The SAAF Forum

Thought I would share all the photos I have collected of the SAAF Sabres in Korea.

I would like to add as much detail to this page, including serial numbers, cockpit photos, pilots etc, etc to create a database for reference.

Any additional information/photos is welcome.

Also, any corrections is welcome, i am not an expert, just a fan.

Thanks to Kremlin for allowing me to use his beautiful F-86 profiles!

Thank you to Alan Thom, who allowed me to post some of his father, 2nd Lt G.Thom 's photos.

601 A 52-4352 SHERDANOR II, named by Cmdt. R. A. Gerneke – January 1953, renamed RENKINS by 2Lt. L. L. Wilmans - June 1953





602 J 52-4361 IMP VIII, named by Maj. J. S. Wells – January 1953


603 B 52-4315 MISS CLOUDYEYES (believed applied only on port side), named by Capt. A. D. Lawrenson – January 1953, MY MARY allocated to Lt. B. K. Ross for painting on starboard side but not applied, renamed RUTH II by Lt. I. A. Holshausen - May 1953






604 K 52-4311 BEVKENEVE, named by Capt. J. F. Nortje – January 1953, renamed BLACK DICK by 2Lt. H. H. Ludick



605 C 52-4313 SHARONNE, named by Capt. E. A. C. Pienaar – January 1953, renamed NAUGHTY NELLY by Lt. M. C. Botha – May 1953




606 L 52-4316 LITTLE PHYLLIS, named by Capt. J. J. Kruger – January 1953, renamed TOMTIT, by 2Lt. G. Thom – May 1953, renamed LADY SWIFT by 2Lt. J. H. Robberts - August 1953





607 D 52-4320 JUST JOAN, named by Lt. I. J. Gow – February 1953



608 M 52-4348 MONKEY III, named by Lt. R. L. van Rooyen – January 1953

609 E 52-4321 MALOBOLA, named by Lt. J. de Wet – January 1953







610 N 52-4333 GLOW WORM, renamed CARLYNEVE by Lt. W. J. Geeringh - May 1953



611 F 52-4310 DANNY BOY, named by Lt. N. A. Stocks – February 1953, renamed UNJUST BRUNO, by 2Lt. P. J. Visser - June 1953

612 O 52-4326 STARDUST, named by 2Lt. L. A. Dixon – January 1953


613 G 52-4327 PRECIOUS POEKSIE, named by 2Lt. A. V. Mather – February 1953

614 P 52-4355 BELLE STARRE allocated but not applied. VIOLA, named by Lt. J. G. de Wet – January 1953, renamed VALERIE by 2Lt. M. D. Gedye – May 1953


615 H 52-4331 HLASELANI allocated for Lt. H. G. Holtzhausen but not applied. KEVRIC, named by Lt. J. J. Koekemoer – February 1953



616 Q 52-4368 LADY OF LORETTE, named by Lt. J. R. Morris – January 1953
Last logbook entry by 2Lt George Thom before 616 got shot down



617 I 52-4346 HELEN, named by 2Lt. W. Grobler - February 1953

618 R 52-4359 GAY JANE III, named by 2Lt. A. S. Rae – January 1953





619 M 52-4344 MONKEY IV, named by Lt. R. L. van Rooyen, renamed BOKKIE by 2Lt.J. H. Coetzee – May 1953

620 H 52-4386 KEVRIC II, named by Lt. J. J. Koekemoer – May 1953

621 G 52-4412 BEVKENEVE, named by Capt. J. F. Nortje



622 Q 52-4572 LADY OF LORETTE, named by Capt. J. R. Morris - August 1953.
Was the only Sabre in the SAAF that had the 6"-3" wing aka as "hard wing". It had an increased wing area, a fence and did away with the slats.




UNKNOWN


COCKPIT






Persoon reg voor is 2 Lt George Thom, agter hom weet ek nie


Dit blyk dat dit dalk “Henry” en Lionel Dickson te kan wees. Derde person is nie bekend nie


2 Lt Johnny Coetzee en 2 Lt Jean de Wet in gesprek by slaapkwartiere in K55


Twee mans (lyk soos John (Johnny) Coetzee die ander herken ek nie) wat my pa vashou om sy bles te ontbloot. Bles op ‘n jong ouderdom van 22.


AC Mechanik Unknown ifo Tomtit


2Lt G.Thom at the back and Dave Sharp (British SAS) in front of him being released as POW’s


Ralph Ludick - 86 sorties

Its a great idea, I look forward to more pic's!

