01 January1918W.L. Jordan, a South African, serving in the RNAS/RAF during WW 1, flying a Sopwith Camel, successfully shot-down a German Albatros DV (‘Kill # 09’).
1920The Union of South Africa’s first Aircraft Depot was established at Robert’s Heights under the command of Captain Welch.
194040 Squadron was re-established at Air Force Base Bloemspruit as an operational unit equipped with Harvard aircraft.
The School of Photography was formed at Zwartkop Air Station [ZAS] on 1st January 1940 with two Envoy aircraft under command of Captain James Ireland Low, the unit consisted of a Headquarters and one flight.
1941The 3 Squadron deployment at Garissa, sent a salvage team to search for an Italian Airt Force Caproni, which was shot-down during November 1940.
1942No 1 Pupil Course commenced at No 44 Air School.
Lt Fisher and A/M de Villiers were fatally injured when Hartbees ‘807’ crashed 15nm from Yavello.
The following combat sorties were flown:
1 Squadron: Three intercept missions were flown (Hurricane), in the Port Sudan area. Four Combat Air Patrol sorties were flown (Gladiator / Hurricane) in the Azaza area. Four Air to Ground training sorties were flown (Gladiator / Hurricane) to the Azaza area.
2 Squadron: A Fury (5760/’208’) ferried inbound to home base, as a ‘aircraft change-over, replacing ‘200’ which departed ‘outbound’ too. A Furry attached to ‘B-2 deployment, ferried to N’Gedes Nest.
3 Squadron: A Hurricane deployed at Garissa conducted ACM training ‘intercepts’ against a ‘Double Eagle.
11 Squadron: A flight of four Battles conducted a ferry sortie from Eastleigh to their home base at Archer’s Post.
1943The Officer Commanding, 25 Group (Air Commodore Croke) attended the Passing Out Parade of the 17th Air Gunnery Course (43 Air School).
The following aircraft losses were reported:
A Master (2645) crashed during a low-level sortie, both crew sustained fatal injuries.
A Boston crashed during an attempted forced landing.
194522 Squadron remained deployed at ‘The Rock’, i.e. RAF Station – Northern Front – Gibraltar, the New Year also saw five new aircrew members join the unit from South African Air Force Base Depot Station ‘Almaza’.
The following combat sorties were flown:
1 Squadron: Twelve Spitfires performed Air-to-Ground sorties against various gun emplacements. Four Spitfires conducted Armed Reconnaissance missions. Four Spitfires conducted ‘Patrol’ missions. All these sorties were flown from the Forli airfield (Italy).
1951The following unit changes (re-numbering, re-equipping; closure and or activation) took place:
1 Squadron’s Force element, operating Harvard and Spitfire aircraft became the nucleus of the new 4 Squadron.
8 Squadron was reactivated at Bloemspruit, operating Harvards.24 Squadron’s active Force element, operating Harvard became a new operational unit, namely 8 Squadron, following the closure of 24 Squadron.
25 Squadron was established at Air Force Base Zwartkop operating Ventura aircraft when 21 Squadron was re-numbered 25 Squadron.
27 Squadron equipped with Ventura aircraft was re-established at Air Force Base Ysterplaat.
1952A Mustang (350), allocated to 2 Squadron, based in Korea crashed during an operational sortie.
195340 Squadron was re-activated as an Active Citizen Force Squadron at
Rand Airport, the unit received Harvard aircraft.
1964The South African Air Force’s helicopter capability was improved with the establishment of No 22 Flight (became 22 Squadron some years later), after it had received its first batch of newly acquired Wasp helicopters. The primary missions of the helicopters were to embark on the South African Navy frigates to conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare missions. The unit was only upgraded to a ‘Squadron’ once all the aircraft were on strength. The Wasp continued to serve till the late 1980’s. It took more than two decades to replace the capability in the South African Air Force with the Lynx helicopters in 2007.
1969New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Vermeulen.
1972New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Coetzee.
1973Helicopter Conversion Unit (HCU) was re-named 87 Advanced Flying School.
197411 Squadron was re-established at Air Force Base Potchefstroom, the fourth time since its original inception.
1976Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Impala Mk II serial 1032.
1978New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Kritzinger.
1980New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Burger.
1982It was reported that the South African Air Force had destroyed a Russian supplied helicopter (presumably a Mi8/17 Hip) during an air-strike on enemy positions in Angola.
1983New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Knoesen.
198412 Squadron. Canberra, attacked targets at Cuvelai and Caiundu (Angola) as part of OP ASKARI.
1986New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Meyer.
1989New Squadron Commanding Officer appointed: 12 Sqn / Cmdt Schabort (last post-war OC).
19932 Squadron was re-established at Air Force Base Louis Trichardt, this time equipped with newly acquired Atlas Cheetah C multi-role fighters.
1996The first ‘firm’ evidence that the South African Air Force (SAAF) has acquired the Israeli Rafael Python 3 short-range infra-red air-to-air missile (AAM) emerged in photographs of an air force Mirage F-1CZ, belonging to 3 Squadron.
1998The JARIC became responsible for all Air Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence training in the Air Force.
1999The three C-130F Hercules aircraft, received by the South African Air Force, were put up for sale.
8 Squadron, relocated to AFB Hoedspruit.
02 January1914The Union of South Africa Defence Headquarters purchased the Paterson Aviation Syndicate School, with its aircraft and its entire spares package. Defence Headquarters, Pretoria, intimated that authority had been received to take over the reconstructed ‘Paterson Biplane No 36’, but it was not put to any use, and it eventually disappeared many years later, having last been seen in the Cape Town Drill Hall according to Kenny van der Spuy. The subsequent fate of the aircraft has since not been established.
1941The following combat sorties took place:
1 Squadron: A Gladiator/Hurricane was scrambled to intercept an unidentified aircraft, during the intercept phase, it became apparent that it was an ‘allied aircraft’ the mission returned to home base with no further action. Five Gladiator/Hurricane aircraft performed Escort missions during the day.
2 Squadron: A Fury was scrambled to intercept an unidentified aircraft – mission was unsuccessful.
3 Squadron: Two Hurricanes conducted ACM training from Garissa, practicing intercepts on a Valentia aircraft acting as the ‘target’.
1942A Master (2703) crashed during final approach in the Uitkyk area.
1945Two Hurricanes were written-off in two separate accidents. ‘5280’ Crashed during a Forced Landing, and ‘5288’ loss is attributed to a ‘heavy landing’.
The following combat missions were flown:
1 Squadron: Four Spitfires conducted a long-range escort mission, however during the flight the aircraft were re-tasked to conduct Ground Attacks. Four Spitfires conducted Air-to-Ground attacks on various gun emplacements. Two waves of four Spitfires each, conducted ‘Roger David’ and ‘Cab Rank’ sorties respectively. All the missions were flown from Forli (Italy).
1975Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Impala Mk II serial 1006.
198412 Squadron. Canberra, attacked targets at Cuvelai and Caiundu (Angola) as part of OP ASKARI.
UPDATES MADE: BOLD ITALIC