If someone or something celebrates his/its 90th birthday, one might think on first hand about an aged person or eventually on an antique establishment and less about a young and modern Armed Force.  In case of the South African Air Force (SAAF) both might apply. The SAAF successfully made the transition from an old fashioned Air Arm (based on British structure and later affected by the Apartheid regime) into a modern democratically orientated Air Force. Despite this new orientation the SAAF is still conscious of their tradition and looks back to its long proud history. This was impressively shown at the official 90th anniversary celebrations, which were held on the Swartkop Air Force Base, located in the proximity of Pretoria. The Swartkop AFB was selected for this event for a special purpose. Not only can one find most of the airworthy South African warbirds there (the Swartkop AFB host also the SAAF museum), but it is also the oldest operational military airbase in this country (the old tower was built in 1921 and is still seen on the base, nevertheless it is not actively used any longer).

History of the SAAF

The SAAF was based on the SAAC (South African Aviation Corps), which was founded already in 1913. During the World War I pilots from South Africa were fighting along the other allied powers within the British Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Independent (with South African aircraft) operations were conducted in the former German colony South West Africa (which is today known as Namibia). After the end of World War I the South African government took the same steps as the British and formed an independent Air Force – the SAAF. The very first commanding officer was Lt. Col. Pierre van Ryneveld. Equipped with some 100 aircraft from the inventory of the Royal Flying Corps (AVRO 504K trainer, SE.5A fighter as well as De Havilland DH.9 day bomber) flight operations began early in 1920 at Swartkop AFB. 

South Africa also established their own aviation industry, which mainly built aircraft and aircraft parts under license. At the start of World War II the SAAF was nevertheless equipped with completely outdated aircraft of British origin. Only some of the aircraft used for civilian purpose could be classified as modern, like the Junkers Ju-52/3m or the Junkers Ju 86 airliner. After the outbreak of the war this situation changed almost over night. Together with their comrades from the RAF and other units from the British Commonwealth, South African units fought quite successfully against German and Italian Forces in Northern Africa (at the end of the hostilities in North Africa one third of the RAF Operational Command were South Africans ). Very important for the course of war was a training program, which run under the name of Joint Air Training Scheme (JATS). By this time, the SAAF owned more than 700 (!) North American AT-6 HARVARD. Due to the fact, that the South African soil was never exposed to any kind of war -related hostilities, that could have affected the training program, more than 33.000 aircrews were trained until 1945 under peacetime conditions. At the end of the war the SAAF had a personal of more than 45.000 men and women including almost 2.500 pilots.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the amount of SAAF personal was drastically reduced but also the tight knot to the British Empire and the RAF was loosened. In this time South Africa was still part of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (since the last Boer War in 1902 the South African Union had the status of an independent Dominion within the Commonwealth). The political chord clamping and the complete independence from Great Britain was the aim of the ever-increasing National government of the country, which culminated in the victory of the National Party in the elections for the parliament in 1948. The dissociation from Great Britain was going along with an increasing international isolation due to South Africa’s accelerated racial policy.

Also within the Air Force one could realize the “Winds of Change” (this slogan has nothing to do with a song from a more or less well known rock band, but this saying which was used by the former British Prime Minister Harold McMillan in a speech in front of the South African Parliament in 1960). A significant (external) sign for this change wasn´t only the introduction of new uniforms but also the adaptation of a new national emblem, the South African Springbok, which was later implemented in the stylised shape of the Castle of Good Hope – the oldest building of the country, which was built in 1679 by the Dutch East India Company. In international terms South Africa was part of the Westernised world and saw itself as a strong barrier against communism. This was one of the reasons why the SAAF (in form of the No. 2 Sqn) took part in the Korean War. Integrated within the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing of the USAF it was involved in serious fighting where the South Africans paid a high price – 34 of its pilots were KIA and several were wounded. This conflict also brought a significant technological change to the SAAF.  In 1953 SAAF pilots were trained on the modern North American F-86 SABRE, although the aircraft were returned to the US after the end of the hostilities. The SAAF received its very first jetfighter in 1950, the de Havilland DH -100 VAMPIRE (altogether 77 aircraft served until they were replaced by the license built Atlas MB 326 IMPALA in 1972). Due to the experience with the US-American SABRE South Africa also ordered some 34 CANADAIR CL-13B (modified license version of the F-86).

