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Hi everyone

How frequently were the cactuses used? Permanent at important bases yes but were they ever deployed nearer to the front? Did the missile systems used by South-Africa ever work in the sense that they were fired in anger or were they only fired at simulated aircraft targets?

Thanks
MAMBA

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MAMBA

Keep your feet on the ground, and reach for the skies!

The following was posted on page 1 of this thread by "Propeller", read the full story from there onwards.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

[quote="mamba"]

When you say canon you mean lots of smoke and noise?

I mean just like a shot from a canon. Not the gradual acceleration as seen on tv.
On the technical aspects of the analogue to digital, I can't help.

Cactus missile system year 1977-80
After the French engineers were flown to St Lucia by helicopter they spent about 3 days working on the cactus launcher.
The next day the south African navy launched an AS20 missile way out at sea.
The cactus missile was launched and had a direct hit.
The AS20 missile was destroyed.
In my 2 years that was the only hit I ever saw from the cactus missile.

I saw one cactus missile explode as it tried to do a very sharp turn after being fired at the navies radio controlled plane ( drone)
the engineers speculated that the missile self destructed due to the sharp turn and the g-force exerted on it.( we will never know why)
The cactus launcher had printed circuit boards that were mounted in racks.
The sergeant that lived in the farm house with his family on the south side of the camp knew a lot about electronics and repairs.
I worked with him as he removed a couple of these printed circuit boards at St Lucia and was looking for any damaged components or irregularities
however this proved to be futile as we could not test the boards any way.
We had no spare boards except for some boards that were removed from another cactus launcher.
The French engineers were the only people to resolve the fault .
When they were at St Lucia we had to hide the Hilda system very carefully so the French would not know we had it.

Hi Everyone
I was based at the farm in 78/79. My memory fails me but pictures can bring back memories. Our second year was spent building the camp. I will never forget the cold winter mornings under the spot light, for PT training and wading in the Rust de winter river. I will post some pictures. Hopefully somebody will enjoy the pictures?

You can upload them to a picture hosting site such as photobucket. When they are uploaded, you can then copy the image location and paste it here, and it will show.

Quite easy once you've done it.

Welcome.

In the link below, look at first post, point 2.
http://www.saairforce.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=379

Hello fellow Plaasies!

I was at 250 ADAG in 1984 & 1985, as a CO (Candidate Officer) and later as 2nd Luitenant.

I was the 1st ever National Serviceman 2nd Luit at the Russian 23mm Canon Squadron and for a time the highest rank at the Squadron, till Capt Bielie Beyers was appointed as Squadron Commander.

As mentioned, we had to live off the base in old farm dwellings, a few km from main base.

Hard times and fun times at Die Plaas.. and severe drinking stories at the Officers Pub, at the time.

Remember the canvass pool near the Officers Pub?

... during our initiation as CO's at the Officers Pub, apart form drinking some really, really heavy stuff, I remember all officers ended up in the pool, boots and all and the pool was heavily damaged that night.

I remember the Scorpions we had to drink... Parfait Amour with a cherry in it, then lit and you had to drink it with the flame, and when putting the glass down the flame still had to burn, otherwise you had to repeat... I think I got it right on Number 8... hehehe

Beer was cheap, 50c per beer, hard tack not much more.

As CO's we had to take charge of Parade in the mornings, needless to say we missed Parade the next morning and the 3 of us had to get an Oppie from the RSM, Mountjoy.... not a pleasant experience!

I have some pictures of the 23mm Canons, if some are interested.

The other 2 2nd Luits with me, were Stuart Diesel (Hilda) and David Malan (Cactus)... 2 2nd Luits joined us later.

As Luitenant, we received the intake of new "Roofs" and I remember amongst them were 3 chaps who maintained that they were Jewboys and therefore wanted to be transferred away from Die Plaas as it had no Kosher Kitchen. They lived on Redro Fishpaste and Cream Crackers, till they eventually just gave in and ate the mess food... hahaha

Die Plaas was nie vir sussies nie!

Remember Tant Betta sement dams in the veld, and the Tant Betta Beskuit we had to carry around (cement blocks) for punishment and for the enjoyment of the Istructors?

I was also in charge of 3 chaps who had to build radio controlled aircraft, that we used to train on and which was shot down during Tappit at Cape Vidal.

Good times I will never regret!

I was alerted to the existence of this Forum by a chap on my rugby website, where we ended up discussing 250 ADAG and some old Weermag stories.

I did a number of camps after my 2 years as well, all at Die Plaas, till I eventually qualified as an Attorney and just could not afford to be away from the job anymore.

Would be very interesting to hear where a lot of the 250 ADAG okes ended up eventually!

Regards,

Rudi Geldenhuys

Welcome Rudi and please post the photos.

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

ZSU 23 / 2 Ainti-Aircraft Guns.

Crew of 4:

1. Gun Commander (sits in the righthand chair and operates the Mechanical Computer - speed, lead ange, Dive Angle, ect).

2. Gunner (sits in the lefthand chair, aims the optical sight and presses the trigger with the foot)

3. 2 x Ammo Loaders, for those heavy ammo boxes.







I'm the CO with the Browns on!

The other troops were, Ackerman (Ammo Loader on the lefthand side), Aucamp (Gunner) and I think Combrinck (Righthand Ammo Loader)... all three became Instructors during National Service.

Yes indeed, WELKOM! Great to see your pictures and those from 'Tinmen' posted in June. And all those stories ....

Those were the days of camaraderie, esprit de corps, life long friendships and the joy of belonging - regardless of where you served.

Hi Everyone
I was based at the farm in 79/80. Hahaha ja lekker dae gehad

But the ZU-23 had a powered system or were manually trained? And if so, who should do it?

The ZSU 23/2 was a manually operated Russian 23mm Canon... see the pictures above. There are no powered motors on the unit, it is ALL mechanical and manual.

It had a crew of 4... a Gun Commander who sat in the right hand chair and who operated the mechanical computer which set the lead and dive angles as well as the speed of the incoming plane. 2Nd in charge and in the left chair was the Gunner, who mechanically aimed the canon through an optical sight and who pressed the trigger with his foot. The 2 other crew members were Ammo Loaders, responsible for yanking ammo boxes in an out... it was a hard job because of the rapid rate of fire and the weight of the full ammo boxes.

The canon weighs about 2 tons and was drawn behind a Gary or Long Wheel Base Landrover or a Samil 20... but had to be manually manhandled by the crew of 4, upon deployment... and we went for plenty of 2.4Km runs with the canon... manually drawn and pushed on the dirt roads of "The Farm"... not so pleasant to do, might I add.

Regards,

23mm Man

Then who operated the wheels to rotate and elevate the weapons? The gunner, or the commander? Was it an easy task, or there were any attempt to mount an electric drive to them?


About the Tigercat/Hilda, how they were regarded as effectiveness?