2 Squadron SAAF

2 Squadron is a squadron in the South African Air Force which was formed in 1940.[1][3] 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.

2 Squadron
2 Squadron Mustang fighters during the Korean War
Active1 October 1940–present [1]
CountrySouth Africa South Africa
Branch South African Air Force
RoleAttack/Interception
Garrison/HQAFB Makhado
Nickname(s)Flying Cheetahs
Motto(s)Latin: Sursam Prorsusque
("Upward and Onward")
Mascot(s)Historically, two cheetah cubs
EquipmentJAS 39 Gripen
Decorations  United States Presidential Unit Citation   Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Battle honoursEast Africa 1941
The Juba & The Lakes; Western Desert 1941–1943
Sidi Rezegh
Agedabia
Gazala
El Alamein; French North Africa 1943
El Hamma & Tunis
Mediterranean 1943
South East Europe 1944–1945
Italy 1943–1945, The Sangro & Gothic Line
Korea 1950–1953, Pyongyang
Insignia
Squadron Identification CodeDB (1939–1945)[2]: 14c 
2 Squadron crest

World War II

The squadron was established on 1 October 1940, when the two flights of 1 Squadron SAAF that were operating in Kenya against the Italians in the East African campaign, were formed into a new squadron. The Kenya-based flights had operated independently from the remainder of 1 Squadron, based in the Sudan for several months, and two shootdowns of Italian aircraft made by the Kenya-based flights were retrospectively credited to the new squadron. Initial equipment of the new squadron was nine Hawker Furys fighters, nine Gloster Gladiators and five Hawker Hurricanes.[1][4] In November, the Squadron's Gladiators were transferred to 1 Squadron SAAF,[5] and on 3 January 1941, its Hurricanes were also passed to 1 Squadron SAAF, leving 2 Squadron equipped with Furys, supplemented by three old Gloster Gauntlets inherited from 430 Flight RAF.[6] In March 1941, the squadron was planned to re-equip with Curtiss Mohawk IV fighters, but when the new aircraft were delivered to Mombassa their engines proved to be faulty, and had to be sent to Britain for repair.[7] On 17 April the squadron's pilots were sent off to Egypt where the squadron would be re-equipped for service in the Western Desert campaign.[8] The squadron claimed eight Italian aircraft shot down during the East African campaign.[1]

On arrival in Egypt, the squadron received Hurricanes as temporary equipment until it could convert to its planned equipment of Curtiss Tomahawks. A detachment of the squadron's Hurricanes operated over the front from Sidi Haneish Airfield from the end of May while the rest of the squadron continued to work up on Tomahawks.[9] By July 1941, it had fully converted to and was operational on the Tomahawk.[10][11]

During the initial years of the war, 2 Squadron served as part of 1 Bomber Brigade in the East African campaign and the North African campaign. After August 1943, it also saw action in Sicily, Italy and Yugoslavia.[3]

During the Second World War the squadron operated the following aircraft:

World War 2 era SAAF 2 Squadron killboard

Korean War
A No. 2 Squadron F-86F, 1953.

The squadron was South Africa's contribution to the United Nations war effort during the Korean War from November 1950 to December 1953. 2 Squadron[13] was attached to the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing U.S. Air Force for the duration of the war.[14] Initially flying the P-51 Mustang, the squadron re-equipped with the F-86 Sabre in February 1953. During the war the squadron flew a total of 12,067 sorties, most being dangerous ground attack missions. 74 of the 94 Mustangs and 4 out of the 22 Sabres were lost, along with 33 pilots (14 killed in action, 11 missing in action, 8 killed in accidents).

For its actions, the squadron received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, United States Presidential Unit Citation, and numerous other awards and decorations.[15]

Memorial plaque, Union Buildings

The Commanding Officer of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, issued a directive at the end of the war that:[16]

In memory of our gallant South African comrades, it is hereby established, as a new policy that at all Retreat Ceremonies held by this Wing, the playing of our National Anthem shall be preceded by playing the introductory bars of the South African National Anthem, 'Die Stem van Suid-Afrika'. All personnel of this Wing will render the same honours to this Anthem as our own.

