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The first Saturday of every month sees the SAAF Museum at Swartkops have a flyin training day, giving the public a chance to see some vintage aeroplanes and helicopters in action.
The first Saturday of every month sees the SAAF Museum at Swartkops have a flyin training day, giving the public a chance to see some vintage aeroplanes and helicopters in action.
Though relatively low-key, the Saturday events are usually well attended and this July we were lucky enough to be there. The base is well known for its one hundred year old hangars - a present from the British at the end of the Great War - that house an interesting collection of aircraft.
However, for the most part it is ‘eyes front’ during the flying days as a pair of Alouettes and a Oryx - a development of the Puma - showed what they are still capable of.
The aircraft consisted of light observation types and a trio of Harvards - something of a national treasure in South Africa.
The museum has an increasing number of restoration projects on the go, through the Friends of the SAAF Museum Group. These include an ambitious project to get a Spitfire back into the air. This can be read about elsewhere on this site.
A Buccaneer group, largely of ex-24 Squadron members, have the aim of fully restoring the museum’s jet and adding a second with cut-out panels to show the 1950’s engineering off to the best effect. They were hosting an open cockpit session, while the Sabre group were at work on the museum’s F-86.
Though not technically part of the Museum, the Harvard Association of South Africa had access to the cockpit of one of their machines. The group normally offer very accessible flights to the public as part of their role as a living national monument, but due to SACAA paperwork issues they are currently unable to offer passenger flights - but they are hopeful that they will resume before the end of the year.
Swartkops is a really special place to visit and the flying days are uniquely friendly and accessible, with enough people to make it feel like an ‘event’ yet without ever feeling crowded.
For more pics see - www.flickr.com/photos/119086573@N02/albums/72177720309599783
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