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cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> Toggle World War I subsection </button> <ul id="toc-World_War_I-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-German_South_West_Africa" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#German_South_West_Africa"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.1 German South West Africa </div> </a> <ul id="toc-German_South_West_Africa-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-German_East_Africa" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#German_East_Africa"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.2 German East Africa </div> </a> <ul id="toc-German_East_Africa-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-War_in_Europe" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#War_in_Europe"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.3 War in Europe </div> </a> <ul id="toc-War_in_Europe-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li 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</li> <li id="toc-East_Africa" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#East_Africa"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.2 East Africa </div> </a> <ul id="toc-East_Africa-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Western_Desert_and_North_Africa" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Western_Desert_and_North_Africa"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.3 Western Desert and North Africa </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Western_Desert_and_North_Africa-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Madagascar" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Madagascar"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.4 Madagascar </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Madagascar-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sicilian_and_Italian_campaigns" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sicilian_and_Italian_campaigns"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.5 Sicilian and Italian campaigns </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sicilian_and_Italian_campaigns-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Other_theatres" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Other_theatres"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.6 Other theatres </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Other_theatres-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Commonwealth_Joint_Air_Training_Scheme" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Commonwealth_Joint_Air_Training_Scheme"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.7 Commonwealth Joint Air Training Scheme </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Commonwealth_Joint_Air_Training_Scheme-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Berlin_airlift" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Berlin_airlift"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 5 Berlin airlift 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.sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="width:15em;"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle" style="padding-bottom: 0.45em;">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Category:Military history of South Africa">a series</a> on the</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;; font-size: 145%; padding: 0.15em 0.4em; line-height: 1.2em;"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Military history of South Africa">Military history of South Africa</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> Conflicts</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="plainlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Khoikhoi%E2%80%93Dutch_Wars" title="Khoikhoi–Dutch Wars">Khoikhoi–Dutch Wars</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Blaauwberg" title="Battle of Blaauwberg">Napoleonic Wars</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xhosa_Wars" title="Xhosa Wars">Xhosa Wars</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ndwandwe%E2%80%93Zulu_War" title="Ndwandwe–Zulu War">Ndwandwe–Zulu War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Wars_(1879%E2%80%931915)" title="South African Wars (1879–1915)">South African Wars</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglo%E2%80%93Zulu_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Anglo–Zulu War">Anglo–Zulu War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Boer_War" title="First Boer War">First Boer War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Second_Boer_War" title="Second Boer War">Second Boer War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_I" title="Military history of South Africa during World War I">First World War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of South Africa during World War II">Second World War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa#Korean_War" title="Military history of South Africa">Korean War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Border_War" title="South African Border War">Border War</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> <a href="/wiki/South_African_National_Defence_Force" title="South African National Defence Force">National Defence Force</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Army" title="South African Army">Army</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">Air Force</a> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">History</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Navy" title="South African Navy">Navy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Military_Health_Service" title="South African Military Health Service">Medical Services</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Special_Forces" title="South African Special Forces">Special Forces</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> Historical forces</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="plainlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Union_Defence_Force_(South_Africa)" title="Union Defence Force (South Africa)">Union Defence Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Defence_Force" title="South African Defence Force">South African Defence Force</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;"> Lists</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_South_Africa" title="List of wars involving South Africa">Wars</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_battles_in_South_Africa" title="List of battles in South Africa">Battles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_South_African_military_chiefs" title="List of South African military chiefs">Military chiefs</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Template:Military history of South Africa"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Template talk:Military history of South Africa"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Military history of South Africa"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> The History of the <a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a> spans the <a href="/wiki/First_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="First World War">First World War</a>, <a href="/wiki/Rand_Rebellion" title="Rand Rebellion">Rand Rebellion</a> of 1922, the <a href="/wiki/Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, the <a href="/wiki/South_African_Border_War" title="South African Border War">South African Border War</a>, and varied peacekeeping operations since 1994. Its battle honours include German South West Africa 1914–15, German East Africa 1915–1918, East Africa: 1939–1941, Middle East: 1941–43, <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar" title="Battle of Madagascar">Madagascar 1942</a>, Italy 1943–1945, the Balkans 1943–1945, and <a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korea</a> 1950–1953. <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origins_and_first_flying_school">Origins and first flying school</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origins and first flying school">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg/150px-Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg" decoding="async" width="150" height="113" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg/225px-Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg/300px-Patterson_No2_Biplane-Replica-001.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3264" data-file-height="2448" /></a><figcaption>Replica of the Patterson No. 2 Biplane at the <a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force_Museum" title="South African Air Force Museum">South African Air Force Museum</a></figcaption></figure> The first winged flight in South Africa is thought to have been made around 1875 by John Goodman Household in a primitive glider in the Karkloof district of Natal.<a href="#cite_note-Illsley-1">[1]</a> The first powered flight is attributed to the French aviator <a href="/wiki/Albert_Kimmerling" title="Albert Kimmerling">Albert Kimmerling</a> on 28 December 1909 at <a href="/wiki/East_London,_Eastern_Cape" class="mw-redirect" title="East London, Eastern Cape">East London</a> flying a <a href="/wiki/Voisin_1907_biplane" title="Voisin 1907 biplane">Voisin 1907 biplane</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Illsley-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-Ob-3">[3]</a> In June 1911 the South African <a href="/wiki/John_Weston_(aviator)" title="John Weston (aviator)">John Weston</a> flew a Weston-Farman for 8.5 minutes, a South African record time for a sustained flight. Demonstrations by Weston followed well into 1912 and at a large number of locations.<a href="#cite_note-Ob-3">[3]</a> In December 1911 two visiting aviators, Cecil Compton Patterson flying a Patterson No. 2 Biplane and Evelyn Driver flying a Bleriot biplane, started flying demonstration flights in the Cape and aroused significant public and government interest to the possibilities of powered flight in South Africa. Prompted by the Patterson / Driver displays, General Jan Smuts (Minister of Defence) sent Brig Gen <a href="/wiki/Christian_Frederick_Beyers" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian Frederick Beyers">C.F. Beyers</a> (Commandant-General of the Citizen Force)<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> to Britain to observe the 1912 military manoeuvres in Switzerland, Germany, France and England and to report on the viability of using aircraft in military operations. Beyers' response was extremely supportive and encouraging of the establishment of an air corps, particularly for the purpose of aerial scouting.<a href="#cite_note-JABrown_1970-5">[5]</a> By this time the Patterson / Driver flying syndicate had dissolved and in 1912 Patterson and the <a href="/wiki/Union_Defence_Force_(South_Africa)" title="Union Defence Force (South Africa)">Union Defence Force</a> reached an agreement to establish a flying school at Alexandersfontein in Kimberley, known as Paterson's Aviation Syndicate School of Flying to train pilots for the proposed South African Aviation Corps (SAAC).<a href="#cite_note-Becker9-6">[6]</a> Basic flying training commenced in 1913 with ten students, using a Compton-Paterson biplane<a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a> and six of the students who completed the basic training were sent to the <a href="/wiki/Central_Flying_School" title="Central Flying School">Central Flying School</a> at <a href="/wiki/RAF_Upavon" title="RAF Upavon">RAF Upavon</a> in Great Britain for further training. Lt. <a href="/wiki/Kenneth_van_der_Spuy" title="Kenneth van der Spuy">Kenneth van der Spuy</a> passed his final examination on 2 June 1914 and was granted the certificate of the Royal Aero Club, becoming South Africa's first qualified military pilot.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS1-8">[8]</a> The others passed a few days later, with five of them eventually qualifying.<a href="#cite_note-9">[Note 1]</a> On qualifying, the Union Defence Force granted permission for these aviators to be seconded to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).<a href="#cite_note-Becker9-6">[6]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="World_War_I">World War I</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: World War I">edit</a>]</div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="German_South_West_Africa">German South West Africa</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: German South West Africa">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg/220px-Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="131" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg/330px-Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg/440px-Farman_Shorthorn_MF11.jpg 2x" data-file-width="527" data-file-height="314" /></a><figcaption>Farman aircraft purchased from France in 1914</figcaption></figure> <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a> broke out in August 1914, and one month later South African troops invaded German West Africa. Early in the German West African campaign, the Union Defence Force had realised the need for air support – having frequently seen German reconnaissance aircraft above their advancing columns and later, having been strafed by German aircraft. This emphasised the urgency for the need of the long-discussed air corps and brought about the establishment of the South African Aviation Corps (SAAC) on 29 January 1915.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS1-8">[8]</a> Although the SAAC had been formally established, the lack of aircraft led <a href="/wiki/Abe_Bailey" title="Abe Bailey">Sir Abe Bailey</a> to lead a delegation in an attempt to acquire American aircraft and pilots for the air corps. The Wright double-wing aircraft initially earmarked for purchase were found to be unsuitable after having been tested in Britain; British aircraft too (being of wooden construction), were considered unsuitable for the hot and dry conditions of German West Africa.<a href="#cite_note-Lange269-10">[9]</a> It was finally decided to purchase twelve tubular steel framed French <a href="/wiki/Farman_HF.20" title="Farman HF.20">Henri Farman F-27</a> aircraft, powered by <a href="/w/index.php?title=Canton-Unn%C3%A9&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Canton-Unné (page does not exist)">Canton-Unné</a> radial engines.<a href="#cite_note-Lange269-10">[9]</a> Capt. Wallace was recalled from the RFC and oversaw the purchase of the aircraft in France, while Lieutenants Turner and Emmett were recalled to co-ordinate the building of an airfield at Walvis Bay and to prepare for the recruitment of 75 prospective pilots.<a href="#cite_note-Lange269-10">[9]</a> Due to a lack of steel tube in France, delivery of the Henri Farmans was delayed and the British government offered four <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.2" title="Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2">B.E.2c's</a> as interim aircraft and also provided three RFC pilots. Eventually, only two B.E.2c's and six Henri Farmans were delivered, with the last aircraft arriving in the Union on 15 May 1915. In addition, the SAAC received two <a href="/wiki/Etrich_Taube" title="Etrich Taube">Jeannin Taube</a> monoplanes which had been captured while en route to German West Africa by British Forces in <a href="/wiki/Douala" title="Douala">Douala</a>. Although not air-worthy, these two aircraft were pressed into SAAC service for ground training at the Cape Town Drill Hall soon after their arrival in February 1915.<a href="#cite_note-Becker13-11">[10]</a> By June 1915 the SAAC commanded by Major Gerard Wallace, was deployed to its first operational airfield at Karabib in German West Africa. Operations were in support of Gen. Botha's South African ground forces, flying reconnaissance and leaflet dropping missions from Karbib and later from Omaruru, where improvised bombing missions were added when pilots started dropping hand grenades and rudimentary bombs by hand.<a href="#cite_note-L'Ange273-12">[11]</a> On 9 July 1915, the German forces capitulated and most of the pilots and aircraft of the SAAC were sent to Britain in support of the Commonwealth war effort. