THE AIRFORCE - SQUADRONS
19 Squadron
"Fama Ex Factis" (Fame Through Deeds)
Formed on 1 September 1939 with 17 Squadron, 19 Squadron formed part of the Airways Wing at Swartkop, flying ex-SAA Junkers Ju-52/3m's, but was disbanded on 1 December that year.
Almost missing out on the Second World War, 227 Squadron RAF was renumbered 19 Squadron SAAF on 12 August 1944 at Biferno, Italy. Flying Beaufighters, the squadron was involved in bombing and strafing attacks in Greece and Yugoslavia until the end of the war saw the squadron disband on 10 July 1945.
On 1 March 1970 a Flight of 17 Squadron was formed into 19 Squadron and equipped with Pumas at Swartkop. While A Flight was based at Swartkop, B Flight operated for a time from Durban. In 1988, E Flight at Swartkop become the first unit to be equipped with the new Oryx. A Flight was formed at AFB Louis Trichardt on 1 January 1991, with the squadron moving to Louis Trichardt on 1 January 1992, by which time they operated the Alouette III. 19 Squadron was the first squadron to be fully equipped with the Oryx in early 1994.
The squadron moved once again on 1 January 2004 to AFB Hoedspruit.
Other Squadrons based at Air Force Base Hoedspruit:
101 Squadron, 514 Squadron, 7 Air Servicing Unit, Air Force Command and Control School, Air Force Gymnasium, Lowveld Airspace Control Sector
Other Current Squadrons:
1 Air Servicing Unit, 10 Air Depot, 10 Squadron, 101 Squadron, 102 Squadron, 104 Squadron, 105 Squadron, 106 Squadron, 107 Squadron, 108 Squadron, 110 Squadron, 111 Squadron, 140 Squadron, 142 Squadron, 15 Squadron, 15 Squadron - 'C' Flight, 16 Squadron, 17 Squadron, 18 Deployment Support Unit, 2 Air Servicing Unit, 2 Squadron, 21 Squadron, 22 Squadron, 28 Squadron, 3 Air Servicing Unit, 35 Squadron, 41 Squadron, 44 Squadron, 5 Air Servicing Unit, 500 Squadron, 501 Squadron, 502 Squadron, 503 Squadron, 504 Squadron, 505 Squadron, 506 Squadron, 508 Squadron, 514 Squadron, 515 Squadron, 516 Squadron, 525 Squadron, 526 Squadron, 6 Air Servicing Unit, 60 Squadron, 68 Air School, 80 Air Navigation School, 85 Combat Flying School, 87 Helicopter Flying School, 92 Tactical Airfield Unit, Air Force Command and Control School, Air Force Gymnasium, Air Publications Service Centre, Airspace Control Unit, Bushveld Airspace Control Sector, Central Flying School, Central Photographic Institute, Combined Auction Centre, Command and Control School, Electronic Warfare Centre, Ellisras Reporting Post, Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre, Lowveld Airspace Control Sector, Mobile Communications Unit, Rapid Deployment Air Operations Team 43, Rapid Deployment Air Operations Team 46, SA Air Force College, SAAF Band, SAAF Museum Historic Flight, SAAF Police, SAAF Procurement Unit, SAAF Telecommunications Centre, School of Cookery, Test Flight and Development Centre
