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7 October 2024
South African Air Force hosts presentation of Colour Parade
Chief of the SAAF, Lt Gen Wiseman Mbambo, presided over a Colour Parade at Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (AF MDW) on Friday 4 October, highlighting the achievements of the SAAF, including the recent establishment of the Space Command Section. Read More...
4 October 2024
A-Darter practice missiles to be delivered this month
The much-delayed delivery of Denel’s fifth-generation Denel V3E Agile-Darter (A-Darter) short-range air-to-air missile (SRAAM) to the SAAF will begin in October with training missiles, while operational A-Darters are expected in March or April of next yea Read More...
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SA Airshow 2007
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South Africa Airshow 2007 By Frans Dely and Hayley Horan This book contains short biographies and photographs of some of South Africa's greatest...
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SAAF Castle/Eagle Roundal magnet
Roundal magnets
SAAF Castle/Eagle Roundal magnet Car magnets look like stickers, act like stickers, but do not damage your car like stickers. Hard wearing and dura...
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WELCOME
Welcome to my privately run, unofficial website on the South African Air Force. It is maintained by myself during my (limited) spare time so please read the Terms of Use. I hope you enjoy the experience and visit again soon. All suggestions are welcome, as are old uniforms, squadron badges, patches, memorabilia, books, etc. - Dean Wingrin
Tumult in the Clouds
New SAAF book launched!

A new book on the personal history of the SAAF has been launched. Titled "Tumult in the Clouds - Stories from the South African Air Force, 1920 - 2010", the book has been compiled by Dean Wingrin who personally interviewed and corresponded with nearly all the contributors.

The South African Air Force (SAAF), formed on 1 February 1920, is the second oldest air force in the Commonwealth. The air arm played a major role in securing victory for the Allies during the Second World War, in the 1948/49 Berlin Airlift, and in Korea in the 1950s. The SAAF assisted Rhodesia in the 1960s and ’70s, made a major contribution to the ‘Border’ or ‘Bush’ war in South West Africa and Angola, participated in the transition to a new democracy in South Africa and continuously supports South African peace missions in Africa. It has also assisted in countless relief and rescue missions in southern Africa throughout this entire period.

However, the SAAF is not just about aircraft and ordnance; it is made up of people and it is in this compilation that these people, airmen and ground crew alike, find their voice. These are their stories, all told in the first person by the actual participants as unvarnished, unabbreviated and intensely immediate and personal recollections.

Through their stories of heroism, duty, adventure and tragedy, the reader will follow the history of the SAAF prior to 1939 to the present day.

To complement the stories, the final chapter includes a collection of squadron pub songs from the Second World War, Korea and the Border War.

The highly successful formal launch took place at the SAAF Museum Flying Training Day, Zwartkop airfield, on Saturday 2 February 2013. Lt Gen Denis Earp, who wrote the Foreword, was guest of honour, together with Maj Gen Tsoku Khumalo and Lt Col Mike O'Conner.

Purchase your copy now fromThe Airforce Shop and other fine bookshops.
 
 
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Puma 182 in 1982.
Puma 183 in 1980.
Puma landing at Oshakati in the 1980's.
SA-330H Puma 149 cockpit in 1987.