Pierre de Caters

 

Date Location Driver Driver Country Vehicle Power Speed over
1 Km
Speed over
1 Mile
Comments
May 25, 1904 Ostend, Belgium Pierre de Caters Belgium DMG Mercedes Simplex
4 - cylinder inline
IC 97.25 mph (156.50 km/h)    

Baron Pierre de Caters (b. Berchem, 25 December 1875 – d. Paris, 21 March 1944) was a Belgian adventurer, aviator and car and motorboat racer. He was the first Belgian to fly an aircraft in 1908.

He was also the first Belgian to receive a pilot license from the Belgian air club on 2 December 1909 and received a gold medal for the first kilometer in the same year. He was the first aircraft manufacturer in Belgium and the first instructor of the military aviation. He also took part in car and motorboat races in Belgium and France. Briefly in 1904, he held the World Land Speed Record, driving a DMG Mercedes Simplex at 97.25 mph. over a 1 km. course on a beach in Ostend, Belgium. In World War I he joined the Belgian military aviation, commanding the flying school of Étampes.

Pierre de Caters