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The South African Air Force, the second oldest air force in the world, has a long and proud history, that has included a major role in securing victory for the Allied Forces during both World Wars and has resulted in a safe and secure South Africa. In November 1914, the Union decided the Aviation Corps was necessary to conduct a campaign against German South West Africa and a new squadron was formed. On 6 May 1915 the Corps commenced operations, mainly reconnaissance, in that area. General Botha, who had previously depended on mounted men for reconnaissance, declared 'Now I can see for hundreds of miles'. The aircraft were also used on bombing raids and the South Africans were able to out manoeuver the Germans, leading to their surrender three months later after the South African Aviation Corps entered the campaign. The Corps was awarded the South West African battle honour, a unique award as battle honours are normally only awarded to units. The South African Commander in Chief, General, Smuts, was a member of the Imperial War Cabinet and in 1917 was asked by the British Prime Minister to investigate the question of air defence against Zeppelin raids. The select committee he chaired recommended the creation of an Air Force as a separate arm of the service. Gen. Smuts was given much of the credit for the reorganisation of London's air defence, the introduction of training and instruction for fighting in formations. And, having previously recommended to the British that they establish an Air force as a separate arm, it was only natural that Gen. Smuts would want to do the same for South Africa. This decision was taken in 1919 and Lt. Col. Pierre van Ryneveld, - - who earlier that same year, with Major Quinton Brand, had carried out their epic flight from England to the Cape, pioneering the air route down Africa - - was commissioned to evolve the organisation and procure necessary equipment. The title South African Air Force was first used officially on 1 February 1923 when the SAAF was listed under the provisions of the SA Defence Act, Amendment Act when it was listed as one of the corps of the Permanent Force. . By 1922 the SAAF consisted of two flights based at Zwartkop Air Station near Pretoria, which formed the basis of 1 Squadron. The depression was to take its toll on the Air Force. However, it did not stop them from acquiring new aircraft. The first locally produced aircraft was the Westland Wapiti, with the first licence built example of 27 built flew on 4 April 1931. This was followed by 65 Hawker Hartbees and 52 Avro Tutors, all built locally from imported materials. In 1936 the Union Government approved the Air Force development programme which made provision for the expansion of the Air Force by training 100 pilots, establishing a photographic survey squadron, five service squadrons and the organisation of SA Airways into two bomber groups, one medium and one heavy. and for the establishment of a reserve. When the Second World War broke out on 3 September 1939, the Commonwealth had no spare aircraft to sell and aircraft which were purchased or built in South Africa were obsolete, with only six Hurricane Mk1's, a Fairey Battle and a Blenheim Mk1 being current operational types. On top of this, the 1936 plan for expansion had not materialised. The SAAF still only consisted of 160 permanent force officers, 35 cadets and 1 400 other ranks. No effort was made to procure modern aircraft from any other source. Technical knowledge was limited to fabric covered biplanes. Near to their home the SAAF supported the RAF in the British invasion on Vichy held Madagascar in May 1942. Two flights, equipped with Marylands and Beauforts, operated in ground support and reconnaissance roles. The SAAF played a vital role in photographing the island prior to the invasion. That operation ended in November 1942. The SAAF did not enter into the Empire Air Training Scheme, but on 1 August 1940, a Joint Air Training Scheme was adopted and proved such a brilliant success throughout the British Commonwealth that it ultimately became a nemesis for the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. The scheme provided for the establishment of 24 flying schools with a target of 3 000 and at least 2 000 observers by 1942. By the end of 1944 SAAF strength had reached 44 417 inclusive of 2 349 pilots, some 1535 observers and gunners, 9 661 artisans and 6 595 basic trainees. As a result of the Joint Air Training Scheme, a total of 33 347 aircrews had been trained by thirty six Air Schools by 1945. There was little doubt that the 'Battle of training' as it became known, was being well and truly won. The SAAF was at its peak strength at the end of the North African Campaign. There were 26 squadrons in North Africa, the personnel strength numbering 8976. This included 2 789 Non-European Auxiliary Service and 83 Womens Auxiliary Air Force personnel. The SAAF made up a third of the RAF Operational Command in the theater. Approximately another 9 000 SAAF personnel served in other allied Air Forces. Including personnel in the Union and elsewhere, the total SAAF strength was 45 000. At the start of the war 33 squadrons were envisaged. At the end of the war there were 35 squadrons. The SAAF counteracted an attempt to abolish foreign influence by developing a truly Air Force culture. In July 