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="German_East_Africa">German East Africa</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: German East Africa">edit</a>]</div> Although the SAAC remained active, its activities were limited to ground training at the Cape Town Drill Hall using the two Jeannin Taubes and two damaged (and now no longer air-worthy) B.E.2c's, while the pilots who had been detached to the RFC were grouped to form <a href="/wiki/No._26_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 26 Squadron RAF">No. 26 Squadron RFC</a> at Netharavon, becoming an independent squadron on 8 October 1915. No. 26 Squadron was equipped with the ex-SAAC Henri Farman F-27's used in German West Africa and B.E.2c's from the RFC. Shortly after becoming operational, the squadron was shipped to Kenya in support of the war effort in German East Africa, landing in Mombasa on 31 January 1916.<a href="#cite_note-Becker15-13">[12]</a> The eight aircraft had been shipped in wooden crates and were re-assembled in Mombasa and then flown to a forward airfield prepared inside German East Africa at <a href="/wiki/Mbuyuni" title="Mbuyuni">Mbuyuni</a>, with the South African and British pilots of 26 Squadron (now known as "The South Africa Squadron") being billeted in tents close to their aircraft.<a href="#cite_note-Brown63-14">[13]</a> The squadron flew reconnaissance and observer missions throughout the campaign until February 1918.<a href="#cite_note-Becker17-15">[14]</a> The squadron was returned to the UK via Cape Town and arrived at Blandford Camp on 8 July 1918 and was disbanded the same day.<a href="#cite_note-RAFWeb-16">[15]</a> While the SAAC were engaged in German South West Africa and 26 Sqn RFC in East Africa, many South Africans travelled to the United Kingdom to enlist with the Royal Flying Corps.<a href="#cite_note-Becker19-17">[16]</a> The number of South Africans in the RFC eventually reached approximately 3,000 men and suffered 260 active-duty fatalities. South African airmen took part in aerial reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions over the <a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_I)" title="Western Front (World War I)">Somme</a> during the war. Forty six pilots became <a href="/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">fighter aces</a> shooting down five or more enemy aircraft, with the most successful, <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Beauchamp-Proctor" title="Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor">Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor</a> being the <a href="/wiki/British_Empire" title="British Empire">British Empire</a>'s fourth most successful ace with 54 victories.<a href="#cite_note-18">[17]</a><a href="#cite_note-19">[18]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="War_in_Europe">War in Europe</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: War in Europe">edit</a>]</div> A number of South Africans took part in the <a href="/wiki/Revolutions_of_1917%E2%80%9323" class="mw-redirect" title="Revolutions of 1917–23">civil war in Eastern Europe between 1917 and 1920</a>. The <a href="/wiki/North_Russia_Intervention" class="mw-redirect" title="North Russia Intervention">North Russian Expeditionary Force</a> had a <a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps">Royal Flying Corps</a> and <a href="/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Naval Air Service">Royal Naval Air Service</a> detachment which landed in Murmansk in June 1918 and a second expeditionary force with further air assets arrived in 1919. A <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Camel" title="Sopwith Camel">Sopwith Camel</a> equipped flight of <a href="/wiki/No._47_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 47 Squadron RAF">No. 47 Squadron RAF</a> was commanded by South African <a href="/wiki/Samuel_Kinkead" title="Samuel Kinkead">Capt. Sam Kinkead</a> and a number of South African pilots flew with the squadron, amongst them Kennith van der Spuy who was to become Director-General of Technical Services in the Union Defence Forces from 1940 to 1945 as well as <a href="/wiki/Pierre_van_Ryneveld" title="Pierre van Ryneveld">Pierre van Ryneveld</a> who was to become the Chief of Staff of the Union Defence Force during the Second World War.<a href="#cite_note-Becker21-20">[19]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Inter-war_period">Inter-war period</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Inter-war period">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Airco_D.H.9.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Airco_D.H.9.jpg/200px-Airco_D.H.9.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="115" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Airco_D.H.9.jpg/300px-Airco_D.H.9.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Airco_D.H.9.jpg/400px-Airco_D.H.9.jpg 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="344" /></a><figcaption>De Havilland/Airco DH.9: 49 of these aircraft were donated to South Africa as part of the Imperial Gift</figcaption></figure> On conclusion of the First World War, the British Government donated surplus aircraft plus spares and sufficient equipment to provide the nucleus of a fledgling air force to each of its <a href="/wiki/Dominion#Dominions" title="Dominion">Dominions</a>. As part of this donation, which was to become known as the <a href="/wiki/Imperial_Gift" title="Imperial Gift">Imperial Gift</a>,<a href="#cite_note-Becker25-21">[20]</a> South Africa received a total of 113 aircraft from both the British Government (100 aircraft) as well as from other sources (13 aircraft)<a href="#cite_note-Becker25-21">[20]</a><a href="#cite_note-22">[Note 2]</a> The first batch of aircraft were delivered to the Aircraft and Artillery Depot at Roberts Heights in Pretoria in September 1919<a href="#cite_note-Becker25-21">[20]</a> and on 1 February 1920 the South African Air Force was established with Col. <a href="/wiki/Pierre_van_Ryneveld" title="Pierre van Ryneveld">Pierre van Ryneveld</a> as the Director Air Services.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_(1920-1921).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg/100px-South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg/150px-South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg/200px-South_African_Air_Force_trial_roundel_%281920-1921%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602" /></a><figcaption>The trial roundel used between December 1920 and December 1921.<a href="#cite_note-Becker29-23">[21]</a></figcaption></figure> Not all of the aircraft which had been received were assembled immediately and two of the Avro 504K's were sold to the South African Aerial Transport Company. The assembled aircraft were moved to a site at <a href="/wiki/AFB_Swartkop" class="mw-redirect" title="AFB Swartkop">Swartkop</a>, three kilometres east of what was then <a href="/wiki/Thaba_Tshwane" title="Thaba Tshwane">Roberts Heights</a> which had been converted from a farm to the first air force aerodrome.<a href="#cite_note-Becker27-24">[22]</a> No. 1 Flight was established on 26 April 1921, commanded by Lt. J. Holthouse and was joined by a second flight in 1922 with these two flights forming <a href="/wiki/1_Squadron_SAAF" title="1 Squadron SAAF">1 Squadron</a>, the first South African Air Force squadron, equipped with 3 DH.9's, 2 Avro 504's and one SE.5a.<a href="#cite_note-Becker29-23">[21]</a> In December 1920 the South African National insignia was added to aircraft for the first time. An Orange, Green, Red and Blue roundel was added to an Avro 504K for trial purposes but the colours were found to be unsuitable and were replaced with a Green, Red, Lemon, Yellow and Blue roundel in December 1921. These colours remained until 1927 when they were replaced with the Orange, White and Blue roundels.<a href="#cite_note-Becker29-23">[21]</a> The first operational deployment of the newly formed Air Force was to quell internal dissent, when in 1922 a <a href="/wiki/Rand_Rebellion" title="Rand Rebellion">miner's strike</a> on the Johannesburg gold mines turned violent and led to the declaration of martial law. 1 Squadron was called to fly reconnaissance missions and to bombard the strikers' positions. Sorties in support of the police amounted to 127 flight hours between 10 and 15 March and this inauspicious start for the SAAF led to two pilot losses, two wounded and two aircraft lost to ground fire.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> The SAAF was again deployed to suppress the <a href="/wiki/Bondelswarts_affair" class="mw-redirect" title="Bondelswarts affair">Bondelzwart Rebellion</a> at Kalkfontein between 29 May and 3 July 1922.<a href="#cite_note-Becker33-25">[23]</a> The <a href="/wiki/Great_Depression" title="Great Depression">Great Depression</a> of 1929–1933 had led to forced reductions in defence spending and the South African military had received minimal funding, leading to a reduction in staff, facilities and resources. Economic recovery became visible in 1933 and led to an increase in the demand for gold resulting in significant growth for the Union economy. In 1934 a five-year expansion plan was announced whereby the Union Defence Forces (UDF) were to receive increased funding and were to be markedly expanded.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="World_War_II">World War II</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: World War II">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Camm_hart_500.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Camm_hart_500.jpg/150px-Camm_hart_500.jpg" decoding="async" width="150" height="89" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Camm_hart_500.jpg/225px-Camm_hart_500.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Camm_hart_500.jpg/300px-Camm_hart_500.jpg 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="296" /></a><figcaption>The Hawker Hartbeest: one of the most common early World War II fighter aircraft of the SAAF</figcaption></figure> When war broke out on 3 September 1939, the SAAF was ill-prepared, not only for the defence of the Union but also lacking in any capability to provide any tangible support to the Commonwealth. The 1934 Five Year Plan for expansion had not materialised and the SAAF still consisted of only 160 permanent force officers, 35 cadets and 1,400 other ranks organised into one operational and two training squadrons, as well as five shadow squadrons that existed only on paper.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> The training schemes implemented since 1934 had focused on volume and although over 1,000 pilots had been trained – these pilots could fly, but were not competent as combat pilots. Also, no air observers had yet been trained.<a href="#cite_note-Becker55-27">[25]</a> The 104 aircraft air fleet was considered obsolete with the front-line operational aircraft consisting of four Hurricanes Mkl's, one Blenheim bomber and one Fairey Battle.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> Fortunately, there was no enemy activity in the region in the initial period of the war, permitting time to expand and re-structure the SAAF.<a href="#cite_note-Becker57-28">[26]</a> Urgent remedial measures were implemented; The lack of combat ready pilots was greatly alleviated by the establishment of the <a href="/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan" title="British Commonwealth Air Training Plan">Joint Air Training Scheme</a> (JATS) to train <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF), SAAF and other allied air and ground crews at 38 newly created South African air schools. Resources were increased and by September 1941 the SAAF had a personnel strength of 31 204, of whom 956 were pilots, 715 observers and air-gunners, 2 943 basic trainees and 4 321 members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> Urgent aircraft procurement programs resulted in the total number of military aircraft in the Union being increased to 1 709 aircraft (South African based aircraft, excluding those deployed in the different operational areas).<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Coastal_defence">Coastal defence</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Coastal defence">edit</a>]</div> At the outbreak of war, South Africa had no naval vessels and the UDF's first priority was to ensure the safety of the South African coastal waters as well as the strategically important Cape sea-route. To provide credible maritime patrol operations, the SAAF took over all 29 of <a href="/wiki/South_African_Airways" title="South African Airways">South African Airways</a>' passenger aircraft: eighteen Junkers JU-86Z-l's to be used in the maritime patrol role and eleven Junkers Ju 52's for transport purposes.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> SAAF maritime patrols commenced on 21 September 1939 with <a href="/wiki/16_Squadron_SAAF" title="16 Squadron SAAF">16 Squadron</a> flying three JU-86Z's from Walvis Bay.<a href="#cite_note-SAAFcoZa16Sqn-29">[27]</a> By 1940, the JU-86s were replaced by Anson's and <a href="/wiki/Coastal_Command_SAAF" class="mw-redirect" title="Coastal Command SAAF">Coastal Command SAAF</a> had been established, eventually consisting of <a href="/wiki/6_Squadron_SAAF" title="6 Squadron SAAF">6</a>, <a href="/wiki/10_Squadron_SAAF" title="10 Squadron SAAF">10</a>, <a href="/wiki/22_Squadron_SAAF" title="22 Squadron SAAF">22</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=23_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="23 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">23</a>, <a href="/wiki/25_Squadron_SAAF" title="25 Squadron SAAF">25</a>, <a href="/wiki/27_Squadron_SAAF" title="27 Squadron SAAF">27</a> and <a href="/wiki/29_Squadron_SAAF" title="29 Squadron SAAF">29 Squadrons</a>.<a href="#cite_note-30">[28]</a> By the end of World War II, SAAF aircraft in conjunction with British and Dutch aircraft stationed in South Africa, had intercepted seventeen enemy ships, assisted in the rescue of 437 survivors of sunken ships and attacked 26 of the 36 enemy submarines that operated around the South African coast and had flown 15,000 coastal patrol sorties by August 1945.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">[24]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="East_Africa">East Africa</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: East Africa">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402,_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="84" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg/330px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg/440px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2402%2C_Flugzeug_Junkers_Ju_86.jpg 2x" data-file-width="795" data-file-height="304" /></a><figcaption>Ju86 similar to that flown by the SAAF in a bomber role in East Africa</figcaption></figure> In December 1939 the <a href="/wiki/Prince_Amedeo,_Duke_of_Aosta" title="Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta">Duke of Aosta</a> had sent a report to Mussolini recording the state of chronic unpreparedness of the Allied Forces in East Africa. The collapse of France in 1940 had prompted Mussolini to join the war on the side of the Axis and as a result, air force elements were moved to forward positions in occupied Abyssinia to mount air attacks on Allied forces before they could be re-enforced.<a href="#cite_note-Becker67-31">[29]</a> These deployments prompted Allied action and on 13 May 1940, <a href="/wiki/1_Squadron_SAAF" title="1 Squadron SAAF">1 Squadron</a> pilots were sent to Cairo to take delivery of 18 Gloster Gladiators and to fly them south, to Kenya for operations in <a href="/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)">East Africa</a>. <a href="/wiki/11_Squadron_SAAF" title="11 Squadron SAAF">11 Squadron</a> equipped with Hawker Hartbees followed to Nairobi on 19 May 1940 and were joined by the Ju86's of <a href="/wiki/12_Squadron_SAAF" title="12 Squadron SAAF">12 Squadron</a> on 22 May 1940.