The SAAF Forum

27 May

1918
Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps (flying a SE.5A during World War 1), successfully shot down a German Albatros DV, this was his 19th confirmed air-to-air victory.
J. Bell, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps (World War 1), flying a Sopwith Camel, shot down a German aircraft, claiming his 20th and last air-to-air victory.
Charles G. Ross, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, flying a SE5A, successfully shot-down a German DFW-C, this was his 2nd air-to-air victory.

1940
The Central Flying School moved to Tempe.

1941
1 Squadron. Four Hurricane conducted a Ferry mission,

1942
HQ 207 Group, notified No 2 SA Wing that the Wing is no longer required as an operational wing in East Africa.
Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (AK-904 and AL-132); two fatalities; 2 Squadron.
Curtiss Tomahawk (AN-263), 5 Squadron
1944
1 Squadron recorded their last ‘air combat mission’ for World War II, during which the unit engaged Luftwaffe aircraft and successfully shot down 2 x FW-190 and 2 x Me-109!
Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (FX629, FX665 and FX769), 5 Squadron; 2 fatalities reported.

1945
40 Squadron deployed its Supermarine Spitfires to Mordendorf Airfield (Austria). This deployment heralded the 1st time a SAAF Squadron crossed the Italian/Austrian border into German occupied territory.

1950
T.6 Harvard (7058), one fatality reported.

1965
Majors Miller and de Munnink conducted a number of Buccaneer orientation sorties in the United Kingdom.

1980
Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Impala Mk II serial 1072.

1982
A Buccaneer (413) whilst deployed on a routine training exercise at Pietersburg, retuned form a mission, when the brakes failed (due to complete hydraulic failure) causing the aircraft to collide with four Impala aircraft on the flight line. All five aircraft were destroyed in the ensuing ground fire.

1989
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Mmbatho; this was show number 161 and 162.

2000
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating PC-7 Mk II aircraft, performed at Nelspruit; this was show number 363 and 364.

28 May

1918
Charles G. Ross, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, flying a SE5A, successfully shot-down a German DFW-C, this was his 3rd air-to-air victory.
Arthur E. Reed, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, flying a SE5A, successfully shot-down a German Pfalz D III, this was his 1st air-to-air victory.

1941
Aircraft Deliveries: Tiger Moth: 2104 (appreciated date)
1 Squadron. Hurricanes flew four ferry flights and six Search and Rescue, the latter for a missing Blenheim.
A Hurricane (278), was reportedly lost after being shot down and crash landed - the pilot survived. It is not known whether it was downed by ground/air fire.

1942
2 Squadron reported the loss of a Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (AK747) after encountering hostile ground fire and its subsequent crash landing.
5 Squadron reported the loss of a Curtiss Tomahawk (AN263) which had been shot down.

1943
A Master (2983) crashed during take-off at night after reportedly having hit a wind-sock.

1944
1 Squadron reported the loss of a Spitfire (MA247) – it was abandoned in-flight after undercarriage failure (possibly to extend).

1957
A Taylorcraft AOP (5407) reportedly crashed.

29 May

1918
Information Note (World War 1): Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps (flying a SE.5A during World War 1), successfully shot down a German Albatros DV, this was his 20th confirmed air-to-air victory.
Information Note (World War 1). Charles G. Ross, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, flying a SE5A, successfully shot-down a German Albatros D V, this was his 4th air-to-air victory.

1940
Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Hind (129 to 131, 154, K5488 and K6690)
1 Squadron pilots received training on RAF Hardey aircraft
1942
1 Squadron. A-Flight deployed to Idku, whilst B-Flight remained at El Gamil.
A Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (AK870) allocated to 2 Squadron was shot down by a Luftwaffe Bf-109.
A Tiger Moth (2187), crashed during a spin incurred during a low-level exercise.
A Curtiss Tomahawk (AN433) allocated to 5 Squadron crashed.
Two Boston Mk III (Z-2176 and AL-673) allocated to 24 Squadron crashed during operations; four fatalities were reported.

