SAAF Cessna 185’s
The South African Air Force Cessna 185’s have had a long and interesting career, having first arrived during May 1962 to replace the Auster AOP. The first batch was for 24 Cessna 185A’s. A further 12 Cessna 185D’s arrived during 1965. Two smaller batches of Cessna 185E’s followed 4 during 1967 and 5 during 1968. They started out being Army aircraft allocated to 42 Army Air Reconnaissance. The aircraft was used during the Bush War from the start. Once SWAPO started entering Namibia(SWA at the time.), in 1966, a Cessna was sent to Windhoek. During June 1967 these aircraft were seconded to the South African Police, as this was still seen as being a police operation. Seven Cessna 185’s flew to Gwelo (Zimbabwe, then Rhodesia) in September 1967, where they became heavily involved with Rhodesian Operations. 1968 saw a further five aircraft being seconded to the Portuguese for reconnaissance and communication flights for the Portuguese based in Eastern Angola. On the 1st October 1968 these aircraft reverted to the SAAF and although now in storage, they remain on SAAF strength to this day. Some having been sold in 1997. Due to the nature of there low level operations, a number were lost in accidents with only one(#739) being shot down by a SAM on 25 November 1975 in Central Angola. Efforts are still being made to have the remains of Capt Taljaard, Lt’s Williamson and Thompson returned to South Africa.
Some I took when the MiG-29 was show casing in South Africa. A Russian fighter at an Israeli designed base in SA, who would have thought?
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