The SAAF Forum

What happened to SAAF tail number 6901 DC-4-1009 (ex-SAA ZS-BMG Magaliesburg) last I heard of it when it was bought back South Africa from Europe by Safarai something or other.

Just as all the Dakota's operated by the SAAF were military C-47 all the DC-4-1009's used by the SAAF were civillian versions and should not "technically" be called Skymasters.

SAA did operated ZS-BWN Swartberg which was a ex-USAAF C-54 Skymaster aircraft, tail # 42-72202 , C/N 10307, it though was sold in 1959 with DC-4 ZS-AUC Drakensburg.

ZS-BWN is on Airliner.com being operated by Chad Airlines in 1989

According to "85 years of the SAAF" by Winston Brent, the DC-4's are listed as follows:

6901 DC-4-1009 cn 42934/13 ex ZS-AUA, for sale 13.01.95, to ZS-NUR 8.95 to PH-DDS
6902 DC-4-1009 cn 43155/67 ex ZS-BMF, to SAAF Museum Swartkop
6903 DC-4-1009 cn 43156/78 ex ZS-BMG, burnt out Rand Airport 24.11.80
6904 DC-4-1009 cn 43157/79 ex ZS-BMH, reverted to SAA as ZS-BMH 13.4.93
6905 DC-4-1009 cn 42984/28 ex ZS-AUB, reverted to SAA as ZS-AUB 20.8.97
6906 C-54A-5DO cn 7488 ex-ZS-IPR 23.4.81, for sale 13.1.95 to ZS-IPR, to Dutch Dak Ass. as PH-DDY
6907 C-54A-15-DC cn10417 ex D6-CAA, sold as ZS-XXX/ZS-NJN/7Q-YYY 1.6.93/ 3D-NJN/3D-ADW
6908 C-54A-15-DC cn 10413 ex D6-CAC, sold as 9Q-CJL 21.6.93 then EL-WBB / 3D-JHL

I have the following on 6901
ZS-AUA South African AW - 25/3/1946
6901 South African AF tfd - 17/1/1966
ZS-AUA South African AW lsd - 1968
6901 South African AF ret - 1970
ZS-NUR Aero Air (Pty) - Aug 1995
PH-DDS Dutch Dakota Association - 5/5/1996
ZS-AUA Flying Springbok-Historic Flight - Mar 2003
ZS-AUA Rovos Air - 2005

I think there is an error somewhere, as I have also just seen a list including ZS-BMG where she is also stated as 6901? 6903 instead?

Dean's site also lists 6903 as having been destroyed by fire whilst being serviced at Rand Airport. So what is the correct serial # tie-up?

Cheers

_________________
Brent Best

Here is the site I use for airliner serials & fates. It is pretty comprehensive ito the types covered & is also pretty up to date. The DC-4 spreadsheet is also found there.

http://members.chello.nl/s.c.verbrugge/types.html

Cheers

_________________
Brent Best