<a href="#cite_note-Becker67-31">[29]</a> Italy declared war on 10 June 1940 and on the following day, the Ju86's of 12 Squadron lead the first air attack by the SAAF in World War II.<a href="#cite_note-Becker67-31">[29]</a> During the campaign, numerous SAAF aircraft were involved in air combat with the Italian <a href="/wiki/Regia_Aeronautica" title="Regia Aeronautica">Regia Aeronautica</a> and provided air support to South African and Allied forces in the ground war. By December 1940, ten SAAF squadrons plus 34 Flight, with a total of 94 aircraft were operational in East Africa (<a href="/wiki/1_Squadron_SAAF" title="1 Squadron SAAF">1</a>, <a href="/wiki/2_Squadron_SAAF" title="2 Squadron SAAF">2</a>, <a href="/wiki/3_Squadron_SAAF" title="3 Squadron SAAF">3</a>, <a href="/wiki/11_Squadron_SAAF" title="11 Squadron SAAF">11</a>, <a href="/wiki/12_Squadron_SAAF" title="12 Squadron SAAF">12</a>, <a href="/wiki/14_Squadron_SAAF" title="14 Squadron SAAF">14</a>, <a href="/wiki/40_Squadron_SAAF" title="40 Squadron SAAF">40</a>, <a href="/wiki/41_Squadron_SAAF" title="41 Squadron SAAF">41</a>, <a href="/wiki/50_Squadron_SAAF" title="50 Squadron SAAF">50</a> and <a href="/wiki/60_Squadron_SAAF" title="60 Squadron SAAF">60</a> Sqn's).<a href="#cite_note-Becker71-32">[30]</a> During this campaign the SAAF formed a Close Support Flight consisting of four Gladiators and four Hartbees with an autonomous air force commander operating with the land forces. This was the precursor of the Tactical Air Force "cab-rank" technique which were used extensively for close air support during 1943–1945.<a href="#cite_note-33">[31]</a> The last air combat took place on 29 October and the Italian forces surrendered on 27 November 1940 after which a reduced SAAF presence was maintained in East Africa for coastal patrol purposes until May 1943.<a href="#cite_note-34">[32]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Western_Desert_and_North_Africa">Western Desert and North Africa</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Western Desert and North Africa">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg/220px-Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="162" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg/330px-Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg/440px-Douglas_Boston_24SAAF_Libya.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="588" /></a><figcaption>Douglas Boston of 24 Squadron SAAF at Zuara, Tripolitania, Libya, 1943</figcaption></figure> The SAAF fighter, bomber and reconnaissance squadrons played a key role in the Western Desert and North African campaigns from 1941 to 1943.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> A memorable feat was the SAAF Boston bombers of 12 and 24 Squadrons who dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on the Afrika Korps as it was pushing the Eighth Army back towards Egypt during the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">"Gazala Gallop"</a> in early 1942.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> The SAAF bombers were also instrumental in continually harassing the German forces retreating towards the Tunisian border after the <a href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Battle of Alamein</a> whilst the South African fighters of 223 Wing contributed towards the Allied <a href="/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> attaining air superiority over the <a href="/wiki/Axis_Powers" class="mw-redirect" title="Axis Powers">Axis</a> air forces by the beginning of 1942.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> Between April 1941 and May 1943, the eleven SAAF squadrons<a href="#cite_note-36">[Note 3]</a> flew 33 991 sorties and destroyed 342 enemy aircraft.<a href="#cite_note-SAAF-4">[4]</a> Conditions were however not ideal and pilots and crew were required to operate under critical conditions at times. Pilots were frequently sent home to the Union after gaining experience and did not return for many months, after which conditions in the desert had changed significantly and they were required to regain experience on different aircraft, different tactics and operations from different bases. There were cases where experienced fighter pilots were sent back to the Western Desert as bomber pilots for their second tour – compounding the lack of continuity and experience.<a href="#cite_note-Shores240-37">[34]</a> The South Africans did however command the respect of their German adversaries: "I personally had a firm conviction that the Australian squadrons fought less stubbornly than the English and the South Africans. Of the French we heard only rumours, and of the Poles – I believe that our aversion was reciprocal." Rudolf Sinner, II/JG27, 1942.<a href="#cite_note-38">[35]</a> The South Africans had the distinction of dropping the first and last bombs in the African conflict – the first being on 11 June 1940 on Moyale in Abyssinia and the last being on the Italian 1st Army in Tunisia.<a href="#cite_note-39">[36]</a> The SAAF also produced a number of <a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_South_Africa" title="List of World War II aces from South Africa">SAAF WWII air aces</a> in the process, including <a href="/wiki/John_Frost_(pilot)" class="mw-redirect" title="John Frost (pilot)">John Frost</a>, <a href="/wiki/Adolph_Malan" class="mw-redirect" title="Adolph Malan">Sailor Malan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Gerald_Stapleton" title="Gerald Stapleton">Gerald Stapleton</a> and <a href="/wiki/Marmaduke_Pattle" class="mw-redirect" title="Marmaduke Pattle">Marmaduke Pattle</a>.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS_Aces-40">[37]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Madagascar">Madagascar</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Madagascar">edit</a>]</div> In fear of Japanese occupation and subsequent operations in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to South African sea lanes, Field-Marshal Smuts encouraged the preemptive Allied occupation of the island of Madagascar.<a href="#cite_note-Turner132-41">[38]</a> After much debate and further encouragement by General de Gaulle (who was urging for a Free French operation against Madagascar), Churchill and the Chiefs of Staff agreed to an invasion by means of a strong fleet and adequate air support.<a href="#cite_note-42">[39]</a> In March and April 1942, the SAAF had been conducting reconnaissance flights over Diego Suarez and 32, 36 and 37 Coastal Flights<a href="#cite_note-44">[Note 4]</a> were withdrawn from South African maritime patrol operations and sent to <a href="/wiki/Lindi" title="Lindi">Lindi</a> on the Indian Ocean coast of Tanzania, with an additional eleven Beauforts and six Marylands to provide ongoing reconnaissance and close air support for the planned operation – to be known as <a href="/wiki/Operation_Ironclad" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Ironclad">Operation Ironclad</a>.<a href="#cite_note-45">[41]</a> During the amphibious / air assault carried out by the Royal Navy and Air Force on 5 May, the Vichy French Air Force consisting mainly of Morane fighters and Potez bombers had attacked the Allied fleet but had been neutralised by the Fleet Air Arm aircraft from the two aircraft carriers. Those remaining aircraft not destroyed were withdrawn by the French and flown south to other airfields on the island.<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS_Madagascar-43">[40]</a> Once the main airfield at Arrachart aerodrome in Diego Suarez had been secured (13 May 1942), the SAAF Air Component flew from Lindi to Arrachart. The air component consisted of thirty-four aircraft (6 Marylands, 11 Beaufort Bombers, 12 Lockheed Lodestars and 6 Ju 52's transports).<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS_Madagascar-43">[40]</a> By September 1942, the South African ground forces committed to Ironclad had been party to the capturing the southern half of Madagascar as well as the small island of Nossi Be with the SAAF air component supporting these operations. During the campaign which ended with an armistice on 4 November 1942, SAAF aircraft flew a total of 401 sorties with one pilot killed in action, one killed in an accident and one succumbing to disease. Seven aircraft were lost, only one as a result of enemy action.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILHist_Madagascar2-46">[42]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sicilian_and_Italian_campaigns">Sicilian and Italian campaigns</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Sicilian and Italian campaigns">edit</a>]</div> By the end of May 1943, the SAAF had two Wings and sixteen squadrons in the Middle East and North Africa with 8,000 men. With the end of the North African campaign, the SAAF role underwent change – becoming more active in fighter bomber, bomber and PR operations as opposed to the fighter role performed in the desert.<a href="#cite_note-Becker125-47">[43]</a> Five SAAF squadrons were designated to support the July 1943 invasion of Sicily – <a href="/wiki/1_Squadron_SAAF" title="1 Squadron SAAF">1 Squadron</a> operated combat air patrols over the beaches for the <a href="/wiki/Operation_Husky" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Husky">Operation Husky</a> landings<a href="#cite_note-48">[44]</a> while <a href="/wiki/2_Squadron_SAAF" title="2 Squadron SAAF">2</a>,<a href="#cite_note-gs-s2-49">[45]</a> <a href="/wiki/4_Squadron_SAAF" title="4 Squadron SAAF">4</a><a href="#cite_note-HoW4Sqn-50">[46]</a> and <a href="/wiki/5_Squadron_SAAF" title="5 Squadron SAAF">5</a><a href="#cite_note-ipmsssa_5Sqn-51">[47]</a> Squadrons provided fighter bomber support during the Sicilian campaign. <a href="/wiki/30_Squadron_SAAF" title="30 Squadron SAAF">30 Squadron</a> (flying as <a href="/wiki/No._223_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 223 Squadron RAF">No. 223 Squadron RAF</a> during the campaign) provided light bomber support from Malta<a href="#cite_note-RAF223Sqn-52">[48]</a> and <a href="/wiki/60_Squadron_SAAF" title="60 Squadron SAAF">60 Squadron</a> was responsible for photo reconnaissance flights in support of all Allied forces on the island.<a href="#cite_note-53">[49]</a> After successfully invading the island, a further three squadrons were moved to Sicily and the eight squadrons on the island were tasked with supporting the invasion of Italy: 12 and 24 Squadrons were responsible for medium bomber missions to "soften up" the enemy prior to the invasion while 40 Sqn was responsible for tactical photo-reconnaissance. 1 Squadron provided fighter cover for the 3 September 1943 landings while 2 and 4 Squadrons were responsible for bomber escort.<a href="#cite_note-Becker125-47">[43]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Other_theatres">Other theatres</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Other theatres">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png/200px-SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="248" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png/300px-SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png/400px-SAAF_Beaufighter_Zuzemberk_Yugoslavia_1945.png 2x" data-file-width="522" data-file-height="648" /></a><figcaption>SAAF Beaufighters of 19 Sqn (Balkan Air Force) attacking German-occupied buildings in Zuzemberk, Yugoslavia in Spring 1945</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Atlantic" class="mw-redirect" title="Atlantic">Atlantic</a> (1943–45): Two squadrons patrolled convoy routes off West Africa and Gibraltar. (<a href="/wiki/26_Squadron_SAAF" title="26 Squadron SAAF">26 Squadron SAAF</a>, <a href="/wiki/Vickers_Wellington" title="Vickers Wellington">Vickers Wellington</a> XI's, <a href="/wiki/Takoradi" class="mw-redirect" title="Takoradi">Takoradi</a>, Gold Coast, West Africa)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yugoslavia" title="Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</a> (1943–44): 7 Wing supported partisan operations against German occupation forces.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balkans" title="Balkans">Balkans</a> (1944–45): Some squadrons served with the <a href="/wiki/Balkan_Air_Force" title="Balkan Air Force">Balkan Air Force</a> in operations over Hungary, <a href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a> and <a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Warsaw" title="Warsaw">Warsaw</a> (1944): 2 Wing air-supplied Warsaw during <a href="/wiki/Warsaw_airlift" title="Warsaw airlift">Warsaw Uprising</a>.</li> <li>Greece (1944): 2 Wing supported British operations to liberate Greece and suppress the <a href="/wiki/Greek_Civil_War" title="Greek Civil War">communist coup</a>.</li> <li>France (1944): A detachment took part in the Franco-American invasion of southern France.</li> <li>Strategic and tactical reconnaissance in Mediterranean theatre</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Commonwealth_Joint_Air_Training_Scheme">Commonwealth Joint Air Training Scheme</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Commonwealth Joint Air Training Scheme">edit</a>]</div> The <a href="/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan" title="British Commonwealth Air Training Plan">Joint Air Training Scheme</a> was a major programme for training <a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> and <a href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</a> <a href="/wiki/Aircrew" title="Aircrew">air crews</a> during <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Yellow_Wings-54">[50]</a> An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a recruit 50 hours of basic aviation instruction on simple trainer aircraft and pilots who showed further promise went on to training at a Service Flying Training School (STFS). The Service Flying Training School provided advanced training for pilots, including fighter and multi-engined aircraft while other trainees went on to different specialties, such as wireless, navigation or bombing and gunnery training. In South Africa, the Elementary Flying Training School and Service Flying Training School curricula were grouped together and known as Training Air Schools.<a href="#cite_note-Yellow_Wings-54">[50]</a> Thirty-five such air schools were established in South Africa for Commonwealth pilot and crew training. The facilities were under SAAF control and were distributed throughout the country with training being conducted using a wide variety of aircraft (depending on the purpose of the training).<a href="#cite_note-55">[Note 5]</a> The training scheme was in operation from 1939 to 1945. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/List_of_British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan_facilities_in_South_Africa" title="List of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in South Africa">List of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in South Africa</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Berlin_airlift">Berlin airlift</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Berlin airlift">edit</a>]</div> Although no SAAF aircraft participated in the 1948–1949 <a href="/wiki/Berlin_Airlift" class="mw-redirect" title="Berlin Airlift">Berlin Airlift</a>, the SAAF supplied 20 aircrews to support the effort. The air-crews flew to Britain via east Africa, Egypt and Malta and were assigned to fly RAF C-47 Dakotas as part of the Royal Air Force effort after receiving advanced training on the aircraft type at RAF Bassingbourne. They flew 1,240 missions and delivered 4,133 tons of supplies.<a href="#cite_note-frd-4-56">[51]</a> The sorties were flown from Lubeck in West Germany into RAF Gatow in West Berlin. On return trips, the aircraft frequently carried civilians in need of evacuation from occupied Berlin, especially orphaned children who were placed with families in the West. The Soviet blockade of Berlin was lifted at midnight on 12 May 1949 but flights continued for some time after this date to stockpile additional supplies in Berlin. By 24 July 1949, a three-month surplus had been accumulated and the Airlift officially ended on 30 September 1949.