In April '41, Léopold began pilot training at 13 EFTS
Peterborough. He received his pilot wings in April 1941.
After going to 61 OTU at Heston, in November 1941 he joined 350 Belgian Squadron at Valley.
On 21 September 1942, he was forced to bale out of his Spitfire and parachute down. For this he received the membership certificate and distinctive lapel pin of the "Caterpillar Club" from
the Irving Air Chute manufacturer of parachutes used by
crews of the RAF.
In January 1943 he was transferred to RAE Farnborough for his re-training on twin-engined Airspeed Oxford.
He then trained radio operators on 10 Avro Anson Radio School of Carew Cheriton, and navigators of Coastal Command.
After a spell at 3 School of G.R. Squires Gate, he moved to 8 OTU in Haverford West, where he flew Mosquitos.
In April 1944, he was at 131 Killadeas OTU for Seaplane conversion.
In April 1945, Léopold finally realized his dream of flying on the Catalina seaplane in the Catalina Flight at Castle Archdale.
In November 1945, he moved to 1381 Transport Conversion Unit on Dakotas and was then sent to India at 76 India Command until June 1946.
Recalled to Britain, he was transferred to C Flight 525 Squadron Transportation Command, a unit that would later become the 15th Wing of the Belgian Air Force.
But Leopold stayed with the RAF and therefore signed his allegiance to the British Crown.
He moved to 238 Squadron and later 24 Squadron at Bassingbourn where he transported VIPs.
Leopold participated in the Berlin Air Lift "in 10 Squadron of Transport Command.
He then transferred to 3 Training School for training on Link Trainer as an instructor.
Leopold left the RAF in 1951 and was hired by The Air Survey Company, specializing in high altitude aerial cartography.
At this time he was flying Dakotas.
He returned to Europe in 1974, crossed the Atlantic several times in Dakotas for contracts in South America and the Caribbean.
He then flew to the Middle East on DH Dove and Dakotas to perform Geophysical Research. He passed through Jordan, Kuwait, Dubai, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and later went on to Iran and Pakistan.
A tireless traveler, Leopold went to Uganda and Kenya, where he flew DH-89 Dragon Rapide and later conducted flights in Dakotas over the Atlantic Ocean in search of oilfields.
Back in Britain, he flew for the Royal Aircraft Establishment to test new high-altitude photographic material.
He also flew one of the Dakotas during the filming of the movie "A Bridge Too Far". He then returned to Namibia and Sudan.
In 1981, he ended his career as a professional pilot.
At 84 years old, Leopold crossed the English Channel as a passenger in a ULM.
On 10 May 2008, under the dark silhouette of the Bristol Bleinhein at the Air Museum, he autographed posters of the aircraft on which he had flown as a gunner during the Battle of Britain.
On the way back to Chimay, he expressed a wish to make a short tour in ULM ....
Leopold was the last of the 29 Belgian pilots who participated in the Battle of Britain.
He was an honorary member of the "Vieilles Tiges" of Belgium.
