In the late 1970s a series of artworks depicting SA Air Force aircraft of the time appeared in a local monthly actuality magazine.
One artwork showed a Nimrod in SAAF colours in the maritime reconnaissance role – it is known that the SAAF did indeed try to acquire Handley Page Victors and sometime later Nimrods to replace the ageing Avro Shackletons flown by 35 Sqn.
It is assumed that the ending of the Simonstown Agreement between SA and the UK, the Arms Embargo then in place against South Africa acquiring new aircraft plus a change in government in the UK resulted in the SAAF being unable to order them.
A pity since the the withdrawal from service of the Shackletons left the SAAF with a lack of suitable long range maritime patrol to this day.
By: antiqueaviation - 27th May 2017 at 17:42
Yes – at first the SAAF were obliged to use standard C-47s with suitable equipment on board (inevitably nicknamed Dakletons!) . Currently they are the sole operator of the C-47TP fitted out with the necessary equipment.
Far from being ideal for the job ………
By: mmitch - 27th May 2017 at 07:42
Didn’t South Africa end up using Dakotas?
mmitch.
By: antiqueaviation - 27th May 2017 at 07:35
Sad but probably true …….
By: J Boyle - 27th May 2017 at 05:21
So you’re saying that today South Africa and the UK have the same long-range maritime patrol capability…. 🙂
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May 26, 2017 at 5:58 pm