1943
An Anson (1130) was involved in a fatal ditching after it suffered fuel starvation.
26 Sqn; 1 x Wellington (567) Escort Mission / Takoradi – Maritime Convoy - Takoradi

1944
A Baltimore (unknown serial) allocated to 21 Squadron crashed, four fatalities were reported.
A Ventura (JT-819) belonging to 17 Squadron crashed during a Maritime Patrol mission, one fatality was reported.

1954
A De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth (585), was involved in a mid-air collision with a civilian aircraft (ZS-BLC) in the Vrede area.

1974
Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Impala Mk II serial 1001.

1977
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Vereeniging; this was show number 34.

1981
A Bosbok (958) crashed in the Operational area / SWA, reportedly at Eenhana.
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Durban; this was show number 56.

1982
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Vryburg; this was show number 70.

1987
Information Note (Border War). UNITA was assured by the SADF that the RSA would assist in destroying Angolan Main Battle Tanks, with Anti-Tank Weapons.

Re. 28 May (where I'm at)

1942
Re. the lost Tomahawk - AN263 GL-V flown by 2Lt FL Stevens, one of four pilots who'd been posted to 5 Sq in April by mistake, as they were not fully trained. Another of the four was 2Lt Cecil Golding. After much begging, Major Frost the CO allowed them to stay and they were trained in-house on the Tomahawk.

At 1725 on the 27th the squadron was scrambled to intercept e/a over Tobruk, its second large op. of the day. Stevens was jumped by a Me109 that shot him up, after the smoke cleared he realised he was alive and the Tomahawk still flying, but the engine was overheating so he glided eastbound, towards base at LG143 aka Gambut satellite no.2. He couldn't see any aircraft, friendlies or enemy, so he made a forced landing on a desert track without further damage to the aircraft. He thought he'd landed far behind the frontline and was soon approached by soldiers who, surprising him mightily, turned out to be Germans and he was taken POW.

British artillery fire started falling around them - the German troops were holding a section of the road, and had about 200 POWs with them - and in the confusion Stevens jumped into a slit trench while the Germans fled west. He hid there until after dark and then walked east with a private form the RASC (Supply Corps). He made it back to 5 Sq the next morning at tea time.

Around 5 pm on the 28th, Lt Robin Pare and his no.2 Lt Sommerville flew a tactical recce flight over the El Adem -Bir Gubi area. They were jumped by Me109's and Pare's Tomahawk's fuselage tank was set alight. The fire destroyed his elevator controls and he bailed out at 800 feet. The Tomahawk, GL-N crashed nearby and burned out.

Pare was one of the SAAF's stalwarts from the East African campaign, together with his old squadron mates from those days John Hewitson and Andrew Duncan, now the two Flight Commanders in no.5 Sq.

Six days after this incident Pare was shot down and killed SW of Bir Hacheim, as far as can be ascertained by Hans-Joachim Marseille during the (in)famous combat when he supposedly shot down 6 SAAF Tomahawks in two or three minutes. (Cecil Golding was one of them, and he told a very different story which was published in FLYPAST Magazine a few years ago). I also met Cecil in Cape Town and he said the same thing, the story is not entirely true...in fact grossly inaccurate.

May and June 1942 were desperate days in Libya for the RAF/SAAF fighter squadrons. The Battle of Tobruk led to the "Gazala Gallop" which was the helter-skelter British retreat to El Alamein. German tanks actually beat the 8th army to the Alamein area, but were out of fuel and ammo and couldn't do anything!

Just some context.

Thanks Upsun.

_________________
How come every time my ship comes in, I'm at the airport?

30 May

1918
Samuel Kinkead, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Naval Air Service & Royal Air Force (flying a Sopwith Camel during World War 1), successfully shot down two German Albatros DV, this was his 25th and 26th confirmed air-to-air victories.

1940
40 Squadron formed at Waterkloof as an Army Coop Squadron for Tac Recce, equipped with Hartbees aircraft.
1 Squadron crews crashed a RAF Hardey during a Dual Training sortie

1941
1 Squadron. Hurricanes flew three Maritime Combat Air Patrols and three Ferry flights.