<a href="#cite_note-57">[52]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Korean_War">Korean War</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Korean War">edit</a>]</div> At the outbreak of the <a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a> the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of the North Korean Forces. A request was also made to all UN members for assistance. After a special Cabinet meeting on 20 July 1950 the Union Government announced that due to the long distance between South Africa and Korea, direct ground-based military participation in the conflict was impractical and unrealistic but that a SAAF fighter squadron would be made available to the UN effort. The 50 officers and 157 other ranks of 2 Sqn SAAF sailed from Durban on 26 September 1950 – they had been selected from 1,426 members of the Permanent Force who had initially volunteered for service. This initial contingent was commanded by Cmdt S. van Breda Theron DSO, DFC, AFC and included many World War II SAAF veterans.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILH_Korea-58">[53]</a> The squadron was moved to <a href="/wiki/Johnson_Air_Base" class="mw-redirect" title="Johnson Air Base">Johnson Air Base</a> near Tokyo on 25 September 1950 for conversion training on the <a href="/wiki/North_American_P-51_Mustang" title="North American P-51 Mustang">F-51D Mustangs</a> supplied by the US Air Force.<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg/220px-F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg" decoding="async" width="220" height="177" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg/330px-F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg/440px-F-51Ds_2_Sqn_SAAF_Korea_May_1951.jpeg 2x" data-file-width="3000" data-file-height="2407" /></a><figcaption>2 Squadron F51 Mustangs in Korea</figcaption></figure> On completion of conversion training, the squadron was deployed as one of the four USAF <a href="/wiki/18th_Wing" title="18th Wing">18th Fighter-Bomber Wing</a> squadrons<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> and on 16 November 1950 an advance detachment consisting of 13 officers and 21 other ranks (including the Squadron Commander and his four Flight Commanders who made the crossing in their own F-51D Mustangs) left Japan for Pusan East (K-9) Air Base in Korea to fly with the USAF pilots in order to familiarize themselves with the local operational conditions.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILH_Korea-58">[53]</a> On the morning of 19 November 1950, Cmdt Theron and Capt G.B. Lipawsky took off with two USAF pilots to fly the first SAAF combat sorties of the Korean War from K-9 and K-24 airfields at Pyong Yang.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILH_Korea-58">[53]</a> On 30 November the squadron was moved further south to K-13 airfield due to North Korean and Chinese advances. It was again moved even further south after the UN forces lost additional ground to the North Koreans to K-10 airfield situated on the coast close to the town of Chinhae within the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Pusan_Perimeter" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Pusan Perimeter">Pusan Perimeter</a>. This was to be the squadron's permanent base for the duration of their first Korean deployment. During this period (while equipped with F-51D Mustangs) the squadron flew 10,373 sorties and lost 74 aircraft out of the total 95 allocated. Twelve pilots were killed in action, 30 missing and four wounded.<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> In January 1953 the squadron returned to Japan for conversion to the USAF <a href="/wiki/North_American_F-86_Sabre" title="North American F-86 Sabre">F-86F</a> Sabre fighter-bombers. The first Sabre mission was flown on 16 March 1953 from the K-55 airfield in South Korea, being the first SAAF jet mission flown. The squadron was tasked with fighter sweeps along the Yalu and Chong-Chong rivers as well as close air support attack missions. The squadron flew 2,032 sorties in the Sabres losing four out of the 22 aircraft supplied.<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> The war ended on 27 July 1953, when the <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Korean_Armistice_Agreement" class="extiw" title="s:Korean Armistice Agreement">Korean Armistice Agreement</a> was signed. During the first phase of the war, the main task of the squadron Mustangs was the interdiction of enemy supply routes which not only accounted for approximately 61.45% of SAAF combat sorties, but which reached an early peak from January to May 1951 (78% and 82%). A typical interdiction mission was an armed reconnaissance patrol usually undertaken by flights of two or four aircraft armed with two napalm bombs, 127 mm rockets and 12.7 mm machine guns.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILH_Korea-58">[53]</a> Later, after the introduction of the Sabres, the squadron was also called on to provide counter-air missions flying as fighter sweeps and interceptions against MiG-15's, but interdiction and close air support remained the primary mission.<a href="#cite_note-SAMILH_Korea-58">[53]</a> Losses were 34 SAAF pilots killed, eight taken prisoner (including the future Chief of the Air Force, General D Earp) with 74 Mustangs and 4 Sabres lost.<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> Pilots and men of the squadron received a total of 797 medals including 2 <a href="/wiki/Silver_Star" title="Silver Star">Silver Stars</a> – the highest award to non-American nationals – 3 <a href="/wiki/Legion_of_Merit" title="Legion of Merit">Legions of Merit</a>, 55 <a href="/wiki/Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_States)" title="Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)">Distinguished Flying Crosses</a> and 40 <a href="/wiki/Bronze_Star_Medal" title="Bronze Star Medal">Bronze Stars</a>.<a href="#cite_note-SAKorea-60">[55]</a> In recognition of their association with 2 Squadron, the OC of 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing issued a policy directive "that all retreat ceremonies shall be preceded by the introductory bars of the South African national anthem. All personnel will render the honour to this anthem as our own."<a href="#cite_note-SAAFCOZA-59">[54]</a> On conclusion of hostilities, the Sabres were returned to the USAF and the squadron returned to South Africa in October 1953. During this period, the Union Defence Forces were reorganised into individual services and the SAAF became an arm of service in its own right, under an Air Chief of Staff (who was renamed "Chief of the Air Force" in 1966). It adopted a blue uniform, to replace the army khaki it had previously worn. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Border_War">Border War</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Border War">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Mirage_IIICZ.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Mirage_IIICZ.jpg/250px-Mirage_IIICZ.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="131" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Mirage_IIICZ.jpg/375px-Mirage_IIICZ.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Mirage_IIICZ.jpg/500px-Mirage_IIICZ.jpg 2x" data-file-width="598" data-file-height="314" /></a><figcaption>Mirage III of 2 Sqn as flown in 1980's</figcaption></figure> From 1966 to 1989, the SAAF was committed to the <a href="/wiki/South_African_Border_War" title="South African Border War">Border War</a>, which was fought in northern <a href="/wiki/South_West_Africa" title="South West Africa">South West Africa</a> and surrounding states. At first, it provided limited air support to police operations against the <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_of_Namibia" title="People's Liberation Army of Namibia">People's Liberation Army of Namibia</a> (the military wing of <a href="/wiki/SWAPO" title="SWAPO">SWAPO</a>, which was fighting to end South African rule of South West Africa). Operations intensified after the defence force took charge of the war in 1974. The SAAF provided air support to the army during the 1975–76 <a href="/wiki/Angola" title="Angola">Angola</a> campaign, and in the many <a href="/wiki/List_of_operations_of_the_South_African_Border_War" title="List of operations of the South African Border War">cross-border operations</a> that were carried out against PLAN bases in Angola and <a href="/wiki/Zambia" title="Zambia">Zambia</a> from 1977 onwards. At least two <a href="/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-21" title="Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21">MiG-21s</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Angolan_Air_Force" class="mw-redirect" title="Angolan Air Force">Angolan Air Force</a> were shot down by <a href="/wiki/3_Squadron_SAAF" title="3 Squadron SAAF">3 Squadron SAAF</a> <a href="/wiki/Mirage_F1" class="mw-redirect" title="Mirage F1">Mirage F1s</a> in 1981 and 1982.<a href="#cite_note-61">[56]</a> The SAAF was also heavily involved in the 1987–88 Angola campaign, before the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Accords" class="mw-redirect" title="New York Accords">peace settlement</a> that ended the conflict. The international <a href="/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_418" title="United Nations Security Council Resolution 418">arms embargo</a> imposed against the then-apartheid government of South Africa, meant that the SAAF was unable to procure modern <a href="/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> to compete with the sophisticated Soviet-supplied air defence network and <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuban</a> <a href="/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-23" title="Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23">Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23s</a> fielded in the latter part of this conflict. South Africa collaborated with Israel, obtained blueprints by stealth, and innovatively designed and delivered the Cheetah fighter to overcome this challenge, while the Israelis delivered their Kfir fighter out of this joint venture. Both aircraft could use MiG engines which were easily obtained in either region.<a href="#cite_note-62">[57]</a> From 1990 with the perceived reduction in threat, SAAF operational strength began to be reduced.<a href="#cite_note-63">[58]</a> The first short term steps entailed the withdrawal of several obsolete aircraft types from service, such as the Canberra B(1)12, the <a href="/wiki/Super_Frelon" class="mw-redirect" title="Super Frelon">Super Frelon</a> and <a href="/wiki/Westland_Wasp" title="Westland Wasp">Westland Wasp</a> helicopters, the Kudu light aircraft and the P-166s Albatross coastal patrol aircraft. Other initial measures included the downgrading of Air Force Base Port Elizabeth and the disbanding of <a href="/wiki/12_Squadron_SAAF" title="12 Squadron SAAF">12</a>, <a href="/wiki/16_Squadron_SAAF" title="16 Squadron SAAF">16</a>, <a href="/wiki/24_Squadron_SAAF" title="24 Squadron SAAF">24</a>, <a href="/wiki/25_Squadron_SAAF" title="25 Squadron SAAF">25</a>, and <a href="/wiki/27_Squadron_SAAF" title="27 Squadron SAAF">27 Squadrons</a>. Two Commando squadrons – <a href="/w/index.php?title=103_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="103 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">103 Squadron SAAF</a> at AFB Bloemspruit and <a href="/w/index.php?title=114_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="114 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">114 Squadron SAAF</a> at AFB Swartkop – were also disbanded. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Major_air_operations">Major air operations</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Major air operations">edit</a>]</div> <table class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; border:1; margin-top:0.2em;"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="6" style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Major South African Air Force operations during the Border War: 1978–1988 </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Date </td> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Operation </td> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Location / Country </td> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Aircraft and Role </td> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Area Coordinates </td> <td style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;">Notes </td></tr> <tr> <td>May 1978 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Reindeer" title="Operation Reindeer">Reindeer</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cassinga" title="Battle of Cassinga">Cassinga</a>, Angola </td> <td>Para-drop: 4x C-130, 5x C-160 Para extraction and support: 14x Puma, 6x Super Frelon Strike: 6x Canberra, 4x Buccaneer CAP: 4x IIICZ C³: 1x Cessna-185, 1x DC-4 (EW/ELINT) </td> <td> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1156832818">.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}</style><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=15.117778_S_16.086389_E_type:landmark&title=Cassinga">15°07′04″S 16°05′11″E / 15.117778°S 16.086389°E / -15.117778; 16.086389 (Cassinga)</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=17.1287_S_14.8938_E_type:landmark&title=Chetequera">17°07′43″S 14°53′38″E / 17.1287°S 14.8938°E / -17.1287; 14.8938 (Chetequera)</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=17.333_S_14.8334_E_type:landmark&title=Dombondola">17°19′59″S 14°50′00″E / 17.333°S 14.8334°E / -17.333; 14.8334 (Dombondola)</a> </td> <td>Air support for Operation Reindeer: composed of three main actions; the airborne assault on Cassinga, a mechanised assault on the Chetaquera complex at Chetequera and assault on the Dombondola SWAPO complex. Capt. A. Marais (Buccaneer pilot) awarded <a href="/wiki/Honoris_Crux_Silver" title="Honoris Crux Silver">HCS</a> for action in support of ground forces.<a href="#cite_note-Bagshaw-64">[59]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Jul 1979 </td> <td>Rekstok II </td> <td>Muongo, Oncua, Henhombe and Heque in SE Angola<a href="#cite_note-SASF_Web-65">[60]</a> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>Mirage III R2Z (#856) lost due to AAA, pilot ejected and was recovered to AFB Ondangwa.<a href="#cite_note-66">[61]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>1979 </td> <td>Vanity, Placid and Motel </td> <td>Eastern Angola and Zambia </td> <td>Strike: Canberras from SAAF 12 Sqn with Rhodesian 5 Sqn Canberras </td> <td> </td> <td>Operation Vanity: 25–26 Feb 1979 – bombing of ZIPRA camps in eastern Angola. Operations Placid I and II: 21 – 24 Aug 1979: Bombing of ZIPRA camps in Zambia. Operations Motel I and II: Aug 1979: Strikes on camps SW of Solwezi, Zambia. </td></tr> <tr> <td>Jun 1980 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Sceptic" title="Operation Sceptic">Sceptic / Smokeshell</a> </td> <td>Mulola and Ondova, Southern Angola </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>Impala Mk II (#1037) lost due to 23mm AAA fire. Pilot ejected and was recovered to HAA in Evale, Angola. Aircraft was recovered by Super Frelon and returned to service with same side number. Alouette III (#24) lost due to small arms fire. Pilot escaped, Flight Engineer killed.<a href="#cite_note-67">[62]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Jun 1980 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Sceptic" title="Operation Sceptic">Sceptic II</a> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>Air operations in support of initial raid on SWAPO base in South Angola (Sceptic) which was expanded into an extended operation as more and more SWAPO caches were discovered in the area (Septic II). First clashes between SADF and Angolan Defence Forces (FAPLA).<a href="#cite_note-68">[63]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>19 December 1980 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Wishbone" title="Operation Wishbone">Wishbone</a> </td> <td>Mid-level bombing attacks on bases in Angola at Oshiheng near Ongiva and Palele close to Xangongo. </td> <td>Four formations of aircraft from Grootfontein and Ondangwa. 