At the beginning of the 1960s South Africa entered the supersonic age. By ordering the French built Dassault MIRAGE III, South Africa was very far sighted, as this jet was “state-of-the-art” for at least the next 10 to 15 years, having a huge development potential. This was used for the ingenious development of the Atlas CHEETAH; up until 1980 about 60 aircraft were upgraded to this standard. As the CHEETAH looks very similar like the Israeli built KFIR there were lots of speculations, that the CHEETAH is actually a South African KFIR. Truth is, that both countries had tied knots in this time and Israeli technicians were (at least at the begin) involved in the development. They were similar in design and their technical features were also alike. The CHEETAH program was also pushed by the fact that South Africa had to use every possibility to upgrade their existing weapons with their own technology because of the UN embargo.

It was the African independence movements of the 60s and 70s, which kept the SAAF busy. Freedom fighters (own designation) or terrorists (official South African designation) like the SWAPO in South West Africa, the UNITA and later the MPLA in Angola were the enemy. Most of the operations were ground support (mainly by helicopter), nevertheless there were also several missions flown by SAAF MIRAGE III CZ, Blackburn BUCCANEER as well as the ground attack version of the Atlas MB 326 IMPALA Mk.1. The defence built up, especially of the Angolans, with the newest hardware from the Soviets (like the MiG-23 FLOGGER, which was delivered by Angola`s ally Cuba) created an escalation of the conflict. In an air battle wit a SAAF MIRAGE F.1 CZ two MiG 21 fighter were shot down by Major J. Rankin.

The end of these conflicts and the withdrawal of the South African forces (at the end of the 1980s) from Angola, Namibia, Zambia, as well as the increased International pressure because of the repressive racist policies generated the end of the Apartheid regime in this country. After Nelson Mandela was released from prison and became South Africa`s first black President, a new era began. The new political orientation as well as the lack of any potential neighbouring enemy let to drastically reduction of the Armed Forces. Several air bases were closed and no less than 13 Squadrons were disbanded. Additionally, the SAAF began to modernise their equipment. Some of the completely outdated aircraft, like the North American AT-6 HARVARD, were replaced after 50 years of active service by the state-of-the-art Pilatus PC-7 ASTRA (in 1995), the Atlas MB 326 IMPALA was replaced by the BAe HAWK Mk.100, which is the Lead-In-Fighter-Trainer (LIFT) for the brand new Saab JAS 39 GRIPEN. With these aircraft the SAAF has one of the most modern and powerful Air Forces in the whole region, which will fulfil its task far into the new millennium. The only relict from the old times is the legendary Douglas C-47TP “TURBO DAK”, which is equipped with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney PT-6AR turboprops, new avionics as well as an prolonged fuselage (with increased fuel capacity). These old workhorses are mainly used for maritime surveillance along the 2800 km long South African coastline. This makes the C-47 the longest serving military aircraft of the history – 75 years. All Turbo-Dak´s are stationed on the Ysterplaat AFB at Cape Town (No. 35 Sqn).

90th anniversary SAAF at Swartkop AFB

A truly remarkable flying program was presented to the numerous visitors of the air show (some estimated 50.000+ visitors). A variety of aircraft from the De Havilland DH 82 TIGER MOTH, a Douglas C-47 DAKOTA owned by the museum, to the Saab/BAe JAS 39 GRIPEN took to the air. A special highlight was the display of the Dassault MIRAGE III CZ (SAAF Museum Historic Flight) as well as an Atlas Aviation CHEETAH D. The latter is one of two former SAAF CHEETAH D owned by the company DENEL (the successor of Atlas Aviation). These CHEETAH´s are kept airworthy for test purposes. The traditional link between the old and the new South Africa was nicely demonstrated by a formation consisting of the SAAF museum´s De Havilland D.H. 115 VAMPIRE T.Mk.55 and the Saab JAS 39 GRIPEN. The national aerobatic team, the SILVER FALCONS (flying five Pilatus PC-7 ASTRA) attracted a huge crowd with their distinctive and precisely flown display. What wasn't seen in the air could have been viewed on the ground, as the museum hosts a vast amount of most of the aircraft, which saw service in South Africa, including the remarkable AVRO SHACKELTON MR.111.

The SAAF proudly looks back to a long history but also looks forward with confidence into the future. In just a few years the SAAF will celebrate the (first) hundred years, but until then: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Robert Kysela