1949 a very significant step in the history of the SAAF took place, the conventional Army khaki gave way to a grey-blue uniform. At long last the SAAF had a uniform of which they were proud to wear. In November 1950 the SAAF adopted the Springbok for the centre of the roundel, giving the SAAF its own identity. In 1948, against a backdrop of increasingly strained East/West relations, the Soviets blockaded West Berlin. As a result all supplies had to be airlifted into West Berlin. The SAAF supplied 20 aircrews for the Berlin Airlift, airlifting a total of 4 133 tons of supplies in 1 240 missions while flying RAF Dakotas. The peace time role of the SAAF in the fifties included aerial photography for mapping purposes, combating mosquitoes in Zululand using newly acquired Sikorsky S-51 helicopters, early morning weather flights training of members for the Citizen Force. SAAF’s Number 2 Squadron had been initially formed at Waterkloof in January 1939 with the Hawker Hartbees. Redesignated as a fighter-bomber unit, the squadron spent the year training, but was temporarily renumbered as 12 Squadron in December 1939. The squadron reformed as No. 2 in Kenya on 1 October 1940, flying Hurricanes, Fury 1's and Gladiator II's, then moved to Egypt in April 1941 and was re-equipped with Curtiss Tomahawk IIB's. Kittyhawk's were received from May 1942. In 1943 the squadron moved to Sicily and then Italy were they were re-equipped with Spitfires which they flew until the end of the war. Reformed again in December 1948, flying Spitfire MkIX's. War broke out in Korea on 25 June 1950 and by 4 August 1950 the Union Government had announced its intention to place an all volunteer squadron - Number 2 Squadron - at the disposal of the United Nations. On 25 September 1950, the Flying Cheetahs of SAAF’s No. 2 Squadron, sailed from Durban, South Africa bound half way around the world, for Japan. On arrival at Yokohama the squadron proceeded to Johnson Air Base near Tokyo where they completed their conversion and OTU on F-51D Mustangs purchased from the USAF. The Cheetahs served as one of four integral squadrons of the USAF 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing (12th, 39th and 67th USAF, plus 2 Sq. SAAF) and flew their first mission in Korea on 19 November 1950 from Pusan, K-9, then from Pyongyang, the recently captured former North Korean capitol, K-23 The Flying Cheetahs served with distinction as South Africa's contribution to the Korean War, from November 1950 to December 1953, first flying the F-51D Mustangs and from February 1953, flying the F-86F Sabre. The SAAF flew with the distinctive new Springbok in the centre of the roundel, introduced when 2 Squadron, was sent to Korea. Their role was close air support against enemy positions to soften them up for ground attacks, interdiction against the enemy's logistic and communication lines, providing protective cover for rescue operations, reconnaissance flights and to a lesser extent, interception of enemy aircraft. During the southward advance of the Chinese Communist forces these pilots attacked enemy troops, trucks and supplies daily in near zero temperatures. On 30 November the squadron moved from Pyongyang further south to K-13 from where they were later evacuated further south to K-10, an airfield situated on the edge of a bay close to the town of Chinhae. This was to be their permanent base for the next two years. While equipped with Mustangs, the squadron flew 10,373 sorties and out of a total 95 Mustangs acquired, no fewer than 74 were lost due to enemy action and accidents. Twelve pilots were killed in action, 30 missing and four wounded. (Of the 30 reported as Missing in Action, 22 were later changed to Killed in Action, for a total of 34 pilots and one non-air crewman, lost during the Korean War.) In January 1953 the squadron received USAF F-86F Sabre jet fighter-bombers. Pilots and ground crew had to undergo courses at another new Korean air base, K-46, while adapting to the new aircraft. The first Sabre mission was flown on 22 February, 1953. This marked the entry of the SAAF into a new era of jet warfare. Operating from K-55, the Flying Cheetahs took part in fighter sweeps along the Yalu and Chong-Chong rivers as well as ground targets. The squadron flew a total of 2 032 sorties in the Sabres. Only four Sabres were lost out of 22 supplied. The war ended on 27 July 1953. 34 SAAF pilots had lost their lives and eight taken prisoner of war, including the future Chief of the Air Force, General D Earp. 74 Mustangs and 4 Sabres were lost. Prior to returning to South Africa, the Sabres were returned to the USAF. In recognition of their association with the Flying Cheetahs, General Turner C. Rogers, 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'. When the squadron returned to South Africa they were equipped with the Vampire, but in 1956 they received the Sabre Mk6. Conversion to the new Mirage III occurred in 1963 and the squadron moved to AFB Hoedspruit at the end of 1978. They continued to fly the Mirages until October 1990 when they re-equipped with the Atlas Cheetah. At the time of this report, in December 2000, 2 Squadron was based at Louis Trichardt Air Base – SAAF’s most modern airbase, (built in 1987) close to the borders of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. They currently fly the Atlas Cheetah fighters. Summary report compiled by |