4x Buccaneer, Mirage F1s and 1x Canberra. </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Aug – Sep 1981 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Protea" title="Operation Protea">Protea</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cunene_province" class="mw-redirect" title="Cunene province">Cunene province</a>, Angola </td> <td>Strike and CAS: 12x F1AZ, 8x F1CZ, 7x IIICZ, 6x IIID2Z, 16x Impala, 5x Buccaneer, 5x Canberra PR: 1x Canberra, 3x IIIRZ, 2x Impala CAS: 19x Alouette III Tactical Transport: 17x Puma, 2x Super Frelon, 8 x Kudu Para-drop and Logistics: 7x Dakota, 3x C130/160 AFC and C³: 11x Bosbok<a href="#cite_note-69">[64]</a> </td> <td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=16.7491_S_14.9745_E_type:city&title=Xangongo">16°44′57″S 14°58′28″E / 16.7491°S 14.9745°E / -16.7491; 14.9745 (Xangongo)</a> </td> <td>Capt. R.C.M. Lewer DFC, HCS awarded <a href="/wiki/Honoris_Crux_Silver" title="Honoris Crux Silver">HCS</a> for Impala night attack on enemy positions threatening SADF stopper group on evening preceding commencement of Operation Protea.<a href="#cite_note-Bagshaw_1990,_pp._258-70">[65]</a> Alouette III (#48) lost to 14.5mm AAA. Crew killed.<a href="#cite_note-71">[66]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Nov 1981 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Daisy" title="Operation Daisy">Daisy</a> </td> <td>Chitequeta, southern Angola </td> <td>CAP and Strike: 20x F1 PR: 2x IIIRZ CAS: 15x Impala Army Support: 9x Puma, 2x Frelon, 10x Alouette Air Transport: 4x DC3, 6x C130/160, 1x DC4 AFC and C³: 9x Bosbok<a href="#cite_note-72">[67]</a> </td> <td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=16.7923_S_17.9315_E_type:landmark&title=Chitequeta">16°47′32″S 17°55′53″E / 16.7923°S 17.9315°E / -16.7923; 17.9315 (Chitequeta)</a> </td> <td>Air operations in support of ground attacks on SWAPO regional headquarters at Chitequeta in Southern Angola. </td></tr> <tr> <td>Mar 1982 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Super" title="Operation Super">Super</a> </td> <td>Kaokoveld, South West Africa and Angolan province of Namibe </td> <td> </td> <td> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=17.350638_S_12.441811_E_type:city&title=Marienflu%C3%9F">17°21′02″S 12°26′31″E / 17.350638°S 12.441811°E / -17.350638; 12.441811 (Marienfluß)</a> </td> <td>Air support to ground force operation to prevent SWAPO infiltration into South West Africa through the Kaokoveld from a location near the abandoned Portuguese town of Iona. Capt N. Ellis and F/Sgt S. Coetzee awarded <a href="/wiki/Honoris_Crux_(1975)" title="Honoris Crux (1975)">HC</a> for close air support to army forces.<a href="#cite_note-Bagshaw_1990,_pp._258-70">[65]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Mar 1982 </td> <td>Rekstok III </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>9 Aug 1982 </td> <td>Meebos </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>1x Puma (#132) lost due to AAA, killing flight crew of 3 and 12 paratroopers. </td></tr> <tr> <td>Oct 1982 </td> <td>Bravo </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>1983 </td> <td>Maanskyn </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>23 May 1983 </td> <td>Skerve </td> <td>Suburb of Matola, Maputo. Mozambique </td> <td>Strike: 12x Impala Mk II PR and C³: 1x Canberra CAP: 2x Mirage F1AZ SEAD: 2x Mirage F1AZ </td> <td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=25.932112_S_32.465235_E_type:landmark&title=Maputo">25°55′56″S 32°27′55″E / 25.932112°S 32.465235°E / -25.932112; 32.465235 (Maputo)</a> </td> <td>SAAF raid against ANC targets<a href="#cite_note-74">[Note 6]</a> in Mozambique in retaliation for car-bomb explosion outside Air force HQ in Pretoria on 20 May 1983. 12 Impala Mk II aircraft used in strike, 4x 4 Sqn, 4x 8 Sqn and 4x aircraft from AFB Hoedspruit. Impala's armed with 24 x 68mm rockets and 220 rounds 30mm cannon each.<a href="#cite_note-75">[69]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Aug 1983 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Karton" title="Operation Karton">Karton</a> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Nov 1983 – Jan 1984 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Askari" title="Operation Askari">Askari</a> </td> <td>Cuvelai, Cunene province, Angola<a href="#cite_note-76">[70]</a> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>SAAF operations supporting Operation Askari aimed at disrupting logistical support and command & control capabilities of <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_of_Namibia" title="People's Liberation Army of Namibia">PLAN</a> (<a href="/wiki/SWAPO" title="SWAPO">SWAPO</a>'s military wing) to suppress a large-scale incursion into <a href="/wiki/South_West_Africa" title="South West Africa">South West Africa</a> planned for early of 1984. Area:<link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=15_12_0_S_16_26_0_E_type:city&title=Cuvelai">15°12′0″S 16°26′0″E / 15.20000°S 16.43333°E / -15.20000; 16.43333 (Cuvelai)</a>. First effective use of Scout RPV system to locate SA-8 batteries. </td></tr> <tr> <td>1985 </td> <td>Second Congress </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>11 Sep – 8 Oct 1985 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Wallpaper" title="Operation Wallpaper">Wallpaper</a> </td> <td> </td> <td>C130, C-160, L-100, DC-3 </td> <td> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=17_27_21_S_22_36_47_E_">17°27′21″S 22°36′47″E / 17.45583°S 22.61306°E / -17.45583; 22.61306</a> </td> <td>Air logistic support to UNITA against a coalition of <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuban</a> and the <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Armed_Forces_for_the_Liberation_of_Angola" class="mw-redirect" title="People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola">People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola</a> (FAPLA) troops at <a href="/wiki/Mavinga" title="Mavinga">Mavinga</a>.<a href="#cite_note-77">[71]</a> SAAF flew 310 night flying hours transporting UNITA troops in support of ground operations in support of defence of UNITA headquarters at Jamba.<a href="#cite_note-78">[72]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>Weldmesh </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Jun – Nov 1987 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Modular" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Modular">Moduler</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cuito_Cuanavale" title="Cuito Cuanavale">Cuito Cuanavale</a>, Angola </td> <td>Army Support: Alouette IIIs, Pumas CAP and PR escort: F1CZs CAS and Strike missions: F1AZ, Buccaneer PR: IIR2Z AFC: Bosbok, RPV<a href="#cite_note-Lord396_401-79">[73]</a> </td> <td> </td> <td>Operation to halt Angolan / Cuban advance on Mavinga. Pumas used for special forces insertion and extraction. 1x F1CZ damaged by MiG-23 AAM-8 missile; crash landed Rundu 27 Sep 87.<a href="#cite_note-80">[74]</a> SA-8 SAM system captured and flown back to S Afr by C160.<a href="#cite_note-81">[75]</a> 3x RPV<a href="#cite_note-82">[76]</a> and 1x Bosbok (#934) lost to SA-8 SAM Sep 87, pilot killed.<a href="#cite_note-Lord_2008_pp.498-83">[77]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Nov 1987 – Mar 1988 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Hooper" title="Operation Hooper">Hooper</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cuito_Cuanavale" title="Cuito Cuanavale">Cuito Cuanavale</a>, Angola </td> <td> </td> <td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=15.1_S_19.1_E_">15°06′S 19°06′E / 15.10°S 19.10°E / -15.10; 19.10</a> </td> <td>Mirage F1AZ (#245) lost to <a href="/wiki/9K35_Strela-10" title="9K35 Strela-10">SA-13</a> SAM. Pilot (Major Edward Richard Every: 1 Sqn) killed.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELord2008306-84">[78]</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Mar – May 1988 </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Operation_Packer" title="Operation Packer">Packer</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cuito_Cuanavale" title="Cuito Cuanavale">Cuito Cuanavale</a>, Angola </td> <td> </td> <td> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1156832818"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&params=15.158299_S_19.224598_E_">15°09′30″S 19°13′29″E / 15.158299°S 19.224598°E / -15.158299; 19.224598</a> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="6" style="background:#acd1e9; text-align:center;"> Abbreviations • CAP: Combat air patrol • PR: Photo reconnaissance • CAS: Close air support • C³: Command, control and communications • AFC: Airborne artillery fire control • HAA: Helicopter administration area • AAA: Anti-aircraft artillery • SEAD: Suppression of enemy air defences </td></tr></tbody></table> During the bush war, the SAAF lost a total of 22 aircraft <a href="#cite_note-86">[Note 7]</a> (1974–1989) to enemy action. A further 11 aircraft <a href="#cite_note-87">[Note 8]</a> were lost in the operational area due to pilot error or malfunction.<a href="#cite_note-88">[80]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Missile_based_air_defence">Missile based air defence</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Missile based air defence">edit</a>]</div> From the early 1960s, the South African Air Force was also responsible for command of all <a href="/wiki/Surface-to-air_missile" title="Surface-to-air missile">Surface-to-air missile</a> forces as part of the air defence of South Africa and <a href="/wiki/Namibia" title="Namibia">South West Africa</a>. In July 1964, South Africa placed a development contract with <a href="/wiki/Thomson-CSF" title="Thomson-CSF">Thomson-CSF</a> for a mobile, all-weather, low-altitude SAM system after a South African order for the <a href="/wiki/Bristol_Bloodhound" class="mw-redirect" title="Bristol Bloodhound">Bloodhound</a> SAM system was refused by the UK government.<a href="#cite_note-Janes_Cactus-89">[81]</a> The South African government paid 85 per cent of the development costs of the system with the balance being paid for by France. The system was known as "Cactus" within the SAAF and "Crotale" in France. The units were operationally deployed in platoons in 1971 with each platoon consisting of one Acquisition and Co-ordination Unit (ACU) and two or three firing units, with a battery having two platoons. All <a href="/wiki/Crotale_(missile)" title="Crotale (missile)">Cactus</a> air defence batteries were placed under command of <a href="/wiki/120_Squadron_SAAF" title="120 Squadron SAAF">120 Squadron</a> until the retirement of the system in the late 1980s.<a href="#cite_note-90">[82]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Nuclear_and_ballistic_weapons">Nuclear and ballistic weapons</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Nuclear and ballistic weapons">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg/100px-SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="133" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg/150px-SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg/200px-SAAF-RSA3-001.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2448" data-file-height="3264" /></a><figcaption>RSA-3 ballistic missile delivery system</figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/South_Africa_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction" title="South Africa and weapons of mass destruction">South Africa and weapons of mass destruction</a></div> During the bush war period, South Africa manufactured six air-deliverable tactical nuclear weapons of the "gun-type" design between 1978 and 1993. Each of the devices contained 55 kilograms of <a href="/wiki/Enriched_uranium" title="Enriched uranium">HEU</a> with an estimated yield of 10–18 kilotons<a href="#cite_note-91">[83]</a> designed for delivery by Buccaneer or Canberra aircraft. In parallel, South Africa initiated a ballistic missile programme to develop an improved delivery system. The <a href="/wiki/Jericho_II_missile#South_African_RSA_Series" class="mw-redirect" title="Jericho II missile">RSA-2</a> was developed as a prototype intermediate range delivery system very similar to, or a licensed copy of the Israeli <a href="/wiki/Jericho_(missile)" title="Jericho (missile)">Jericho-2</a> missile, the <a href="/wiki/Jericho_II_missile#South_African_RSA_Series" class="mw-redirect" title="Jericho II missile">RSA-1</a> being a modified Jericho II second stage used alone for mobile application.<a href="#cite_note-92">[84]</a> A third stage apogee kick motor was added to produce the <a href="/wiki/Shavit_2#South_African_RSA_Series" title="Shavit 2">RSA-3</a> space launcher with a 1,900 km range and 1,500 kg payload. The <a href="/wiki/Shavit_2#South_African_RSA_Series" title="Shavit 2">RSA-4</a> ICBM / satellite launcher was a planned follow-on to the RSA-3 and with an optimised first stage was supposed to have double the payload capacity of the RSA-3. It is not known if the RSA-4 was ever tested. Work on the RSA-4 was cancelled in 1994.<a href="#cite_note-93">[85]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Since_1994">Since 1994</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Since 1994">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg/220px-2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg/330px-2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg/440px-2008jan17_arniston_otb_085.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2592" data-file-height="1944" /></a><figcaption>A SAAF Gripen in 2007</figcaption></figure> After the first multi-racial elections were held in 1994, the SAAF became an integrated air force as part of the <a href="/wiki/South_African_National_Defence_Force" title="South African National Defence Force">South African National Defence Force</a> (SANDF). The South African Air Force is currently considered to be the most effective air force in sub-Sahara Africa despite the loss of capability as a consequence of defence cuts after the end of the Border War.<a href="#cite_note-Janes_SAAF-94">[86]</a> These financial cuts have brought about a number of severe operational limitations, compounded by the loss of experienced air-crews. This has placed strain on the bringing new types of aircraft into service, specifically the Gripen, Hawk, Rooivalk, A 109 and Lynx. The cancellation of the SAAF participation and procurement of the A400M in November 2009 has prevented the SAAF from any strategic airlift capability needed for domestic, regional and continent-wide operations. There is no clear indication as yet regarding how the heavy/long-range airlift gap will be addressed.<a href="#cite_note-Janes_SAAF-94">[86]</a> Current air combat capabilities are limited to the Gripen multi-role fighter and the Rooivalk combat support helicopter – although in insufficient number to allow regional deployments while maintaining national air space protection and training obligations. To overcome this shortfall, the SAAF has designated the Hawk Mk 120 trainers for additional tactical reconnaissance and weapon delivery platforms for targets designated by the Gripen's.<a href="#cite_note-Janes_SAAF-94">[86]</a> Financial constraints have further limited flying hours on the newly acquired aircraft; it is planned to keep Gripen pilots current flying the lower cost Hawk aircraft with "Gripenised" cockpits.<a href="#cite_note-News24_01-95">[87]</a> The number of current Gripen pilots is currently (2011) classified as secret.<a href="#cite_note-News24_02-96">[88]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: References">edit</a>]</div> <dl><dt>Footnotes</dt></dl> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-9"><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a> Gerard Wallace, Gordon Creed, Edwin Emmett, Basil Turner and Kennith van der Spey.<a href="#cite_note-Becker9-6">[6]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a> 30x <a href="/wiki/Avro_504" title="Avro 504">Avro 504</a>K's; 22x <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5" title="Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5">Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a</a>'s; 49x <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.9" title="Airco DH.9">De Havilland DH.9</a>'s (one of which was donated by the City of Birmingham); 10x <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.9" title="Airco DH.9">De Havilland DH.4</a>'s (donated by the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Over-Seas_League" title="Royal Over-Seas League">Overseas Club of London</a>); 2x <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.2" title="Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2">Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e</a>'s (donated by Maj. Miller Tour)<a href="#cite_note-Becker25-21">[20]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a> SAAF elements in the Western Desert Air Force as at 26 May 1942: (A.) Assigned to air HQ: (A.1.) <a href="/wiki/15_Squadron_SAAF" title="15 Squadron SAAF">15 Sqn</a>: Fighter/Recon (Amiriya with one detachment at Kufra), Blenheim IVF. (A.2.) <a href="/wiki/40_Squadron_SAAF" title="40 Squadron SAAF">40 Sqn</a>: Recon (El Adem), Hurricane I / Tomahawk. (A.3.) <a href="/wiki/60_Squadron_SAAF" title="60 Squadron SAAF">60 Sqn</a>: Recon (Sidi Barrani) Marylands. (B.) 3 Wing SAAF (Baheira): (B.1.) <a href="/wiki/12_Squadron_SAAF" title="12 Squadron SAAF">12 Sqn</a>: Light Bomber (Baheira), Boston III's; (B.2.) <a href="/wiki/24_Squadron_SAAF" title="24 Squadron SAAF">24 Sqn</a>: Light Bomber (Baheira), Baltimore I; (B.3.) <a href="/wiki/No._223_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 223 Squadron RAF">No. 223 RAF</a> Light Bomber (Baheira) Baltimore I. (C.) No. 223 Wing RAF (Gambut). (C.1.) <a href="/wiki/4_Squadron_SAAF" title="4 Squadron SAAF">4 Sqn</a>: Fighter (Gambut), Tomahawks. (C.2.) <a href="/wiki/5_Squadron_SAAF" title="5 Squadron SAAF">5 Sqn</a>: Fighter (Gambut), Tomahawks. (C.3.) <a href="/wiki/2_Squadron_SAAF" title="2 Squadron SAAF">2 Sqn</a>: Fighter (Gambut), Kittyhawk I.<a href="#cite_note-35">[33]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a> These three Maritime Reconnaissance Flights were later combined to form <a href="/wiki/16_Squadron_SAAF" title="16 Squadron SAAF">16 Squadron</a>: 32 Flight consisting of 5 Glen Martin Maryland Bombers (Maj D Meaker, Officer Commanding); 36 Flight with 6 Bristol Beaufort Bombers (Maj J Clayton, Officer Commanding); 37 Flight with 1 Maryland and 5 Beauforts (Maj K Jones, Officer Commanding)<a href="#cite_note-SAMHS_Madagascar-43">[40]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a> Elementary pilot training was conducted using <a href="/wiki/De_Havilland_Tiger_Moth" title="De Havilland Tiger Moth">Tiger Moths</a> while Service Flying training was conducted using <a href="/wiki/Hawker_Hind" title="Hawker Hind">Hinds</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hawker_Hart" title="Hawker Hart">Harts</a> and <a href="/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford" title="Airspeed Oxford">Oxfords</a>. Navigation, air Observer and bombing training was conducted using Oxfords, <a href="/wiki/Avro_Anson" title="Avro Anson">Ansons</a> and <a href="/wiki/Fairey_Battle" title="Fairey Battle">Fairey Battles</a> and Tiger Moth, <a href="/wiki/Avro_Tutor" title="Avro Tutor">Tutors</a> for elementary navigation training. Electrical engineer and wireless operator training was done using <a href="/wiki/De_Havilland_Dragon_Rapide" title="De Havilland Dragon Rapide">Dominies</a> and Ansons – while DH Dragons and <a href="/wiki/Airspeed_Envoy" title="Airspeed Envoy">Envoys</a> were used for photographic reconnaissance training. Glider training was conducted using <a href="/wiki/Grunau_Baby" class="mw-redirect" title="Grunau Baby">Grunau Babys</a>, <a href="/wiki/Slingsby_Kirby_Cadet" title="Slingsby Kirby Cadet">Slingsby Kirby Cadets</a> and <a href="/wiki/G%C3%B6ppingen_G%C3%B6_3" title="Göppingen Gö 3">Minimoas</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Yellow_Wings-54">[50]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><a href="#cite_ref-74">^</a> Gabuze House: planning office for "Transvaal Urban Machinery"; September House: ANC planning centre; Logistics HQ; "Main Camp" training area.<a href="#cite_note-73">[68]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-86"><a href="#cite_ref-86">^</a> 1x Mirage F1AZ, 1x Mirage III R2Z, 1x Canberra, 5x Impala Mk. II, 1x Bosbok, 1x Cessna-185, 4x Puma, 5x Alouette, 3x RPV.<a href="#cite_note-Lord2008_499-85">[79]</a> </li> <li id="cite_note-87"><a href="#cite_ref-87">^</a> 3x Impala, 1x Mirage F1AZ, 2x Puma, 1x Kudu, 3x Alouette, 1x Cessna-185.<a href="#cite_note-Lord2008_499-85">[79]</a> </li> </ol></div></div> <dl><dt>Citations</dt></dl> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Illsley-1">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Illsley_1-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Illsley_1-1">b</a> Illsley, John William. In Southern Skies A Pictorial History of Early Aviation in Southern Africa 1816–1940, Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2003 </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150820003506/http://www.sapfa.org.za/history/1910-1920-early-flying-south-africa">"1910 to 1920 - Early Flying in South Africa | South African Power Flying Association"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sapfa.org.za/history/1910-1920-early-flying-south-africa">the original</a> on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=1910+to+1920+-+Early+Flying+in+South+Africa+%26%23124%3B+South+African+Power+Flying+Association&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sapfa.org.za%2Fhistory%2F1910-1920-early-flying-south-africa&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> 1910 to 1920 – Early Flying in South Africa </li> <li id="cite_note-Ob-3">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Ob_3-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Ob_3-1">b</a> Oberholzer, Hannes. Pioneers of Early Aviation in South Africa, Memoirs van die Nasionale Museum, Memoir No 7, 1974 </li> <li id="cite_note-SAAF-4">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-3">d</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-4">e</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-5">f</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAAF_4-6">g</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120505065106/http://www.af.mil.za/about_us/history.html">"South African Air Force"</a>. History of the South African Air Force. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.af.mil.za/about_us/history.html">the original</a> on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=History+of+the+South+African+Air+Force&rft.atitle=South+African+Air+Force&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.af.mil.za%2Fabout_us%2Fhistory.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-JABrown_1970-5"><a href="#cite_ref-JABrown_1970_5-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrown1970" class="citation book cs1">Brown, James Ambrose (1970). A Gathering of Eagles: The campaigns of the South African Air Force in Italian East Africa 1940–1941. Cape Town: Purnell and Sons. p. 1.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Gathering+of+Eagles%3A+The+campaigns+of+the+South+African+Air+Force+in+Italian+East+Africa+1940%E2%80%931941&rft.place=Cape+Town&rft.pages=1&rft.pub=Purnell+and+Sons&rft.date=1970&rft.aulast=Brown&rft.aufirst=James+Ambrose&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker9-6">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Becker9_6-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker9_6-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker9_6-2">c</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBecker1991" class="citation book cs1">Becker, Dave (1991). On Wings of Eagles: South Africa's Military Aviation History (1 ed.). Durban: Walker-Ramus Trading Co. p. 9. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-947478-47-7" title="Special:BookSources/0-947478-47-7"><bdi>0-947478-47-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=On+Wings+of+Eagles%3A+South+Africa%27s+Military+Aviation+History&rft.place=Durban&rft.pages=9&rft.edition=1&rft.pub=Walker-Ramus+Trading+Co.&rft.date=1991&rft.isbn=0-947478-47-7&rft.aulast=Becker&rft.aufirst=Dave&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTidy" class="citation journal cs1">Tidy, Major D.P. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol056dt.html">"They Mounted up as Eagles (A brief tribute to the South African Air Force)"</a>. 5 (6). The South African Military History Society.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=They+Mounted+up+as+Eagles+%28A+brief+tribute+to+the+South+African+Air+Force%29&rft.volume=5&rft.issue=6&rft.aulast=Tidy&rft.aufirst=Major+D.P.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Frapidttp.com%2Fmilhist%2Fvol056dt.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> <code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_journal" title="Template:Cite journal">cite journal</a>}}</code>: Cite journal requires <code class="cs1-code">|journal=</code> (<a href="/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#missing_periodical" title="Help:CS1 errors">help</a>) </li> <li id="cite_note-SAMHS1-8">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS1_8-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS1_8-1">b</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMahncke,_J.E." class="citation web cs1">Mahncke, J.E. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol123jm.html">"Military History Journal Vol 12 No 3 – June 2002"</a>. The South African Aviation Corps (SAAC). South African Military History Society. Retrieved 25 February 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+South+African+Aviation+Corps+%28SAAC%29&rft.atitle=Military+History+Journal+Vol+12+No+3+%E2%80%93+June+2002&rft.au=Mahncke%2C+J.E.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fsamilitaryhistory.org%2Fvol123jm.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Lange269-10">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Lange269_10-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Lange269_10-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Lange269_10-2">c</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFL'Ange,_Gerald1991" class="citation book cs1">L'Ange, Gerald (1991). Urgent Imperial Service: South African Forces in German South West Africa: 1914–1919. Rivonai: Ashanti. p. 269. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-874800-22-7" title="Special:BookSources/1-874800-22-7"><bdi>1-874800-22-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Urgent+Imperial+Service%3A+South+African+Forces+in+German+South+West+Africa%3A+1914%E2%80%931919&rft.place=Rivonai&rft.pages=269&rft.pub=Ashanti&rft.date=1991&rft.isbn=1-874800-22-7&rft.au=L%27Ange%2C+Gerald&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker13-11"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker13_11-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 13 </li> <li id="cite_note-L'Ange273-12"><a href="#cite_ref-L'Ange273_12-0">^</a> L'Ange (1991), pp. 273 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker15-13"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker15_13-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 15 </li> <li id="cite_note-Brown63-14"><a href="#cite_ref-Brown63_14-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrown,_James_Ambrose1991" class="citation book cs1">Brown, James Ambrose (1991). They Fought for King and Kaiser: South Africans in German East Africa: 1916. Rivonia: Ashanti. pp. 63–64. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-874800-32-4" title="Special:BookSources/1-874800-32-4"><bdi>1-874800-32-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=They+Fought+for+King+and+Kaiser%3A+South+Africans+in+German+East+Africa%3A+1916&rft.place=Rivonia&rft.pages=63-64&rft.pub=Ashanti&rft.date=1991&rft.isbn=1-874800-32-4&rft.au=Brown%2C+James+Ambrose&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker17-15"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker17_15-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 17 </li> <li id="cite_note-RAFWeb-16"><a href="#cite_ref-RAFWeb_16-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318040734/http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn026-30.htm">"Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation"</a>. No 26 Squadron History. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn026-30.htm">the original</a> on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=No+26+Squadron+History&rft.atitle=Air+of+Authority+%E2%80%93+A+History+of+RAF+Organisation&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafweb.org%2FSqn026-30.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker19-17"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker19_17-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 19 </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/by_score.php">"World War I Aces by Victories"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=World+War+I+Aces+by+Victories&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaerodrome.com%2Faces%2Fby_score.php&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/index.php?pageNum_names=3&totalRows_names=46">"World War I Aces of South Africa"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=World+War+I+Aces+of+South+Africa&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaerodrome.com%2Faces%2Fsafrica%2Findex.php%3FpageNum_names%3D3%26totalRows_names%3D46&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker21-20"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker21_20-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 21 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker25-21">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Becker25_21-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker25_21-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker25_21-2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker25_21-3">d</a> Becker (1991), pp. 25 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker29-23">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Becker29_23-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker29_23-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker29_23-2">c</a> Becker (1991), pp. 29 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker27-24"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker27_24-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 27 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker33-25"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker33_25-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp.33 </li> <li id="cite_note-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years-26">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-3">d</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-4">e</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-5">f</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHSWWIIEarly_Years_26-6">g</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWessels,_Andre2000" class="citation web cs1">Wessels, Andre (June 2000). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.samilitaryhistory.org/vol115aw.html">"South African Military History Journal: Vol. 11 No. 5"</a>. The first two years of war: The development of the Union Defence Forces (UDF) September 1939 to September 1941. The South African Military History Society. Retrieved 7 March 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+first+two+years+of+war%3A+The+development+of+the+Union+Defence+Forces+%28UDF%29+September+1939+to+September+1941&rft.atitle=South+African+Military+History+Journal%3A+Vol.+11+No.+5&rft.date=2000-06&rft.au=Wessels%2C+Andre&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.samilitaryhistory.org%2Fvol115aw.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker55-27"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker55_27-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp.55 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker57-28"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker57_28-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp.57 </li> <li id="cite_note-SAAFcoZa16Sqn-29"><a href="#cite_ref-SAAFcoZa16Sqn_29-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWingrin" class="citation web cs1">Wingrin, Dean. