SAAF Museum Spitfire 5518 rebuild

Best of luck.Its a long hard road but worth it in the end.

For your interest, here are some pictures of the aircraft mentioned above.

Hornet Moth 1997

Mig-21 2011

Prentice 1997
Prentice VS609

Provost 1997

That might be either ZS-ROY (ex ZS-AKG/SAAF 1591/ZS-AKG/VP-YIW/ZS-DIH) or ZS-APD (exZS-APD/SAAF 1550). Both were substantial remains at best last time I saw them.

The Prentice would likely be Prentice T Mk 1 ZS-EUS (ex VS609/G-AOPL) which was donated to the SAAF Museum by the owner in 1974 and refurbished for static display in 1977. After being stored for many years it was returned on request to to the original owner (or his family).
Wondered what had happened to it …..

I had heard rumour of a South African Hornet Moth travelling to St Athan for restoration. On a similar vein -the Lanseria Prentice was also rumoured to be in the U.K

Thanks for the quick response AA. Good to know they may both fly again one day. When I worked in Kenya in the early 70s a bizjet pilot pal of mine almost managed to spring the Mozambique Hornet free for restoration in Kenya. However the “inducement” required was nearly as much as the cost of the aeroplane so it didn’t happen.

The Hornet Moth SAAF no. 2007 (ex ZS-ALA) is still on charge of the SAAF Museum and is potentially airworthy though it is currently on static display.

The Mozambique one (CR-AAA) was shipped to South Africa for supposed restoration to flying condition a good few years ago and as far as I know is still in SA – probably in storage / long-term rebuild at Krugersdorp Airfield.

There are also the substantial remains of at least one other one in South Africa.

Antiqueaviation, what’s the story on the Hornet Moth behind the Spitfire? Is it still on charge? I didn’t know there were any in Africa, assuming the one in Mozambique was long gone.

Unfortunately, enthusiasm alone never returned an aircraft to the air. Any airworthy rebuild of any aircraft needs money too. Lots and lots of it.

LOL! 🙂 Yep that’s me alright – recognize my old grubby overall anywhere!

Sadly the ex-Rhodesian Air Force Provost in the back is no more …..

antiqueaviation

Interesting photos of 5518 undergoing routine maintenance at the SAAF Museum. There are only two techs who were that short – me being one of them!

The mop of ginger hair on the outer tech in the first image is none other than yours truly – albeit many years ago

I’m afraid that I haven’t got a full frontal pic of you. This rear view is the only one I have.

Spitfire 2

The only “damage” I know of and as reported by some of the media as being suffered to the MiG, is ignorance / sensation on their part. The very heavy nose cone was unsecured due to the removal of the radar system at the time of its recovery in SWA. It was merely secured in place with one or two screws which came adrift when being steadied during its move and caused it to hang downwards.

I know a bit about the aircraft – having had to move it from one hangar to another in the past.

Mig 21

I felt it bit of a kick in the nuts for the staff a few weeks back when the Museum’s MiG 21 was handed back to the Angolans as a political gesture (also being damaged in transit ) .

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Afraid not – other commitments keep me way too busy these days.

Long for the young and carefree days of my relative youth when I was involved with the final stages of the rebuild and the few years it flew.

Are you going to be working on the rebuild antiqueaviation?

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Yours truly – many years ago – ground running the Spitfire after a coolant tank repair!

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A frame of three cloth patches I wore at the time, two metal pin badges and a piece of the one propeller with the Dowty-Rotol logo on it – salvaged from the crash site.

Interesting photos of 5518 undergoing routine maintenance at the SAAF Museum. There are only two techs who were that short – me being one of them!

The mop of ginger hair on the outer tech in the first image is none other than yours truly – albeit many years ago 🙂

Thanks for posting the images sterlingeffort, interesting to see the damage. Here’s hoping them every success with it.

I realize that it is a half a world away, but Vintage wings of Canada have completed their Mk IX, and may be persuaded to part with their wing jigs.
Just a thought. (worth what you paid for it!)

Andy

I really wish them the best of luck.

http://www.spitfire-restoration.co.za/history.html

”The Early Years

This Spitfire MkIX, otherwise known as 5518, was built in the Castle Bromwich production line in May 1945 and originally designated TE213. She was the 5556th MkIX built and was fitted with a Merlin 70 powerplant. TE 213 was put in storage and eventually sold to the SAAF in July 1947, and was eventually flown to Union via Egypt in mid-August where she was allocated serial 5518 at 15 Air Depot. Now 5518, she was transferred to 1 Air Depot in November and then finally allocated to 1 Squadron at A.F.S Waterkloof on 4th December 1948. 5518 was involved in a collision with another spitfire in June 1949 and sustained category 1 damage and returned to 15 Air Depot. After which 5518 returned to 7 Wing in early (January) 1951 and then being transferred to Air Operations School in April 1951. In September the same year, 5518 hit a drogue cable and sustained category 1 damage. Later in June 1953, 5518 was transferred back to 1 Squadron at A.F.S Swartkop and then back to 15 Air Depot in September for storage. The SAAF retired the Spitfire MkIX in April 1954 and is was then decided to erect a Spitfire gate guardian at A.F.S Waterkloof. Spitfire 5518 was chosen after the removal of her Merlin engine and placed outside the administration block for the next 23 years.

Tragedy Strikes

On the 15th April 2000 at a SAAF Museum Flying Day, 5553 suffered an engine malfunction after a low level fly-past and had to make a forced landing short of the runway, where she went through a security wall, breaking up. 5553 was then put back into storage at the SAAF Museum where she would remain for the next 15 years.

In early 2015, it was decided that the SAAF Museum in conjunction with the Friends of the South African Air Force Museum (FSAAFM) and hopefully with the help of vary dedicated partners and sponsors, to restore 5518 to static condition, with the possibility of making her airworthy once more in the future.”