1942
Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Hart ‘Trainer’ (2057 and 2058) / Hind (3015 and K6846).
Two Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (AK841 and AK735) belonging to 2 Squadron crashed during operations; one pilot reportedly taken Prisoner of War.
5 Squadron reported the fatal loss of a Curtiss Tomahawk (AM495).

1943
A Bristol Beaufort Mk 1 (753) crashed during an attempted forced landing.

1944
Two Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (FX614 and 5008) crashed, one pilot suffered fatal injuries.

1945
26 Squadron departed Freetown (presumably) en-route back to the Union of South Africa.
A Hurricane (5331) crashed.

1957
A Taylor Craft AOP (5403) crashed.

1968
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Paarl; this was show number 2.

1981
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Durban; this was show number 57.

1983
A Scout ‘RPV-1B’ was shot down over Mozambique, during a Battle Damage Assessment sortie iover the SA-3 Goa site at Matola. The RPV took-off from Komatiepoort airfield.

1988
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Langebaanweg; this was show number 148.

2005
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating PC-7 Mk II aircraft, performed at Thaba Tshwane; this was show number 466.
 
31 May

1918
Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Flying Corps (flying a SE.5A during World War 1), successfully shot down a German Albatros DV, this was his 21st confirmed air-to-air victory.
W.L. Jordan, a South African pilot serving in the Royal Naval Air Service & Royal Air Force (flying a Sopwith Camel during World War 1), successfully shot down a German Fokker DR1, this was his 25th confirmed air-to-air victory.

1941
1 Squadron. Hurricanes flew five Maritime Combat Air Patrols (three for HMS Venoetta) and one ferry flight. The squadron also used four Long Range Modified Hurricanes (274 Sqn RAF) to perform Maritime Combat Air Patrols.
24 Squadron reported the shoot down of Ju-88 and Bf-110 during an air-to-air engagement.

1942
Aircraft Delivery to SAAF: Hind (3014)
Major Duncan DFC, took over command of 5 Squadron, and on the first day of duty claimed a ‘kill’ on a Bf-109F too, whilst flying Tomahawk AN-523R. Victory soon turned into tragedy on this day too for him, he was shot-down during the evening whilst on a combat mission, and his body was never found. At the time of his death he had been credited with four air-to-air victories.
A Maryland (1677/AH416) crashed during an operational sortie in Madagascar. (C/L?)
A 2 Squadron Curtiss P40D Kittyhawk (AL176) crashed after reportedly been shot at by enemy forces.
The following Curtis Tomahawks were lost; 4 Squadron: AK509, AH914, AN360, AN242, AN408 and 5 Squadron: AK523 and AN354; a total of three fatalities were reported.

1943
Aircraft Deliveries
Tiger Moth: 4692 to 4703; 4705; 4707 to 4719; 4721; 4725 and 4726; 4728 to 4740; 4743; 4745 to 4750. (Estimated date)
An Airspeed Oxford (3575) crashed.

1944
On completion of the first year of operations in West Africa (coastal), 26 Squadron had concluded 1,232 sorties and had flown a total of 7,694 hours. The unit had lost 10 Wellington aircraft (16 received) and 28 crew members had been fatally wounded.

1962
The Commandant-General, submitted a formal request to the Minister of Defence to acquire 16 Buccaneers.

1966
The Air Force conducted ‘RSA-Five’ celebration flypasts.

1971
The following 24 Squadron Buccaneers deployed to AFB Langebaanweg to perform ‘RSA-10’ celebration flypast: 411, 412, 413, 416, 419 and 420)

1977
A C47A (6842) was written-off during an accident.

1979
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Lanseria; this was show number 41.

1980
A 28 Squadron, C-160Z (332) made a wheels-up landing at M’pacha Air Force Base.

1986
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Pietersburg; this was show number 101.
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Ellispark; this was show number 102.
The Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team; operating Impala Mk 1 aircraft, performed at Rand Airport; this was show number 103.

Well, this has been an early post. I will be ‘off-line’ for a couple of weeks, and will commence posts in July 2019 again.