During the Second World War, a predecessor formation had been Coastal Command. 27 Squadron was formed from 33 Flight at St Albans in Port Elizabeth on 1 July 1942 and was deployed as a torpedo bomber / coastal reconnaissance squadron patrolling the South African coast flying aged Avro Ansons as part of Coastal Command. The command consisted of 27 Squadron SAAF at Walvis Bay and Rooikop and a detachment at Aus; 6 Squadron SAAF at Eerste River; 23 Squadron SAAF at Darling; 25 Squadron SAAF at Port Elizabeth and East London; 22 Squadron SAAF at Lombazi and Matubatuba; 29 Squadron SAAF also at Lombazi and 10 Squadron SAAF at Durban and Isipingo.[1]
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.[2]
By the early 1990s the command had shrunk to four squadrons - two of Dakotas (25 and 35 Squadrons), 27 Squadron with Piaggio P.166As, and a squadron of Aérospatiale Alouette IIIs.[4]
^Wessels, Andre (June 2000). "South African Military History Journal: Vol. 11 No. 5". 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.
^Lindsey Peacock, 'The World's Air Forces,' p.152.
Referencesedit
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. 282. ISBN0-86843-025-0.
Peacock, Lindsay, and Bob Munro. The World's Air Forces: An Illustrated Review of the Air Forces of the World. Salamander Books, 1991.
January 01, 1970
southern, command, saaf, southern, command, formation, south, african, force, active, from, early, 1980s, early, 1990s, throughout, existence, headquarters, silvermine, cape, province, contents, coastal, command, maritime, command, southern, command, also, not. Southern Air Command was a formation of the South African Air Force active from the early 1980s to the early 1990s Throughout its existence it had its headquarters at Silvermine in the Cape Province Contents 1 Coastal Command 2 Maritime Command and Southern Command 3 See also 4 Notes 4 1 ReferencesCoastal Command editDuring the Second World War a predecessor formation had been Coastal Command 27 Squadron was formed from 33 Flight at St Albans in Port Elizabeth on 1 July 1942 and was deployed as a torpedo bomber coastal reconnaissance squadron patrolling the South African coast flying aged Avro Ansons as part of Coastal Command The command consisted of 27 Squadron SAAF at Walvis Bay and Rooikop and a detachment at Aus 6 Squadron SAAF at Eerste River 23 Squadron SAAF at Darling 25 Squadron SAAF at Port Elizabeth and East London 22 Squadron SAAF at Lombazi and Matubatuba 29 Squadron SAAF also at Lombazi and 10 Squadron SAAF at Durban and Isipingo 1 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 2 Maritime Command and Southern Command editAfter a reorganisation in the early 1980s that ended the existence of Maritime Air Command SAAF the command was created It included nine squadrons three reserve based at AFS Port Elizabeth Cape Town Airport and AFB Ysterplaat These squadrons included two of Aermacchi MB 326s 35 Squadron SAAF Avro Shackleton 27 Squadron SAAF Piaggio P 166 22 Squadron SAAF of Wasps and Alouettes 30 Squadron SAAF of Super Frelons and Pumas 16 Squadron SAAF Alouettes 25 Squadron SAAF flying Dakotas from Ysterplaat and 88 Maritime Training School Ysterplaat 3 By the early 1990s the command had shrunk to four squadrons two of Dakotas 25 and 35 Squadrons 27 Squadron with Piaggio P 166As and a squadron of Aerospatiale Alouette IIIs 4 See also editHistory of the South African Air ForceNotes edit Martin and Orpen 1979 p 275 Wessels Andre June 2000 South African Military History Journal Vol 11 No 5 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 Life at 50 Feet Flight International 19 January 1985 Lindsey Peacock The World s Air Forces p 152 References edit 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 282 ISBN 0 86843 025 0 Peacock Lindsay and Bob Munro The World s Air Forces An Illustrated Review of the Air Forces of the World Salamander Books 1991 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Air Command SAAF amp oldid 1120969807, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
