Willy Coppens

See also: Coppens

Willy Coppens Willy Omer François Jean Coppens de Houthulst (July 6th 1892 with Watermael-Boitsfort - December 21st 1986 with Antwerp) is have Belgian aviation of the First World War with 37 approved victories and 6 probable.

In its youth, it is impassioned for the motor bike and, during the holidays passed in family with the Breakdown, in 1907, it imagines and creates one of the first sand yachts which it assembles and pilot with ardor on the beach. The tyred tank is equipped with a veil houari of 5m ².

Called by German, the blue Devil , because it made paint its plane a Hanriot HD 1 in turquoise blue. Its overflights of Brussels with height of the roofs make it famous. February 18th, 1918, for example, it crosses of length into broad the capital and will return visit to his parents whom it greets of a beat of wings, then returns at its base in spite of the German hunters which try to cut down it.

Ace of the aerial combat, lieutenant Coppens is also famous for its techniques of attacks against the Drachen (balloons of location of artillery) what was worth the nickname of the " to him; killer of Drachen". It borrowed from French a special ammunition: balls with phosphorus, with it, it will make devastations in the enemy balloons. This ammunition forced to approach with less than 50 meter the balloon, which was extrèmement risky because serving them of the machine were strongly armed and the troops on the ground drew inlassablement on any intruding plane.

14 October 1918 it was seriously wounded at the time of a mission, it will be amputee of a leg. After the war lieutenant Coppens is promoted captain and anobli by king Albert of Belgium under the name of knight Coppens de Houthulst of the name of the forest to the top of which it gained several of his victories. He was decorated by Belgium (Ordre of Léopold II, Ordre of the Crown, Military Cross and Officier of the Ordre of Léopold with Palme), the France (Military Cross and Légion of honor), the England (and Distinguished Service Order) and the Serbia (). In an engraving, king Albert 1st writing: " Up there, in the sky. You showed what can Belges." And Willy Coppens to add " … thanks to Hanriot H.D.1"

Between the two wars, it was attached Belgian air force near France, Great Britain, Italy and Suisse. In September 1928, it carries out, a jump of six thousand meters in parachute, pulverizing the record of Europe held then by Germany. It takes its retirement with Geneva in Suisse in 1940, it lives there with his wife and her two children. During the war, it intervenes via the Red Cross and the international organizations to help and help the Belgian prisoners in Germany.

After the war, it returned to live the Breakdown close to the places where it was, formerly, illustrated. Little before its end, it settled in a residence in Antwerp where it died on December 21st, 1986.

Anecdote: One day, Coppens returns at the base in an apparatus very damages by its mission. As one congratulates it, he answers: " Of course that I brought back it! I needed some to return! "

Victories

External bond

Coppens ace of the sky

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