The SAAF Forum

Hi,
I was at Bronkhorstspruit dam this morning, approx 11h30 (fri 28th) and was treated to a flyover by a Cheetha! I coudn't make out any markings but it was painted in an overall choc brown colour scheme, looked like he had come from ORT intl and judging from the lazy pace I guess he was on his way to Waterkloof. Anyone know anything about this?

Overall choc brown scheme
Are you sure?
Wow!That would be some terrible looking scheme!

Geoff

Nope, that is not possible..........The only flying Cheetah in the country is "Bandit" and it belongs to Denel, and it looks like this





12 Other Cheetahs have been sold to Ecuador, and most of them are already there.

It could be that you saw one being tested for Ecuador, but I doubt if it was choc brown.

All Cheetahs being tested here for Ecuador are flown in the SAAF colors.......Diamond, Low visibility scheme. They are only being repainted in Ecuador.

Maybe someone bought one...................but I doubt it very strongly. Cause a Cheetah is one expensive bird.....both fuel and man hours.

Question: Isn't "Bandit" the personal callsign of a (former?) SAAF pilot?

That could be, but Cheetah 861 was given the name "Bandit" when it was still serving with the SAAF.

Reason for this was mainly because the paint scheme was given to indicate it as the "Bandit" when they were practicing ACM. So, affectionately since then, it has always been known as "Bandit"