Maybe this will help further:

601 A SHERDANOR II, named by Cmdt. R. A. Gerneke – January 1953, renamed RENKINS by 2Lt. L. L. Wilmans - June 1953
602 J IMP VIII, named by Maj. J. S. Wells – January 1953
603 B MISS CLOUDYEYES (believed applied only on port side), named by Capt. A. D. Lawrenson – January 1953, MY MARY allocated to Lt. B. K. Ross for painting on starboard side but not applied, renamed RUTH II by Lt. I. A. Holshausen - May 1953
604 K BEVKENEVE, named by Capt. J. F. Nortje – January 1953, renamed BLACK DICK by 2Lt. H. H. Ludick
605 C SHARONNE, named by Capt. E. A. C. Pienaar – January 1953, renamed NAUGHTY NELLY by Lt. M. C. Botha – May 1953
606 L LITTLE PHYLLIS, named by Capt. J. J. Kruger – January 1953, renamed TOMTIT, by 2Lt. G. Thom – May 1953, renamed LADY SWIFT by 2Lt. J. H. Robberts - August 1953
607 D JUST JOAN, named by Lt. I. J. Gow – February 1953
608 M MONKEY III, named by Lt. R. L. van Rooyen – January 1953
609 E MALOBOLA, named by Lt. J. de Wet – January 1953
610 N GLOW WORM, renamed CARLYNEVE by Lt. W. J. Geeringh - May 1953
611 F DANNY BOY, named by Lt. N. A. Stocks – February 1953, renamed UNJUST BRUNO, by 2Lt. P. J. Visser - June 1953
612 O STARDUST, named by 2Lt. L. A. Dixon – January 1953
613 G PRECIOUS POEKSIE, named by 2Lt. A. V. Mather – February 1953
614 P BELLE STARRE allocated but not applied. VIOLA, named by Lt. J. G. de Wet – January 1953, renamed VALERIE by 2Lt. M. D. Gedye – May 1953
615 H HLASELANI allocated for Lt. H. G. Holtzhausen but not applied. KEVRIC, named by Lt. J. J. Koekemoer – February 1953
616 Q LADY OF LORETTE, named by Lt. J. R. Morris – January 1953
617 I HELEN, named by 2Lt. W. Grobler - February 1953
618 R GAY JANE III, named by 2Lt. A. S. Rae – January 1953
619 M MONKEY IV, named by Lt. R. L. van Rooyen, renamed BOKKIE by 2Lt.J. H. Coetzee – May 1953
620 H KEVRIC II, named by Lt. J. J. Koekemoer – May 1953
621 G BEVKENEVE, named by Capt. J. F. Nortje
622 Q LADY OF LORETTE, named by Capt. J. R. Morris - August 1953

Nice start JR.

For interest, in flyingspringbok's list, 622 Q LADY OF LORETTE was a replacement for 616 Q LADY OF LORETTE which got shot down.
622 was the only Sabre in the SAAF that had the 6"-3" wing aka as "hard wing". It had an increased wing area, a fence and did away with the slats.
The rest of the SAAF Sabres had the earlier slated wing.

Superb job Jolley Roger

Very interesting, one of my favourite aircraft.

I guess you could add your profiles to this thread.
Just make sure you get the wing right with 622, remember what happened last time?
Dean posted a picture of a can opener for you. The fun we have.

Thanks flyingspringbok, very valuable information.

Would love to know how they got to some of these names!

Generally named after the wife, kids, mistress or a combination of all three!

The aircraft would also change name as the pilot was transfered out and a new pilot allocated to the aircraft.

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

Hi Guys

Was looking for something and came across your thread discussing F86 Sabres in Korea. I can contribute nothing new other than some supporting info. My dad was George Thom and I have the following to share. My dad did indeed name (rename ) his “issued” Sabre Tomtit. The name is written in his log book. He was shot down whilst flying Q 616 Lady of Lorette. His Sabre was in for servicing that day. I would have liked to attached some pictures and a copy of the logbook page confirming shot down – MIA and that he was flying Q 616.

Then I would also like to show a picture of my dad posing on the wing of a Spitfire Mk IX taken at Langebaanweg September 1952. Alas, I cannot find a tab where I can add pictures. I'm being stupid I know.

The link on how to post pictures is below, use option 2 on the link. Looking forward to your pictures.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=379

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

Hi ath123

Welcome to the forum. I interviewed your father in September 2009 and his story appears in my book Tumult in the Clouds (available from The Airforce Shop).

Here's a photo of your father with Maj Retief in Seoul after his release from North Korea (losing 40 pounds in 41 days!).

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

That would be awesome!

If you do not come right, you can email me the pics and I will post them on your behalf.

It is important that we preserve as much of our history as we can.

Dear Dean, Jolly Roger, Tally-Ho and Forum Members

Thank you for the kind words, photo of my Dad in Seoul and the tip. I've uploaded the photo's using Option 2. Pse excuse my ignorance but how do you guys access the photo's?

Cheers

Alan

Hi Alan,

Once you have uploaded the photos, you need to right click on one of them, select properties and copy the URL address. For example "http://gallery.photo.net/photo/15927292-md.jpg"

Now on this forum, click the 'Img' button at the top and it will give you the following [img]-[/img]

Now enter the URL address in between [img]-http://gallery.photo.net/photo/15927292-md.jpg-[/img]

and your picture should display once submitted: