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Jan
Olieslagers
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| Country: |
Belgium |
| Born: |
04 May 1883 |
| Place of Birth: |
Antwerp |
| Deceased: |
23 March 1942 |
| Rank: |
Lieutenant |
| Units: |
1ère, 2me, 5me, 9me |
| Victories: |
6 |
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| The " Antwerp Devil" was
the first man to achieve a speed of 100 km/h
on a motorcycle. Olieslagers fascination with
racing motorcycles led to a world championship
in 1902. As his interest shifted to aircraft,
he purchased a plane in 1909 and within four
years, he'd set seven world records. When the
Germans invaded Belgium, he and his two brothers
joined the army and donated their three Blériot
XI monoplanes to the war effort. In his first
aerial combat, Olieslagers attacked an enemy
aircraft armed only with a pistol. Throughout
the war, he seldom bothered to claim the enemy
aircraft he destroyed. Despite a modest score
of six confirmed victories, Olieslagers flew
491 sorties and engaged in 97 dogfights. Returning
to Antwerp at the end of the war, Olieslagers
was responsible for the development of the Antwerp
Airport in 1923. |
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