge of explosives was detonated, it simply refused to fall. Yet, it was only supported by the lower right cornerstone. Steel cables and the pulling power of a three-ton truck were necessary to bring the building down.
With the disappearance of all existing buildings, time was turned back 40 years.
Occasionally, a Piper or a Dornier would still pass by, but increasingly, flight activity was limited to Alouette IIs passing through or participating in exercises.
October 1971 marked the beginning of a new era. Thanks to the efforts of Lucien Plees, the mayor of Beverlo, it became the home base of Aeroclub Sanicole. The first aircraft were flown in, and significant infrastructure works were initiated. Together with a few friends, he expanded the field and made it suitable for the housing of our club, which would experience rapid growth in the following years. The runway was extended to 700 meters, and construction began on the control tower, clubhouse, and the first hangars. Thus, this airfield became a new sport airfield in Limburg, following Kiewit and Zwartberg.
On April 29, 1972, about 35 years ago, the airport building, our clubhouse, was officially inaugurated.
Later, the runway 26-08 was paved over a distance of 600 by 18 meters, and a large hangar was added to the right of the main entrance.
Currently, around 35 aircraft are housed at the airfield.
Our club, named after the sanitary wholesale company of its late founder Lucien Plees in Korspel-Beverlo, has since grown into an organization with about 150 members that has even gained international recognition. The Sanicole International Airshow is a world-famous event that attracts thousands of aviation enthusiasts to Hechtel-Eksel each year. The level of participants in this show also demonstrates the high regard in which our club is held.
In addition to our club, the paratroopers from Schaffen and the A109s from our Air Component regularly use the field and its infrastructure. This field now has the status of a landing strip for defense purposes.
