I don't mind posting pics... but only on the condition that some of the other collectors here among us decide to share their wonderful SAAF collections with us as well... I waited to see if there was any mention of it made in the "hobbies" thread that was running on here some time ago, but alas, nobody even mentioned they collect militaria. I know we have some collectors with great collections here among us as I've purchased some items from them in the past. I'm not going to mention any names but I've only been collecting for about 5 years now and I know my collection pales in comparison to some of my peers who've been collecting almost an entire lifetime.
As I've mentioned when I introduced myself on the forums almost 2 years ago, I collect mainly SAAF wings (all eras), badges, patches, uniforms, helmets, flight suits, safety gear, flags, books and magazines concerning the SAAF or SADF. As well as uniforms worn by the SADF around the time of the Border War, kit, helmets, weapons and gear, badges, patches, medals and insignia, flags and photographs, ...pretty much any- and everything SAAF and SADF.
Right now my Flight Helmet collection consists of:
1 x USAF F-16 Falcon HGU-55 type helmet w/ MBU-12/P O2 mask
1 x USAF F-15 Eagle HGU-26 type helmet w/ MBU-5/P O2 mask
1 x USN F-14 Tomcat HGU-33/P type helmet w/ MBU-5/P O2 mask
1 x USN F-4 Phantom APH-6C type helmet w/ detereorated O2 mask
1 x SAAF Mirage III Gueneau 316 type helmet w/ LEEP O2 mask (2 Eskader)
1 x SAAF Impala Mk.2 Gueneau 316 type helmet w/ LEEP O2 mask (8 Eskader)
1 x SAAF Impala Mk.2 Gueneau 316 type helmet (Air superiority cammo)
1 x SAAF Impala Mk.1 Gueneau 316 type helmet w/ LEEP O2 mask (Silwer Valke - Falcon 1)
1 x SAAF SA330 Puma Gueneau 316 type helmet w/ Mic boom
1 x SAAF SA330 Puma Gueneau 316 type helmet w/ missing NVG mount
1 x SAAF M1 Oryx Elno type helmet w/ Mic boom & NVG mount included
1 x SAAF Rooivalk Alpha 550 type helmet w/ Mic boom & NVG mount included (16 Eskader)
1 x SAAF Allouette III Mk.3b type helmet w/ Mic boom
1 x SAAF Sabre Mk.1a type helmet w/ O2 mask
1 x Chinese custom painted helmet
I also collect model aircraft kits in scales varying from 1/72 up to 1/24. For large scale aircraft they didn't manufacture in kit form I have wood model replicas. The largest military aircraft I have has to be a 1/18 scale F-16 exact replica "toy" manufactured by BBI and sold in Wal Mart stores here some time ago, which I want to repaint in IAF desert cammo. The largest plastic aircraft model kit I own probably has to be the 1/100 scale Boeing 747 made by Entex which I want to do up in the old SAA colours. I have kits to build almost all of the SAAF fighter aircraft to date and my scale of choice is 1/32 ( BIGGER is BETTER
). Unfortunately the only kit I've had time to complete is a 1/35 scale Ratel 90 resin kit, and I've been stuck finnishing a 1/1400 starship Enterprise C for over a year now... (long story)
So to my fellow collectors on these forums: it might not be fair to the other guys here, maar gaan ons "uithaal en wys"? (It has to be a consensus among us serious collectors. Portamus has lead the way by posting his collection in the "for sale" section of the forums already... It might help if Dean adds a designated SAAF collectors section to the forums beside the modelling and simulation sections??)
And to anyone interested in checking it out, my favourite international site concerning scale aircraft modeling has to be the
Aircraft Resource Center site or "ARC". They have daily updates of modeller's builds from around the world, and I start every day by checking their website 1st! Always makes me happy and proud to see aircraft built in SAAF colours from time to time posted on there.
The link is:
http://www.arcair.com/