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/squadrons/99/16-squadron">"The South African Air Force (Unofficial)"</a>. 16 Squadron. saairforce.co.za. Retrieved 7 March 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=16+Squadron&rft.atitle=The+South+African+Air+Force+%28Unofficial%29&rft.aulast=Wingrin&rft.aufirst=Dean&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saairforce.co.za%2Fthe-airforce%2Fsquadrons%2F99%2F16-squadron&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a> Martin, H.J. (Lt-Gen); Orpen, N.D. (1979). South Africa at War: Military and Industrial Organisation and Operations in connection with the conduct of War: 1939–1945 (South African Forces World War II: Volume VII). Cape Town: Purnell. p. 275. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86843-025-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-86843-025-0">0-86843-025-0</a>. </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker67-31">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Becker67_31-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker67_31-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Becker67_31-2">c</a> Becker (1991), pp 67 </li> <li id="cite_note-Becker71-32"><a href="#cite_ref-Becker71_32-0">^</a> Becker (1991), pp 71 </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><a href="#cite_ref-33">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTerraine1985" class="citation book cs1">Terraine, John (1985). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/timeforcourage00terr/page/325">A Time for Courage: The Royal Air Force in the European War, 1939–1945</a>. New York: Macmillan. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/timeforcourage00terr/page/325">325</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-02-616970-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-02-616970-3"><bdi>0-02-616970-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Time+for+Courage%3A+The+Royal+Air+Force+in+the+European+War%2C+1939%E2%80%931945&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=325&rft.pub=Macmillan&rft.date=1985&rft.isbn=0-02-616970-3&rft.aulast=Terraine&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Ftimeforcourage00terr%2Fpage%2F325&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a> Becker (1991), pp. 75 </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055957/http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/942BEMA.pdf">"Archived copy"</a> (PDF). Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/942BEMA.pdf">the original</a> (PDF) on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Archived+copy&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fusacac.army.mil%2FCAC2%2FCGSC%2FCARL%2Fnafziger%2F942BEMA.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_web" title="Template:Cite web">cite web</a>}}</code>: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title" title="Category:CS1 maint: archived copy as title">link</a>) </li> <li id="cite_note-Shores240-37"><a href="#cite_ref-Shores240_37-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFShoresRing,_Hans1969" class="citation book cs1">Shores, Christopher; Ring, Hans (1969). Fighters over the Desert: The Air Battles in the Western Desert: June 1940 to December 1942. New York: Arco. p. 219. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-668-02070-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-668-02070-1"><bdi>978-0-668-02070-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Fighters+over+the+Desert%3A+The+Air+Battles+in+the+Western+Desert%3A+June+1940+to+December+1942&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=219&rft.pub=Arco&rft.date=1969&rft.isbn=978-0-668-02070-1&rft.aulast=Shores&rft.aufirst=Christopher&rft.au=Ring%2C+Hans&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a> Shores (1969), p. 233 </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrown,_James_Ambrose1974" class="citation book cs1">Brown, James Ambrose (1974). Eagles Strike: The Campaigns of the South African Air Force in Egypt, Cyrenaica, Libya, Tunisia, Tripolitania and Madagascar: 1941–1943. Cape Town: Purnell. p. 382.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Eagles+Strike%3A+The+Campaigns+of+the+South+African+Air+Force+in+Egypt%2C+Cyrenaica%2C+Libya%2C+Tunisia%2C+Tripolitania+and+Madagascar%3A+1941%E2%80%931943&rft.place=Cape+Town&rft.pages=382&rft.pub=Purnell&rft.date=1974&rft.au=Brown%2C+James+Ambrose&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-SAMHS_Aces-40"><a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS_Aces_40-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTidy,_D._P.1968" class="citation web cs1">Tidy, D. P. (June 1968). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.samilitaryhistory.org/vol012dt.html">"South African Military History Journal Vol. 1 No. 2"</a>. South African Air Aces of World War II. South African Military History Society. Retrieved 10 March 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=South+African+Air+Aces+of+World+War+II&rft.atitle=South+African+Military+History+Journal+Vol.+1+No.+2&rft.date=1968-06&rft.au=Tidy%2C+D.+P.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.samilitaryhistory.org%2Fvol012dt.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Turner132-41"><a href="#cite_ref-Turner132_41-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTurnerGordon-Cummings,_H.RBetzler,_J.E.1961" class="citation book cs1">Turner, Leonard Charles Frederick; Gordon-Cummings, H.R; Betzler, J.E. (1961). Turner L.C.F. (ed.). War in the Southern Oceans: 1939–1945. Oxford University Press, Cape Town. p. 132. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/42990496">42990496</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=War+in+the+Southern+Oceans%3A+1939%E2%80%931945&rft.pages=132&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press%2C+Cape+Town&rft.date=1961&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F42990496&rft.aulast=Turner&rft.aufirst=Leonard+Charles+Frederick&rft.au=Gordon-Cummings%2C+H.R&rft.au=Betzler%2C+J.E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFChurchill1950" class="citation book cs1">Churchill, Winston (1950). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/hingeoffate00chur">The Hinge of Fate</a>. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/hingeoffate00chur/page/223">223</a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/396148">396148</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Hinge+of+Fate&rft.pages=223&rft.pub=Houghton+Mifflin+Company%2C+Boston&rft.date=1950&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F396148&rft.aulast=Churchill&rft.aufirst=Winston&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fhingeoffate00chur&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-SAMHS_Madagascar-43">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS_Madagascar_43-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS_Madagascar_43-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-SAMHS_Madagascar_43-2">c</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFClayton,_J.A.1992" class="citation web cs1">Clayton, J.A. (December 1992). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol092jc.html">"South African Military History Journal Vol. 9 No. 2"</a>. The South African Air Force in the Madagascar Campaign, 1942. South African Military History Society. 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Pretoria: The SAAF Museum. p. 102.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Yellow+Wings%3A+The+Story+of+the+Joint+Air+Training+Scheme+in+World+War+2&rft.place=Pretoria&rft.pages=102&rft.pub=The+SAAF+Museum&rft.date=1989&rft.aulast=Becker&rft.aufirst=Capt+Dave&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-frd-4-56"><a href="#cite_ref-frd-4_56-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/southafricacount00byrn/page/338">"5 – National Security"</a> (PDF). South Africa: a country study. 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The Airforce: Korea. Retrieved 4 May 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+Airforce%3A+Korea&rft.atitle=saairforce.co.za+%28Unofficial+SAAF+Website%29&rft.aulast=Wingrin&rft.aufirst=Dean&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saairforce.co.za%2Fthe-airforce%2Fhistory%2Fsaaf%2Fkorea&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-SAKorea-60"><a href="#cite_ref-SAKorea_60-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061101080222/http://www.korean-war.com/soafrica.html">"South Africa in the Korean War"</a>. Department of Defense. 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Covos-Day. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-620-24116-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-620-24116-0">0-620-24116-0</a>. </li> <li id="cite_note-62"><a href="#cite_ref-62">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHilton_Hamann2001" class="citation book cs1">Hilton Hamann (2001). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mYgWcHq8lE8C">Days of the Generals</a>. South Africa: Zebra. p. 99. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-86872-340-2" title="Special:BookSources/1-86872-340-2"><bdi>1-86872-340-2</bdi></a>. Retrieved 12 May 2008.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Days+of+the+Generals&rft.place=South+Africa&rft.pages=99&rft.pub=Zebra&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=1-86872-340-2&rft.au=Hilton+Hamann&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DmYgWcHq8lE8C&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-63"><a href="#cite_ref-63">^</a> Drawn from SAAF official website. </li> <li id="cite_note-Bagshaw-64"><a href="#cite_ref-Bagshaw_64-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBagshaw1990" class="citation book cs1">Bagshaw, Peter (1990). Warriors of the Sky. Johannesburg: Ashanti. p. 127. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-874800-11-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-874800-11-8"><bdi>978-1-874800-11-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Warriors+of+the+Sky&rft.place=Johannesburg&rft.pages=127&rft.pub=Ashanti&rft.date=1990&rft.isbn=978-1-874800-11-8&rft.aulast=Bagshaw&rft.aufirst=Peter&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-SASF_Web-65"><a href="#cite_ref-SASF_Web_65-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sadf.info/SWATF%20Operations.html">"S A Security Forces: 1966–1994"</a>. Military Operations. 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From Fledgling to Eagle: The South African Air Force during the Border War. Johannesburg: 30° South. pp. 167–168. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-920143-30-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-920143-30-5"><bdi>978-1-920143-30-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=From+Fledgling+to+Eagle%3A+The+South+African+Air+Force+during+the+Border+War&rft.place=Johannesburg&rft.pages=167-168&rft.pub=30%C2%B0+South&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-1-920143-30-5&rft.aulast=Lord&rft.aufirst=Dick&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bagshaw_1990,_pp._258-70">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bagshaw_1990,_pp._258_70-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bagshaw_1990,_pp._258_70-1">b</a> Bagshaw (1990), pp. 258 </li> <li id="cite_note-71"><a href="#cite_ref-71">^</a> Lord (2008) pp.496 </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><a href="#cite_ref-72">^</a> Lord (2008) p.188 </li> <li id="cite_note-73"><a href="#cite_ref-73">^</a> Lord (2008), pp. 272 </li> <li id="cite_note-75"><a href="#cite_ref-75">^</a> Lord (2008), pp.269 </li> <li id="cite_note-76"><a href="#cite_ref-76">^</a> Lord (2008), pp.250 </li> <li id="cite_note-77"><a href="#cite_ref-77">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJames2004" class="citation book cs1">James, W. 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Retrieved 11 June 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=RSA-2&rft.atitle=Encyclopedia+Astronautica&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.astronautix.com%2Flvs%2Frsa2.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-93"><a href="#cite_ref-93">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20020319100317/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/rsa4.htm">"Encyclopedia Astronautica"</a>. RSA-4. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/rsa4.htm">the original</a> on 19 March 2002. Retrieved 11 June 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=RSA-4&rft.atitle=Encyclopedia+Astronautica&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.astronautix.com%2Flvs%2Frsa4.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Janes_SAAF-94">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Janes_SAAF_94-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Janes_SAAF_94-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Janes_SAAF_94-2">c</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Sentinel-Security-Assessment-Southern-Africa/Air-force-South-Africa.html">"Sentinel Security Assessment – Southern Africa"</a>. Air Force: South Africa. Jane's Defence Review. 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Retrieved 9 July 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Gripen+won%27t+fly+required+hours&rft.atitle=News+24&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news24.com%2FSouthAfrica%2FNews%2FGripen-wont-fly-required-hours-20110413&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-News24_02-96"><a href="#cite_ref-News24_02_96-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Combat-pilots-secrets-out-20101118">"News 24"</a>. Combat pilots – secret's out. News24. Retrieved 9 July 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Combat+pilots+%E2%80%93+secret%27s+out&rft.atitle=News+24&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news24.com%2FSouthAfrica%2FPolitics%2FCombat-pilots-secrets-out-20101118&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: External links">edit</a>]</div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFImperial_War_Museum_footage" class="citation web cs1">Imperial War Museum footage. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doaIzwVfkCM">"YouTube"</a>. SAAF History World War 1 South African Air Force 1912–1934 Old War Footage.