Léon de Brouckerè - Pioneering Aviator of the Twentieth Century

Léon de Brouckerè (1886 - 1944) gained fame in the early twentieth century as a renowned balloonist in both domestic and international arenas. In 1910, he established a factory in Herstal, where he manufactured airplane propellers and designed his first aircraft. A large hangar was constructed at the Kiewit airport in Hasselt, where de Brouckerè founded a flying school. He obtained the license rights for the French "Deperdussin" aircraft and relocated his flying activities and school to the Genk airport.

The Journey to Dutch East Indies

Thanks to the Dutch East Indies officer, Hein ter Poorten, who learned to fly under de Brouckerè's guidance, a three-airplane order was placed for the Dutch East Indies army. However, this order did not go as planned.

War Volunteer and Post-War Years

During World War I, Léon de Brouckerè served as a volunteer in the Belgian army's observation balloons division. After the war, he established his own engineering firm and became a representative for the Dutch company "Van Berkel's patent." It was during this time that de Brouckerè filed numerous patents.

(Note: The above texts were merged as they were identical)