| 109 Squadron | |
|---|---|
Cessna 172, typical of the type of civilian aircraft flown by 109 Sqn | |
| Active | 24 September 1963 – 1 October 1968 (Air Commando) 1 October 1968 - 31 March 1993 (Squadron) [1] |
| Country |  |
| Branch |  |
| Role | Light Aircraft Utility Sqn |
| Motto(s) | Quarimus (Quaerimus) "Seek" |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Insignia |  |
109 Squadron SAAF was initially established as 109 Air Commando. It was a Citizen Force squadron of the South African Air Force, established on 24 September 1963 at Mossel Bay. The unit was staffed by volunteer aircrew flying privately owned civilian aircraft. On 1 October 1968 control of 109 Air Commando was passed from the South African Army to the Air Force and the name was changed to 109 Squadron. The squadron stopped flying on 31 January 1993 and was disbanded on 31 March 1993. Its pilots were transferred to 105 and 108 Commando Squadrons. [1]
The South African Defence Force (SADF) comprised the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Force was officially succeeded by the SADF, which was established by the Defence Act of 1957. The SADF, in turn, was superseded by the South African National Defence Force in 1994.
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force has seen service in World War II and the Korean War. From 1966 the SAAF was involved in providing infantry support in a low intensity war in Angola, South-West Africa (Namibia) and Rhodesia. As the war progressed, the intensity of air operations increased until in the late 1980s, the SAAF were compelled to fly fighter missions against Angolan aircraft in order to maintain tactical air superiority. On conclusion of the Border War in 1990, aircraft numbers were severely reduced due to economic pressures as well as the cessation of hostilities with neighbouring states. Today the SAAF has a limited air combat capability and has been structured towards regional peace-keeping, disaster relief and maritime patrol operations. During the apartheid era, it was known by its Afrikaans name of Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag, a moniker which has since been depreciated.
Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Cape Town, and 400 km west of Port Elizabeth, the largest city in the Eastern Cape Province. The older parts of the town occupy the north-facing side of the Cape St Blaize Peninsula, whilst the newer suburbs straddle the Peninsula and have spread eastwards along the sandy shore of the Bay.