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=SAAF+History+World+War+1+South+African+Air+Force+1912%E2%80%931934+Old+War+Footage&rft.atitle=YouTube&rft.au=Imperial+War+Museum+footage&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdoaIzwVfkCM&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHistory+of+the+South+African+Air+Force" class="Z3988"></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output 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scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:SAAF_navbox" title="Template:SAAF navbox"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:SAAF_navbox" title="Template talk:SAAF navbox"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:SAAF_navbox" title="Special:EditPage/Template:SAAF navbox"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="South_African_Air_Force" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Leadership</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_South_African_military_chiefs#Chief_of_the_Air_Force" title="List of South African military chiefs">Chiefs of the Air Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sergeant_Major_of_the_Air_Force" title="Sergeant Major of the Air Force">Sergeants Major of the Air Force</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_squadrons_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of squadrons of the South African Air Force">Active squadrons</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2_Squadron_SAAF" title="2 Squadron SAAF">2</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/15_Squadron_SAAF" title="15 Squadron SAAF">15</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/16_Squadron_SAAF" title="16 Squadron SAAF">16</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/17_Squadron_SAAF" title="17 Squadron SAAF">17</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/19_Squadron_SAAF" title="19 Squadron SAAF">19</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/21_Squadron_SAAF" title="21 Squadron SAAF">21</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/22_Squadron_SAAF" title="22 Squadron SAAF">22</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/28_Squadron_SAAF" title="28 Squadron SAAF">28</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/35_Squadron_SAAF" title="35 Squadron SAAF">35</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/41_Squadron_SAAF" title="41 Squadron SAAF">41</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/44_Squadron_SAAF" title="44 Squadron SAAF">44</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_squadrons_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of squadrons of the South African Air Force">Training and development units</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=68_Air_School_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="68 Air School SAAF (page does not exist)">68 Air School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/80_Air_Navigation_School_SAAF" title="80 Air Navigation School SAAF">80 Air Navigation School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/85_Combat_Flying_School_SAAF" title="85 Combat Flying School SAAF">85 Combat Flying School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/87_Helicopter_Flying_School_SAAF" title="87 Helicopter Flying School SAAF">87 Helicopter Flying School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Central_Flying_School_SAAF" title="Central Flying School SAAF">Central Flying School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Test_Flight_and_Development_Centre_SAAF" title="Test Flight and Development Centre SAAF">Test Flight and Development Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force_College" title="South African Air Force College">South African Air Force College</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Formation <a href="/wiki/Aerobatics" title="Aerobatics">aerobatic</a> teams</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Silver_Falcons" title="Silver Falcons">Silver Falcons</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_squadrons_of_the_South_African_Air_Force#Reserve_squadrons" title="List of squadrons of the South African Air Force">Reserve squadrons</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/101_Squadron_SAAF" title="101 Squadron SAAF">101</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/102_Squadron_SAAF" title="102 Squadron SAAF">102</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/104_Squadron_SAAF" title="104 Squadron SAAF">104</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/105_Squadron_SAAF" title="105 Squadron SAAF">105</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/106_Squadron_SAAF" title="106 Squadron SAAF">106</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/107_Squadron_SAAF" title="107 Squadron SAAF">107</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/108_Squadron_SAAF" title="108 Squadron SAAF">108</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/110_Squadron_SAAF" title="110 Squadron SAAF">110</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/111_Squadron_SAAF" title="111 Squadron SAAF">111</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_squadrons_of_the_South_African_Air_Force#Disbanded_squadrons" title="List of squadrons of the South African Air Force">Disbanded air and training squadrons</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1_Squadron_SAAF" title="1 Squadron SAAF">1</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/3_Squadron_SAAF" title="3 Squadron SAAF">3</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/4_Squadron_SAAF" title="4 Squadron SAAF">4</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/5_Squadron_SAAF" title="5 Squadron SAAF">5</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/6_Squadron_SAAF" title="6 Squadron SAAF">6</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/7_Squadron_SAAF" title="7 Squadron SAAF">7</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/8_Squadron_SAAF" title="8 Squadron SAAF">8</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/9_Squadron_SAAF" title="9 Squadron SAAF">9</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/10_Squadron_SAAF" title="10 Squadron SAAF">10</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/11_Squadron_SAAF" title="11 Squadron SAAF">11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/12_Squadron_SAAF" title="12 Squadron SAAF">12</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/14_Squadron_SAAF" title="14 Squadron SAAF">14</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=18_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="18 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">18</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=20_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="20 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">20</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=23_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="23 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">23</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/24_Squadron_SAAF" title="24 Squadron SAAF">24</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/25_Squadron_SAAF" title="25 Squadron SAAF">25</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/26_Squadron_SAAF" title="26 Squadron SAAF">26</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/27_Squadron_SAAF" title="27 Squadron SAAF">27</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/29_Squadron_SAAF" title="29 Squadron SAAF">29</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/30_Squadron_SAAF" title="30 Squadron SAAF">30</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/31_Squadron_SAAF" title="31 Squadron SAAF">31</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/32_Squadron_SAAF" title="32 Squadron SAAF">32</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=33_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="33 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">33</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/34_Squadron_SAAF" title="34 Squadron SAAF">34</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/40_Squadron_SAAF" title="40 Squadron SAAF">40</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/42_Squadron_SAAF" title="42 Squadron SAAF">42</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=43_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="43 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">43</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/50_Squadron_SAAF" title="50 Squadron SAAF">50</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/60_Squadron_SAAF" title="60 Squadron SAAF">60</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=103_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="103 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">103</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/109_Squadron_SAAF" title="109 Squadron SAAF">109</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=112_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="112 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">112</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=114_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="114 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">114</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=86_Multi-Engine_Flying_School_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="86 Multi-Engine Flying School SAAF (page does not exist)">86 Multi-Engine Flying School</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=88_Maritime_Operational_Training_School_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="88 Maritime Operational Training School SAAF (page does not exist)">88 Maritime Training School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/89_Combat_Flying_School" title="89 Combat Flying School">89 Combat Flying School</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_squadrons_of_the_South_African_Air_Force#Disbanded_Air_Squadrons" title="List of squadrons of the South African Air Force">Disbanded air defence squadrons</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/120_Squadron_SAAF" title="120 Squadron SAAF">120</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/121_Squadron_SAAF" title="121 Squadron SAAF">121</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/122_Squadron_SAAF" title="122 Squadron SAAF">122</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=123_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="123 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">123</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=124_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="124 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">124</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=125_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="125 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">125</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=126_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="126 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">126</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=127_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="127 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">127</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=128_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="128 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">128</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=129_Squadron_SAAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="129 Squadron SAAF (page does not exist)">129</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/w/index.php?title=List_of_Wings_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="List of Wings of the South African Air Force (page does not exist)">Wings of the SAAF</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=No._2_(S.A.)_Wing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 2 (S.A.) Wing (page does not exist)">2</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/No._3_(S.A.)_Wing" title="No. 3 (S.A.) Wing">3</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=No._5_(S.A.)_Wing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 5 (S.A.) Wing (page does not exist)">5</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/No._7_(S.A.)_Wing" class="mw-redirect" title="No. 7 (S.A.) Wing">7</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/No._8_(S.A.)_Wing" class="mw-redirect" title="No. 8 (S.A.) Wing">8</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=No._21_(S.A.)_Technical_Training_Wing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 21 (S.A.) Technical Training Wing (page does not exist)">21</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=No._24_(S.A.)_Flying_Training_Wing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 24 (S.A.) Flying Training Wing (page does not exist)">24</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=No._25_(S.A.)_Armourer_and_Navigation_Training_Wing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 25 (S.A.) Armourer and Navigation Training Wing (page does not exist)">25</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_bases_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of bases of the South African Air Force">Bases</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Bloemspruit" title="Air Force Base Bloemspruit">AFB Bloemspruit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Durban" title="Air Force Base Durban">AFB Durban</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Hoedspruit" title="Air Force Base Hoedspruit">AFB Hoedspruit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Langebaanweg" title="Air Force Base Langebaanweg">AFB Langebaanweg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Makhado" title="Air Force Base Makhado">AFB Makhado</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Overberg" title="Air Force Base Overberg">AFB Overberg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Swartkop" title="Air Force Base Swartkop">AFB Swartkop</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Waterkloof" title="Air Force Base Waterkloof">AFB Waterkloof</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Base_Ysterplaat" title="Air Force Base Ysterplaat">AFB Ysterplaat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Station_Port_Elizabeth" title="Air Force Station Port Elizabeth">AFS Port Elizabeth</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Training_areas&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Training areas (page does not exist)">Training areas</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Roodewaal_Bombing_Range&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Roodewaal Bombing Range (page does not exist)">Roodewaal Bombing Range</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ditholo_Training_Area&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ditholo Training Area (page does not exist)">Ditholo Training Area</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=TAB_Upington&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="TAB Upington (page does not exist)">TAB Upington</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vastrap" title="Vastrap">Vastrap Weapons Area</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Equipment</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of aircraft of the South African Air Force">List of current and historical SAAF aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_weapon_systems_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of weapon systems of the South African Air Force">List of weapon systems of the South African Air Force</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">History</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">History of the South African Air Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_obsolete_weapon_systems_of_the_South_African_Air_Force" title="List of obsolete weapon systems of the South African Air Force">List of obsolete weapon systems of the South African Air Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force_Memorial" title="South African Air Force Memorial">South African Air Force Memorial</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force_Museum" title="South African Air Force Museum">South African Air Force Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa" title="Military history of South Africa">Military history of South Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=South_African_Air_Force_in_World_War_I&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="South African Air Force in World War I (page does not exist)">South African Air Force in World War I</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=South_African_Air_Force_in_World_War_II&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="South African Air Force in World War II (page does not exist)">South African Air Force in World War II</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=South_African_Air_Force_in_the_Korean_War&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="South African Air Force in the Korean War (page does not exist)">South African Air Force in the Korean War</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=South_African_Air_Force_in_the_Bush_War&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="South African Air Force in the Bush War (page does not exist)">South African Air Force in the Bush War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force_squadron_identification_codes" title="South African Air Force squadron identification codes">SAAF squadron identification codes</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div> <ul><li>Official website: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.af.mil.za/">www.af.mil.za</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&oldid=1240703430">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_South_African_Air_Force&oldid=1240703430</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div 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