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Jan
Olieslagers
Name: Jan Olieslagers
Country: Belgium
Rank: Lieutenant
Units: 1ère, 2me, 5me, 9me
Victories: 6
Date Of Birth: May 4, 1883
Place of Birth: Antwerp
Date Of Death: March 23, 1942
Place of Death: Antwerp
Olieslagers fascination with racing motorcycles led to a world
championship in 1902. He was the first man to reach a speed of 100
km/h on a motorcycle. As his interest shifted to aircraft, he
purchased a plane in 1909 and within four years, he had 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 combat, Olieslagers attacked an enemy aircraft
armed only with a pistol. Throughout the war, he rarely claim the
enemy aircraft he destroyed. Despite his six confirmed victories,
Olieslagers flew 491 sorties and had 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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