Autographs of Willy Coppens
Willy Omer François Jean baron Coppens de Houthulst, DSO MC (6 July 1892 – 21 December 1986) was Belgium's leading fighter ace and the champion "balloon buster" of World War I. He was credited with 37 confirmed victories and six probables.
Coppens was born in Watermael-Boitsfort, son of Omer Coppens, a Belgian impressionistic painter who studied in the Royal Academy of Ghent. The younger Coppens was conscripted into the army in 1912, serving with the Premier Regiment de Grenadiers.
In 1914, following the German invasion of Belgium, Coppens transferred to the Motor Machine Gun Corps. On 6 September 1915, he signed up for flight training in the Compagnie des Aviateurs. As a result of shortcomings in Belgium's training, he needed eight weeks of leave to learn to fly. Coppens and 39 other Belgians learned to fly on their own expense in Great Britain. He received his pilot's certificate on 9 December 1915. After finishing in Britain, Coppens underwent further training at the Farman School in Étampes, France, and joined the Sixieme Escradrille as a sergent 1st class (Sergeant First Class) on 8 April 1917, flying BE-2c two seaters. Later that month, he was assigned to Quatrieme Escadrille, flying a Farman pusher. On 1 May, he received a Sopwith 1½ Strutter two seater, which he flew during his first aerial combat.
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Traded items with a signature of Willy Coppens
The most expensive item with a signature of Willy Coppens (Artist signed ltd ed aviation art print Belgium Ace Willy Coppens Balloon Buster) was sold in March 2018 for £33.00 while the cheapest item (HASP2bA Willy Coppens Signed by Pilot Dockiere) found a new owner for £0.99 in June 2017. The month with the most items sold (2) was April 2015 with an average selling price of £11.26 for an autographed item of Willy Coppens. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in January 2015 with £29.99 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £0.99 was October 2016. In average, an autographed item from Willy Coppens is worth £9.97.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Willy Coppens were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Picture | Item Title | Price | Store |
 | 1977 Colonel Baron Willy Coppens cover signed by Willy Coppens. | £4.72 |  |
| Colonel Baron Willy Coppens de Houthulst Signed F Korner German fighter pilot | £1.25 | |
| FDC RAF SIGNED WWI ACE COLONEL BARON WILLY COPPENS DE HOUTHULST ON OWN COVER | £4.99 | |
| HASP2c Willy Coppens De Houthulst Signed Own FDC WW1 Pilot Ace 37 | £19.95 | |
| HASP2c Willy Coppens De Houthulst Signed Own FDC WW1 Pilot Ace 37 | £20.00 | |
| HASP2c Willy Coppens De Houthulst Signed Own FDC WW1 Pilot Ace 37 | £20.00 | |
| HASP2c Willy Coppens De Houthulst Signed Own FDC WW1 Pilot Ace 37 | £20.00 | |
| HASP3 C Lindbergh Signed Baron Willy Coppens 37 victories WWI pilot 1914 - 1918 | £20.00 | |
| HASP3c Flown Concorde Willy Coppens De Houthulst Signed himself WW1 Pilot Ace 37 | £15.00 | |
| RAF SIGNED FIRST DAY COVER FLOWN COVER SIGNED BY BARON WILLY COPPENS | £2.47 | |
| RAF SIGNED FIRST DAY COVER SIGNED BARON WILLY COPPENS DE HOURTHUIST MC WINNER | £3.75 | |
| RAF SIGNED FIRST DAY COVER SIGNED BY WILLY COPPENS DE HOUTHULST DSO MC WINNER | £3.45 | |
| Top Belgian WWI Ace WILLY COPPENS DE HOUTHULST DSO MC Signed on own RAF Cover | £18.99 | |
| Top Belgian WWI Ace WILLY COPPENS DE HOUTHULST DSO MC Signed on own RAF Cover | £18.99 | |
| Willy Coppens de Houthulst - Historic Aviators - HA(SP)2 - Signed: Houthulst | £19.99 | |
