On 30 September 1985 the Angolan and Cuban forces operating in Angola suffered a spate of helicopter losses that effected their ability to support their troops. For a long time they were not able to understand what had happened to their valuable helicopters and...
In Angola during January 1986, Cuban intelligence services received reports from near the city of Huambo that many local village women were using parachute material to wrap their infants onto their backs. Rebel leader Jonas Savimbi and his National Union for the Total...
Bignoux served as a pilot, achieving the rank of Captain. He was involved in C-130 conversion training and became a commander in night-time supply drop operations. He was involved in the incident near Andulo in Apr 1986 when an Angolan MiG-23ML intercepted and...
The MB-326KC, commonly known as the Impala Mk II, is a single-seat, light attack aircraft version of the Aermacchi MB-326 jet trainer, produced under license by Atlas Aircraft Corporation in South Africa. Originally an Italian design, the MB-326...
The Mirage IIIRZ was a dedicated photographic reconnaissance aircraft in South African Air Force (SAAF) service from 1967 to 1990. The primary role was unarmed high-speed aerial reconnaissance, which included both general photographic mapping and post-strike...
The Dassault Mirage F1AZ was a dedicated single-seat, single-engine ground attack/strike aircraft that served with the South African Air Force (SAAF) from 1975 until its retirement in November 1997. It was developed specifically for the SAAF, which sought a simplified...
In the dramatic power struggle for Angola in 1987, South African Air Force Mirage F1s tackled MiG-23s in the skies above south-western Africa. Lionel Reid recounts the story Angola 1987. The Soviet and Angolan MPLA forces decided on an ambitious plan: a large-scale...
After completing his basic military training, Gagiano started his South African Air Force career as a student pilot on the AerMacchi MB-326M in July 1968 at Flying Training School Langebaanweg. After completing his "wings test", on 28 August 1969, he was transferred...
The Aérospatiale Alouette III was a pivotal and versatile light utility helicopter in the Rhodesian, South African, and Portuguese Air Forces during the various Southern African conflicts, particularly the Portuguese Colonial War and the Border War (or Bush War). It...
The armourer Flight Sergeant didn't like it one bit - "Captain, our orders were to load your aircraft with 72 standard HE rockets. I cannot change that on your request!' He was quite correct of course. The type of weapon used in an air attack is determined after...
1 Squadron SAAF was an air force squadron of the South African Air Force and was formed at Air Force Station Swartkop in February 1920, equipped with De Havilland DH.9’s part of the Imperial Gift donation to South Africa by Britain. On 31 August 1939 the squadron was...
28 Squadron (28 Sqn) was formed on 1 Jun 1943 as the first air transport squadron of the SAAF, equipped with Anson, Dakota and Wellington aircraft. During World War 2 the squadron supported the allied forces in North Africa, the islands of the Western...
12 Squadron (12 Son) / 12 Eskader (12 Esk) was formed in December 1939. On 16 June 1940 it flew the first SAAF bombing raid against Italian forces in Abysinna. After the war, the squadron flew its aircraft back to Egypt, where, in November 1945, it was disbanded. It...
24 Squadron SAAF is a disbanded squadron of the South African Air Force. Its last role was as an attack aircraft squadron. The squadron was first formed during World War II on 5 March 1941 by renumbering 14 Squadron SAAF in Egypt. It later carried out bombing...
Awarded the Honoris Crux for his action during Operation Reindeer
Air Force Base Waterkloof is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase.