7 Squadron was a unit of the South African Air Force which served in the Second World War as well as in South Africa between 1951 and 1992. During the war, the squadron was used as a fighter squadron deployed to the Western Desert as well as in the Aegean, Italy and Ceylon. The squadron was inactive from the end of the war until 1951 when it re-activated as a citizen force training squadron, a role it retained during two periods of active service until 1992, when it was disbanded for the last time.
7 Squadron was formed as a South African Air Force unit on 12 January 1942[2] at Zwartkop Air Station equipped with Harvard and Mohawk aircraft, with Douglas Loftus as commanding officer.[3] It was re-equipped with Hurricane Mk Is in April 1942 and was then moved to Egypt. By the time the war in Africa had been concluded, the squadron was equipped with Spitfire Mk Vs in July 1943 and was tasked with convoy escort and fighter-interception sorties.[citation needed]
On 10 September 1943 six pilots and a DC-3 Dakota with ground staff were ordered to Cyprus to set up an advanced base to provide air cover for the planned invasion of the Dodecanese Islands. It transpired that the initial intention was that the squadron, consisting of six Spitfire Mk Vs, was to be the total air cover contingent for the planned invasion. However, by 13 September the squadron was joined by two more of the squadron's Spitfires all operating from the island of Kos. They were later joined by 74 Squadron RAF but by then the Luftwaffe attacks on Kos had severely damaged the primitive airfields and after intense aerial fighting, there was only one serviceable Spitfire left in the squadron by 1 October. On 3 October German landings commenced and the grounded SAAF personnel were compelled to escape by whatever means possible – some crossed to Turkey in small boats and others were evacuated back to Egypt with the retreating allied ground forces. By the time of re-assembly in Egypt, the squadron had lost six officers killed and 15 other ranks missing for the cost of 12 enemy aircraft having been shot down. The squadron remained in Egypt for a few months, and then in April 1944, equipped with Spitfire Mk lXs, rejoined No. 7 Wing in Italy.[4]
After the surrender of German forces in Italy, the squadron was sent to the Far East, but the war in the East ended before the squadron could be deployed. It then returned to Ceylon and thereafter back to South Africa. It was disbanded on 10 September 1945.[citation needed]
The squadron was reformed at Ysterplaat Air Station in August 1951 and was equipped with Harvards and was again disbanded in 1959. It was re-formed once more at Youngsfield in the Cape on 1 August 1961[5] and later moved to Ysterplaat in 1969. The squadron received Impala Mk Is in 1977 as a citizen force unit and was moved to Cape Town International Airport in 1978. It was again moved to AFB Langebaanweg and to AFB Pietersburg. The squadron was disbanded in December 1992.[citation needed]
Aircraft
Aircraft flown by 7 Squadron Note: Aircraft type photographs may not necessarily represent aircraft of the same mark or actual aircraft belonging to the squadron.
2 Squadron is a squadron in the South African Air Force which was formed in 1940. The squadron has a long history, having been involved in every single combat action in which the SAAF has taken part. During the Second World War it made a name for itself in the battles for East Africa, before distinguishing itself in North Africa as part of the Desert Air Force, and later in Italy.
41 Squadron is a light transport squadron of the South African Air Force. It was formed in 1940, it is currently based at AFB Waterkloof.
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 re-designated as 1 Bomber/Fighter Squadron and this was then changed to 11 (Bomber) Squadron in December 1939. The squadron was resurrected in February 1940 by the renumbering of 6 Squadron, equipped with four Hurricane Mk 1's and six Furies.
Air Force Base Ysterplaat is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located in Cape Town suburb Ysterplaat, on the southwestern coast of South Africa. The name Ysterplaat is Afrikaans from the Dutch "Ijzerplaats", meaning "Iron Place" or "Place of Iron" in English.
