The DAKOTA Documentation Center!

How it all began!

The Dakota Association was founded in 1993 as a non-profit organization with the mission to acquire, document, preserve, and maintain the most complete possible collection of aircraft flown by the Belgian military transport wing from the beginning of World War II to the present.

Our role is to safeguard the artifacts, books, magazines, and manuals related to this mandate. The museum now houses images of all the aircraft that have ever flown with the 15th Wing, a comprehensive aviation exhibition gallery, and the most up-to-date archive on all aircraft types, upgrade programs, and missions prepared, flown, and safely maintained by the men and women of the 15th Wing.

We also present our aircraft park in the open air, showcasing several aircraft that have flown from Melsbroek to the four corners of the world.

Our founder was Colonel Pilot Jo Huybens.

Jo Huybens was born on November 22, 1938. He was recruited by the Air Force as a pilot trainee on March 1, 1960, as a member of the 144A class, and began his training on the SV4-Bis (Stampe – Vertongen) in Goetsenhoven.

In June of that same year, he was set to move on to the Fouga Magister for his advanced training, which normally took place in Kamina, Congo.

However, this became impossible due to the unrest that broke out after Congo’s independence, and on November 2, Jo arrived in Salon de Provence to complete his flight training on the CM170B (Fouga Magister). On May 31, he returned to Belgium to continue his training on the Lockheed T33 in Brustem. On November 10, 1961, Jo earned his wings. The 1st Squadron of the 2nd Wing in Florennes became his next assignment as of June 12.

On July 15, 1976, Jo, by then a major, became the commander of the 2nd Squadron, also in Florennes. He later held positions as Flight Group Commander in Brustem, Chief of Recce Branch at AAFCE (Allied Air Forces Central Europe), and Deputy Chief of Staff of the TAF Command in Evere. On August 24, 1990, Colonel Pilot Huybens was appointed commander of the 15th Wing.

Jo retired in 1993 and dedicated his free time to starting and developing the DAKOTA Documentation Center.

Colonel Pilot (retired) Jo Huybens passed away in 2003.

The second president: Lieutenant-General Pilot SBH (retired) René Hoeben

Upon Jo Huybens’ passing in 2003, Lieutenant-General Pilot (retired) René Hoeben, at Jo’s express request, took over the role of president.

Captain Pilot SBH Hoeben joined the 15th Wing in the summer of 1969 and flew the C119 there. On May 24, 1972, after two months of training at Little Rock AFB, he and Commander Pilot Delauré became the first to earn full tactical qualifications on the C130E. Upon their return to Melsbroek, they were tasked with converting C119 pilots to the C130.

He later held various roles within the 15th Wing, alternating with staff assignments, serving as Commander of the 20th Squadron, Flight Group Commander, and finally as Chief of Corps in 1982. He retained his qualification as C130 captain and completed his last flight on July 22, 1994. He left active service on March 31, 1997.

LtGen Pilot SBH (retired) René Houben served as president of DAKOTA from 2003 to the end of July 2019.

Our current president: Colonel Pilot (retired) Jacques Lousberg

After 16 years, LtGen Pilot SBH (retired) R. Hoeben handed over the presidency on July 29, 2019, to Colonel Pilot (retired) J. Lousberg.

Second Lieutenant Pilot J. Lousberg joined the 15th Wing in 1977 and began his career with the 21st Squadron as a co-pilot on the SW03 Merlin, becoming captain of this aircraft in 1978.

At the beginning of 1979, he was assigned to fly the C-130H in the 20th Squadron. He became captain of the Hercules on December 19, 1980, and then a flight instructor on the aircraft in 1982.

In 1983, he was appointed Operations Officer of the 20th Squadron. After his promotion to senior officer, he became commander of the TCU (Transport Conversion Unit). He was CO of the 20th Squadron in 1991, then Commander of the 15th Wing’s Flight Group in 1999, alternating with staff roles. His most notable staff role was likely that of project officer for the C-130 “avionics upgrade” between 1989 and 1991 and again from 1994 to 1997.

He flew his last flight as a pilot on the C-130 in 1999 but had already begun flying the Airbus A310 since 1998.

After being promoted to Colonel, he served as head of the Operations Section in the Air Component and later as commander of the newly established Movement and Transport Coordination Center (MTCC) within the unified Defense Staff.

Colonel Pilot Lousberg flew the A310 until he left active service on October 1, 2005.

He then began a second career as an airline pilot, flying for 14 years on the A310, A330, A340, and A380.

He ended his versatile pilot career with a total of 24,390 flight hours.