from Jean-Pierre Lauwers, Bruges, Belgium, Europe.
I have here two photos into my aeronautical collection which might be
of interest to your organization?
I just got an e-mail in from one of my correspondents from The
Netherlands....
He has indeed as well a rather good stuffed documentation at hand.
Surely when it goes about aircraft.
He advised me that the Firm INTAIR was grounded by two guys named
Frederic Meeus and Eugene Thijs. They had before a wooden shed at the
airfield of Deurne (Now named Airfield Antwerpen) where they started
assembling the ERCOUPE. The first ERCOUPE was shown to press and public
on 17 th April 1947! (I accept at this airfield!)
The OO-ERC was registered into our Belgian registers end (late) 1946!
Although my original article was still not detected yet, this gives you
a better insight and data on the OO-ERC and Europaen history in function
to this plane!
I had some information about the ERCOUPES in Europe, but where I left
it?
Now this is very probably the first into the Belgian Aviation
Registers subscribed ERCOUPE.
What I remember from that particular lecture, is that it was on
this airfield in Belgium, it was for the first time presented to the
European public!
That's why it was registered as OO-ERC which means the ERC-stood
for ERCOUPE)!
(Hopefully I can detect that lecture again!)
This particular plane, OO-ERC, seems to have been the
the first exported one to Europe!
But again I don't remember anymore what year it was! I believe it was
short after WWII. (pity!)
However, I guess this extremely rare photo (in fact two nearly
identical ones) won't be found again so quickly.
Therefore these pictures, with my complements..use from these
photos is copyright free!.
Jean-Pierre Lauwers. (using e-mail address of Joel
Lauwers, my son!)
Collector into aeronautical history.
Also on back of my y photo is written : ERCOUPE 415-CD!
c/n 2006 !
And I noticed from your list at hand of the c/n 2006 number its surely
constructed somewhere 1946 or some time later!
I couldn't still find that lecture I made allusion on! But I see a
bit what I have into memory about confirmed.
I remembered somewhere that a number of about 16, ERCOUPE 415 CD's were
at that moment sold to Belgian owners. I had still here obtained once a
website address of a Belgian Aviation Register listing , but by OO-AAA
until OO-Z...,into alphabetic order listed up indeed.
I took manual from this listing, as printing out it would be a long term
work to become, and otherwise there is no selection possible to filter
out the Ercoupes from!
But I need time now to type it all out, and furthermore I am no
"crack" into computing either!
But indeed some good 16 ERCOUPES 415-CD seems into it to be found!
I have more than that number, over the 20 indeed but I need to classify
them by c/n number first to see how many there are really! C/n 4747 and
4718 f.e. are at least twice in it! Reason the same plane carried
different OO-registrations!
Than you will have also a sight from where the came and where they went
too!
Some came from the USA as first carrying a N.....number...and some were
sold finally to Germany, Luxemburg, The Netherlands etc....
I cannot claim you will have in this list than all ERCOUPE planes we
had...as it might be this list is not really complete! But at least most
ERCOUPE's we had you can trace in here.
But until next Sunday I have a lot of work to do...so it might take a
good week at least before you get more news from me!
But you will have than some more information's about a number of
ERCOUPE's...
I am sure you could do the same with such listings from the USA, but I
know its an extramendous time consuming work to select out of official
registers only the ERCOUPE's!
Notice this OO-ERC is the only photo I have from the Belgian
ones! But it was indeed the first registered one! Thus the most
important one in fact!
I noticed there must have been a second one as you see on the second
photo indeed about in the middle of the OO-ERC a second double tail (the
tops of it only)!
Further into my list, no dates when they entered in service, no dates
of radiations!
I should need some other more accurate listing for it!
But I do an effort to place them by c/n number...
The OO-ERC was the c/n 2006, and notice all others I found are starting
with c/n 4,000 numbers!
That wonders me a bit! But again, gives proof for it was indeed the
first of his kind into Blgium and nearly a certitude, in Europe as well!
Confirms somewhere what I wrote the Encoupe was introduced in Europe via
Belgium!
At this moment I have 28 registered in Belgium found with c/n number!
Plus two from which the c/n number is "unknown"!
Makes in total 30 I traced!
That's only a fraction of those ever build....!
I don't have a good list myself! What I misses in it is indeed the
data! when a plane was first subscribed, until when. .and so on!
I am involved in fact into ballooning and airships history, not into
civil aviation (planes)! But these photos I bought on a postcard &
photo fair, seen I have the nose for what is "scarce"! I have
friend collectors with interest for Civil Aviation...for more
I am a member for more of the Belgian Aviation History Association (They
have a website!) and those pictures are of interest to tem too!
You can visit them on:
http://ibelgique.ifrance.com/baha2/
If you go to the photo gallery you get a screen with four photos, if you
click on the left below one which contains pre-WWI civil airs shows, you
will see that most of these 1908-1912 ones already introduced, a big
part of the photos (postcards) is from my own collection! But the
webmaster needs more time to introduce much more I forwarded him. But I haven't
the knowledge to make up an own website!
But I have a collection of hundreds pre WWI photo postcards
related to mainly European
air pioneers planes and airships! Military observation balloons. .etc...
I am not a master into aeronautical history but I have a lot on photo
material and spread in
time. Polyvalence in fact! I try to focus myself upon pure Belgian
aeronautical history today. But it's impossible seen my international
contacts and memberships. It grows a bit above my head indeed! My
problem is indeed when exploring internet I see always some site to
which I can contribute with one or another item out of my own
collection!
NOORDUYN UC64 A NORSEMAN (OO-AAR) of Canada...Avro Arrow Canada
etc...where the latest ones together with your ERCOUPE!Are good examples
for this.
I got from Avro Arrow an own sheet on my name there!
Just took once the Belgian Ercoupe list at hand and saw that :
c/n 4367 as HB-ERB is with two fine colour photos on your
website!
Now c/n 4367 was at the time the Belgian registered OO-EXA! Was
sold to Switserland and became the HB-ERB!
In Belgium as far I know no Ercoupes are preserved! But's fine to see
at least one former Belgian registered Ercoupe
is preserved!
At hand of the c/n number it's in fact the second oldest one of those
I have on my list!
The OO-ERC was the first one in Belgium (and Europe) The OO-EXA is from
those I have with c/n number the second one!
That c/n 2006 OO-ERC became later the OO-AEA and
was finally sold to Germany where it became the D-EJAD.
Still I couldn't detect the questioned article I spoke about into my
earlier mails...
But from a Exhibition Catalogue about the Airfield ANTWERPEN
1909-1984
(75 Years Anniversary)
The following (2 photos into the exhibition but not identified what
year!):
The firm INTAIR (Airfield Antwerpen) took care of the assemblage and
distribution of the American ERCOUPE planes for Europe.
But confirms again what I wrote you of Belgium being the launch-plateform
for selling and distribution of this Ercoupe planes! Very probably the
planes where in parts, shipped from the USA to Antwerpen harbour and
than further assembled here by the firm INTAIR!
So another little step to know about the Ercoupe history Belgium and
Europe!
I hope I can find by some way my information back to that questioned
article about which I had it! Troubles is I do not really know to whom I
forwarded it...but perhaps I find it again! I have slight idea who it
could be! There are still two possibilities open indeed!
greetings,
Jean-Pierre Lauwers, belgium..
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