40 Squadron SAAF existed as a combat unit from early 1940 through to late 1945. It served in the East African Campaign, Western Desert, Tunisia, and Italy, reaching Austria by the end of World War II. The squadron's motto in those years was Amethlo e Impi – "the eyes of the army".
No. 225 Squadron RAF is a former Royal Air Force squadron.
The South African Air Force Museum houses exhibits and restores material related to the history of the South African Air Force. The museum is divided into three locations, AFB Swartkop outside Pretoria, AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town and at the Port Elizabeth airport.
3 Squadron SAAF was a squadron of the South African Air Force. It was formed in January 1939 at Air Force Base Waterkloof and was equipped with Hawker Hartbees I and Hurricane Mk II aircraft. The squadron was moved to Port Elizabeth in September 1939 after which it was disbanded. It was again reformed at Waterkloof on 9 September 1940 equipped with Hurricane Mk 1s.
No. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.
4 Squadron SAAF was a South African Air Force unit which served during World War II.
5 Squadron SAAF was a South African Air Force Fighter / Fighter-Bomber squadron during World War II. It was disbanded at the end of the war and was re-commissioned in 1950. It remained active until 2 October 1992, when it was disbanded; its Atlas Cheetah E aircraft were also decommissioned.
6 Squadron was a South African Air Force unit first formed just before World War II. It was disbanded and re-created a number of times, until finally disbanded in October 1990.
10 Squadron was a squadron of the South African Air Force. It was formed as a fighter bomber unit on 1 April 1939 and was deployed in a coastal defence role as part of Coastal Command SAAF until 1943. It was disbanded after the threat of Japanese naval actions off the South African coast had waned. It was re-activated as a fighter squadron on 25 May 1944 and deployed to the Middle East where the squadron saw service in Syria, Libya and the Aegean and was disbanded at the end of the war in Italy.
9 Squadron SAAF was a short lived squadron of the South African Air Force during World War II. It was formed on 19 May 1944 in Egypt and was transferred to Minnick in Syria shortly after being formed. It spent less than a month in Syria when it was re-deployed back to El Gamil in Egypt on 28 June 1944. This transfer was after it had been decided that there was no longer any need to maintain forces on high alert close to Turkey. From here the squadron was tasked to provide air protection of the Suez Canal and the coastline of the Nile Delta.
11 Squadron was a World War II squadron of the South African Air Force. It was created in South Africa in 1939 and served in East Africa until 1941 as an army cooperation and reconnaissance squadron. It was re-formed in 1944 as a fighter bomber squadron and served in Italy until 1945 when it returned to Egypt and was disbanded on conclusion of the war on 30 October 1945. It was re-activated in 1974, flying Cessna 185s as an army liaison squadron until 1991 when it disbanded for the final time.
25 Squadron was a maritime patrol and later medium bomber squadron of the South African Air Force during World War II. It was re-constituted twice between 1951 and 1990 as a medium transport squadron and was finally disbanded in October 1990.
8 Squadron was a South African Air Force squadron during World War II and was again active between 1951 and 2001. During this second period, it was designated at different times as either a Citizen Force or Permanent Force squadron and was disbanded on 31 March 2001.
27 Squadron was established as a World War II maritime patrol squadron of the South African Air Force. It was disbanded after the war and resurrected in the same role from 1951 to 1958. Its final period of service was from 1962 to 1990 when it was finally disbanded when its Piaggio Albatross aircraft were de-commissioned.
16 Squadron SAAF is an attack helicopter squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was originally formed in World War II as a maritime patrol squadron, however, over the course of the war it was disbanded and reformed a number of times, operating a number of different types of aircraft. It was finally disbanded in June 1945 and was not re-raised until 1968 as a helicopter squadron. In the late 1980s the squadron took part in the conflict in Angola before being disbanded again in 1990. It was raised once more in 1999 and it is currently operating the Rooivalk attack helicopter.
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Curtiss Mohawk
North American Harvard
Hawker Hurricane Mk I
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX
Atlas Impala Mk. I
South Africa 
