Belgian skies were one of the fiercest battlefields during the Second World War. During a five year period, about 4000 aircraft crashed within the Belgian boundaries. Thousands of British, Canadian, American, German, Polish, French, Belgian, Italian, Czech… airmen were killed and were buried on hundreds of cemeteries and churchyards. More were wounded and/or captured, whilst several hundred Allied airmen could escape with the help of the local population and the resistance.

The Belgian Aviation History Association (BAHA) pays a lot of attention to this subject, because little has been written about it. When reading British, American or German books, we Belgians are always confronted with the fact that locations are misspelled, and more, that the stories are written from one viewpoint. We, however, try to investigate what happened "on the field". Therefore it is necessary to do research on all sides, Allied as well as German. Puzzling everything together results in a very accurate view on those air combats. Some claims, numbers and stories, written in classical works, are found to be outrageous. Others deserve more attention, are hidden in archives and memories, or deep under the earth.

The BAHA Archaeology Team has established itself as an experienced crew of Belgian enthousiasts which has unearthed many previous untold stories. Besides the artefacts found, a handfull of missing airmen were found and received a decent burial place. The Team works according to strict rules: safety, respect and history. The artefacts are put on display in several locations in Belgium and abroad - none of the historic important items are for sale. Every recovery has a file which is published in the BAHA Magazine "Contact". Several of our investigations were subject of tv-documentaries. Several monuments were inaugurated at places where BAHAAT has been at work, in memory of the fallen airmen involved.