The Spitfire Museum in Florennes is hosting its annual exhibition for 2025, entitled “Florennes Supersonic”

This Thursday, June 19, 2025, the new exhibition at the Spitfire Museum https://www.museespitfire-florennes.be/at the Florennes base opened. Its theme is supersonic flight and the role the Namur base played in this challenge for the Belgian Air Force (Force Aérienne Belge – FAé).

Supersonic flight quickly attracted military interest, as its speed offered crucial advantages in terms of safety, tactical superiority, and modernity. The ability for an aircraft to exceed the speed of sound meant it could more easily evade enemy defence systems and reduce reaction time during an interception. The speed of sound is defined as Mach 1, the equivalent of 340 metres per second or 1,234 km/h at low altitude.

On October 14, 1947, American pilot Chuck Yeager made aviation history by becoming the first human to break the sound barrier. Piloting the Bell X-1, an experimental rocket-powered aircraft, Yeager reached a speed of Mach 1.06 (approximately 1,299 km/h) at an altitude of 13,700 metres above the Mojave Desert in California.

On November 19, 1953, Major Aviator Remy Van Lierde and Captain Aviator Yves Bodart of FAé broke the sound barrier over England in Hawker Hunters. They were there to test the Hunter, which would become an FAé aircraft in 1957. Coached by the renowned English test pilot Neville Duke, the two Belgian pilots climbed to 47,000 feet and dived to gain enough speed to reach Mach 1. They had become the fastest Belgians and the first to break the sound barrier!

Major Aviator Van Lierde was a World War II veteran. Enlisted in the RAF, he ended the war with victories to his credit, including 37 flying bombs.

Captain Aviator Yves Bodart joined the RAF in 1943 after being detained in Spain. He is known for his time as a Gloster Meteor demonstration pilot, which earned him international recognition.

First supersonic flight over Belgian territory from the Florennes air base, a historic first!

It would not be until August 30, 1955, that Belgian territory would be overflown by aircraft flying at Mach 1.

On that day, from the Florennes air base, Major Branders and Captain Laloux accomplished the feat aboard their F-84F Thunderstreaks, on the orders of the then Chief of the Air Force, General Leboutte.

The two pilots had only about two hours of flight time on this type of aircraft, which made the operation particularly risky. They thus found themselves confronting the unknown as they tried to break the sound barrier.

Supersonic Aircraft of the Belgian Air Force

The F-104G Starfighter: The First True Supersonic Fighter

The first true supersonic fighter to enter service with the Belgian Air Force was the F-104G Starfighter, operational from 1963, first at Beauvechain and then at Kleine Brogel. The F-104G was capable of reaching very high altitudes (it would later set numerous records) and speeds of up to Mach 2.

The Mirage 5: Mach 2.2 target

The Mirage 5 could fly at a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. In the early 1970s, the F-84F and RF were gradually withdrawn from service. From 1971, they were replaced at the Florennes and Bierset bases by the Mirage 5 BA (ground attack version) and BR (reconnaissance version). The Mirage 5, developed by Dassault, is a supersonic fighter-bomber derived from the Mirage III.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon: The “Electric” Fighter

In 1988, the F-16 Fighting Falcon entered service at Florennes to replace the Mirage 5. Although the majority of fighter jets at the time were already supersonic, the F-16 represented a major technological breakthrough. It could reach a theoretical speed of Mach 2.05, but more importantly, it was the first fighter jet equipped with fly-by-wire controls, ushering in a new era in manoeuvrability and piloting.

The F-35A Lightning II: The 5th-Generation Fighter

The F-35A Lightning II embodied a new technological revolution for our Air Force. Although its speed is limited to a “modest” Mach 1.6, it more than compensates for this by integrating stealth technologies and advanced sensors, enabling it to operate effectively in complex and highly contested environments.

The first Belgian F-35As entered service at the US base at Luke Air Force Base in December 2024, and their arrival in Florennes is scheduled for October 2025.

Supersonic Aircraft in the Military World

It would take too long to provide a complete list of supersonic aircraft that have marked the history of aviation. However, here are a few highlights:

• On the Russian side, the MiG-25 stands out, capable of reaching an impressive speed of Mach 3.2. It set several world speed and altitude climb records.
• On the French side, the Dassault Mirage III remains famous for having enabled Jacqueline Auriol to reach 2,038 km/h in 1963, as part of her famous “competition” with the other Jacqueline, Jacqueline Cochran, who was piloting an F-104.

• Also in France, the Nord 1500 Griffon II piloted by André Turcat reached Mach 2.19 in 1959. This experimental aircraft was one of the most ambitious projects of the time.
• On the American side, we remember the dizzying speeds reached by the North American X-15: in October 1967, pilot Pete Knight reached 7,272 km/h (approximately Mach 6.7). Among the other pilots of this legendary aircraft was Neil Armstrong, who reached a speed of 6,400 km/h.

• Also in the United States, the SR-71 Blackbird, designed for very high-altitude strategic reconnaissance, reached a speed of 3,529 km/h (Mach 3.3), while remaining operational for several decades.

• Finally, let’s mention the colossal XB-70 Valkyrie, capable of flying at 3,309 km/h (Mach 3), powered by six GE YJ-93 engines, each developing 13 tons of thrust with afterburner.

And these are just a few iconic examples among many others…