Eleven Korean War SAAF casualties are buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Busan, South Korea.

After the Korean War 2 Squadron, based at Waterkloof AFB, was equipped with Canadair CL-13 Sabres. For a period the squadron was stationed at AFB Pietersburg.

The Border War and post 2000
Cheetah C as flown by 2 Sqn

Conversion to the new Mirage III occurred in 1963 and the squadron moved to AFB Hoedspruit at the end of 1978. The squadron fought in several engagements during the South-West Africa/Angola Border War.

They continued to fly the Mirages until October 1990. They later re-equipped with the Atlas Cheetah C and D, but remained 'on the books' during the hiatus between Mirage and Cheetah, not being officially disbanded at that point. Reconnaissance was also performed using Vinten Vicon 18 Series 601 pod. Regular night flying was performed and the aircrew also performed air-to-air refuelling operations with the Boeing 707 aircraft of 60 Squadron, until these were retired in 2007. The squadron participated in the annual SANDF force preparation exercises which includes using live weapons. During joint exercises with the German Air Force in 2006, 40 live V3S "Snake" short-range air-to-air missiles were fired at the Denel Overberg Test Range.[17]

The squadron's current fighter, the JAS 39 Gripen.

Moving to Louis Trichardt (now AFB Makhado) in January 1993, 2 Squadron became the sole front line combat jet squadron in the SAAF. Till 2 April 2008 the squadron operated the Cheetah C/D fighter aircraft and was equipped with 28 examples. The squadron flew 1010 hours in 2004.[18]

The last of the Cheetahs were retired on 2 April 2008, later that month the first new JAS 39 Gripen arrived. The SAAF accepted its first Gripen D in April 2008 and the final two Gripen D aircraft arrived in South Africa in July 2009. The first two Gripen Cs arrived on 11 February 2010 with deliveries ongoing as at October 2011. The squadron operates all the SAAF's Gripens except for the first Gripen D, which is assigned to the Test Flight and Development Centre at AFB Overberg.

SAAF 2 Squadron Gripen flight patch

Aircraft operated 1945–present

See also

References
  1. "THE SQUADRONS INCEPTION". South African Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  2. Martin, H.J. Lt-Gen; Orpen, N.D. (1978). Eagles Victorious: South African Forces World War II. Cape Town: Purnell. ISBN 0-86843-008-0.
  3. "Squadron 2". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  4. Shores 1996, p. 63
  5. Shores 1996, pp. 64, 70
  6. Shores 1996, pp. 92–93
  7. Shores 1996, p. 138
  8. Shores 1996, p. 149
  9. Shores, Massimello & Guest 2012, pp. 162, 204
  10. Shores, Massimello & Guest 2012, p. 239
  11. Halley 1988, p. 538
  12. Macdonald, J.F. (1945). "Chapter II – The Story of 237 Squadron". Lion with tusk guardant. Salisbury, South Rhodesia: The Rhodesian Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 23.
  13. Laurent, PARRA. "SQUADRON 2 - SAAF - Flying Cheetahs". www.cieldegloire.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  14. McGregor, P. M. J. (3 June 1978). "The History of No 2 Squadron, SAAF, in the Korean War". Military History Journal. The South African Military History Society. 4 (3). ISSN 0026-4016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  15. Brent, Winston A. (2001). Flying Cheetahs 1950–1953. Freeworld Publications. ISBN 978-0-9583880-9-2.
  16. Ward, E.H. (1982). "Swifter than Eagles: A Brief history of the South African Air Force 1912–1982" (Online). Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 12 (2). doi:10.5787/12-2-619. ISSN 2224-0020. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  17. "2 Squadron participation in exercise Good Hope II". South African Air Force. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  18. Annual Report 2004-2005 (PDF). Department of Defence. p. 91. ISBN 0-621-36083-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.

Bibliography
  • Halley, James J (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Shores, Christopher (1996). Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940–42. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-898697-37-X.
  • Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume One: North Africa: June 1940 – January 1942. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-07-6.

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