At the end of the first world-war, companies active in aircraft production before the war were not
able to restart their
activities. During the war, Georges Nellis, commanded the aviation depot in Calais
Beaumarais. His unit was responsible to accept, maintain
and repair the aircraft of the Aviation Militaire. Many specialists were trained at the depot and if the aircraft in use were not always the top of the
technology, the unit achieved a good level of technical support for the
operational squadrons. Georges Nellis also succeded in grouping a
small team of engineers who would be active in the aircraft industry after the war.
From his experience during the war, Nellis concluded that it was an absolute priority
for Belgium to have its own independent aircraft industry at its disposal. To
permit such an economically viable activity, Nellis idea was to create both a state backed civil transportation company and a aircraft
construction company. The aircraft factory would provide both the army and the national transport company with the needed aircraft. He
summarised his theories in “L’expansion belge par l’aviation” published with the support of the Aeroclub in 1919. Georges Nellis had also the
support of the King Albert. As there were already projects to experiment air transport in Congo and some needs of air
travel for the King and
members of the government taking part in peace talkings in Versailles, the SNETA, forerunner of the Sabena was founded
The second step was the birth of SABCA (Société Anonyme Belge de Construction
Aéronautique), on December 16th 1920. Industrialists, the Belgian government and the
major banks of the country provided the initial funds. The
new company was housed in recently constructed buildings at the Haren airfield
near Brussels, then the major operation platform for SNETA and one of the
bases of the Military aviation. SABCA received the exclusivity to provide aircraft to the army and
SNETA. Production started with 20
Morane-Saulnier MS35 for the initial training of military pilots. Further contracts followed for Handley Page W8, Fokker FVII assembled or produced
under license. SABCA tried to diversify its production by producing ships for use in Congo or by
developing its own designs but the main activity remained the production under license of aircraft for the domestic market.
The SABCA workshop in Haren during the twenties with Avia BH21 and Ansaldo A300’s under construction
Others companies entered the market during the twenties. Jean Stampe, an Antwerpen born pilot
of Word War I fame associated with René Vertongen, another Great War pilot to start the Stampe & Vertongen company
at Antwerpen. Alfred Renard, joined them to produce
light- and trainer aircraft under the Renard Stampe & Vertongen name. Later Renard left the company to start his own businesses as Atelier
Alfred Renard. Other small companies entered the aircraft industry. SEGA in Gosselies started operations in 1921 as a flying school managed by Word War
I ace Fernand Jacquet. The company operated as ab initio training school for the military pilots. The
firm produced a
small batch of Avia BH21 fighters under license. ACAZ in Zeebrugge produced a few prototypes. Orta St Hubert build the designs of Jef
Guldentops, who served in
Beaumarais during World War One. The Guldentops machines were pleasant small training and touring aircraft but the production stayed limited.
Comparing with aircraft industries in other countries, the Belgian aircraft builders were not very successful working mainly on small series for the
local needs. The Belgian government did not support the home aeronautical industry as others countries did.
At the end of the twenties the apparition of Avions Fairey in Gosselies create a
healthy competition but also some problems for SABCA as after the
delivery of the last Breguet 19, military contracts reduced dramatically with the adoption of the Fairey Fox and Firefly. Sabca survived with the
license production of Fokker FVII and Savoia Marchetti tri-engined passenger
aircraft for Sabena.
The loss of SABCA's monopo