80 Years of Spitfire at Beauvechain Air Base

On Sunday, September 20th 2026, a special event was held at the 1 Wing Historical Center aviation museum of the Beauvechain Air Base in Belgium to mark the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the iconic Spitfire aircraft in Belgium. Officially, the British Spitfire aircraft landed in Belgium on October 24, 1946, after which they formed the basis of the still young Belgian Air Force. To highlight this important milestone in the history of the Belgian Air Force, the 1 Wing Historical Center organized a fantastic event for the general public and Belgian Air Force and airbase personnel. Thanks to re-enactors from The Irvin Squadron, the public and VIPs was able to see what life looked like for the Belgian Spitfire pilots and what uniforms they had to wear while flying. Since 2021, the 1st Wing Historical Center has a beautiful replica of a Spitfire Mk. IX that shows the colors of 349 Squadron on one side and those of 350 Squadron on the other. Both squadrons flew for the British Royal Air Force during World War II and are still operational today. With this photo shoot, both I and the re-enactors from The Irvin Squadron wanted to pay tribute to the Belgian heroes who bravely fought in the skies during World War II.

Text & photos: Kris Christiaens