1.
MBB/Kawasaki BK 117
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The MBB/Kawasaki BK117 is a twin-engined medium utility–transport helicopter. It was a joint development between Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm of Germany and Kawasaki of Japan, MBB was later purchased by Daimler-Benz and eventually became a part of Eurocopter. The BK117 is popular for passenger and VIP-transport, seating from seven up to 10 people and it is also used for aerial crane and sling work, law enforcement, and military transport, and is exceptional as an air ambulance and search and rescue platform. Its successor, the EC145, was developed from the BK117 C-1 version, the BK117 was a joint development between MBB and Kawasaki based on an agreement made on 25 February 1977. The agreement would replace two separate projects for twin-engined general purpose helicopters, the Bo 107 by MBB and the KH-7 from Kawasaki, each company would have its own assembly line producing aircraft for local markets. Each company was to two prototypes to be completed by 1979, one for flight testing and the others for tie down testing. MBBs flying prototype made its first flight at Ottobrunn on 13 June 1979, development was slower than expected, a problem made worse by shortages of skilled manpower available at MBB. A single BK117 A-3 was leased by the Canadian Forces Air Command for a test program, when the program was over, the aircraft was returned to MBB Canada. In total,443 BK117s were made,329 by MBB at Donauworth,111 by Kawasaki in Japan, the BK117 C-2 is actually the brand name for the EC145 for the Australasian market, and as such is an EC145, not a BK117. BK117 P-2 German prototype, first flown 13 June 1979, now exhibited at the Bückeburg helicopter museum, Bückeburg, Germany. Now preserved on top of the DRF-Headquarters at Stuttgart Airport, BK117 P-3/P-5 Japanese prototype, first flown 10 August 1979. Now exhibited at Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum, Kakamigahara/Gifu, Japan BK117 A-1 Powered by two Lycoming LTS 101-650B-1 engines. When the program was over, the aircraft was returned to MBB Canada BK117 A-4 Introduced in July 1986, German aircraft have provision for extra internal fuel, giving enhanced performance. BK117 A-3M Military version introduced in 1986, the A-3M is fitted with taller skids and can carry 11 troops. A Browning 12.7 mm machine gun can be mounted under the fuselage in a Lucas turret with 450 rounds and controlled by a helmet-mounted sight. The A-3M also has outrigger pylons which can hold up to eight HOT II or TOW antitank missiles or a variety of missiles, rocket-pods. Provisions for a gunners position with a 12.7 mm gun can also be installed. BK117 B-1 Introduced in December 1987, the B-1 is fitted with LTS 101-750B-1 engines to provide increased performance, BK117 B-1C UK-certified version with reduced range and endurance
2.
South Africa
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and it is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages, the remaining population consists of Africas largest communities of European, Asian, and multiracial ancestry. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a variety of cultures, languages. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the recognition of 11 official languages. The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup détat, however, the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994. During the 20th century, the black majority sought to recover its rights from the dominant white minority, with this struggle playing a role in the countrys recent history. The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation, since 1994, all ethnic and linguistic groups have held political representation in the countrys democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. South Africa is often referred to as the Rainbow Nation to describe the multicultural diversity. The World Bank classifies South Africa as an economy. Its economy is the second-largest in Africa, and the 34th-largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, South Africa has the seventh-highest per capita income in Africa. However, poverty and inequality remain widespread, with about a quarter of the population unemployed, nevertheless, South Africa has been identified as a middle power in international affairs, and maintains significant regional influence. The name South Africa is derived from the geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. Upon formation the country was named the Union of South Africa in English, since 1961 the long form name in English has been the Republic of South Africa. In Dutch the country was named Republiek van Zuid-Afrika, replaced in 1983 by the Afrikaans Republiek van Suid-Afrika, since 1994 the Republic has had an official name in each of its 11 official languages. Mzansi, derived from the Xhosa noun umzantsi meaning south, is a name for South Africa. South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological and human fossil sites in the world, extensive fossil remains have been recovered from a series of caves in Gauteng Province. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has termed the Cradle of Humankind
3.
South African Air Force
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The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920, the Air Force has seen service in World War II and the Korean War. From 1966 the SAAF was involved in providing support in a low intensity war in Angola, South-West Africa. On conclusion of the Border War in 1990, aircraft numbers were reduced due to economic pressures as well as the cessation of hostilities with neighboring states. Today the SAAF has an air combat capability and has been structured towards regional peace-keeping, disaster relief. After a visit to observe the 1912 military manoeuvres in Europe, beyers gave an extremely positive report on the future use of aircraft for military purposes to General Smuts. Flying training commenced in 1913 with students who excelled on the course being sent to the Central Flying School at Upavon in Great Britain for further training, the first South African military pilot qualified on 2 June 1914. At the outbreak of World War I, the Union Defence Force had realised the urgent need for air support which brought about the establishment of the South African Aviation Corps on 29 January 1915. Aircraft were purchased from France while the building of an airfield at Walvis Bay commenced in earnest in order to support operations against German forces in German South West Africa. By June 1915 the SAAC was deployed to its first operational airfield at Karibib in German South West Africa in support of Gen. Bothas South African ground forces. On 9 July 1915, the German forces capitulated and most of the pilots,26 Squadron RFC and later becoming an independent squadron on 8 October 1915. No.26 Squadron was equipped with Henri Farman F-27s and B. E. 2cs and was shipped to Kenya in support of the war effort in German East Africa, landing in Mombasa on 31 January 1916. While the SAAC were engaged in German South West Africa and 26 Sqdn RFC in East Africa, the number of South Africans in the RFC eventually reached approximately 3,000 men and suffered 260 active-duty fatalities over the Somme during the war. Forty six pilots became fighter aces, on conclusion of the First World War, the British Government donated surplus aircraft plus spares and sufficient equipment to provide the nucleus of a fledgling air force to each of its Dominions. In December 1920 the South African National insignia was added to aircraft for the first time and these colours remained until 1927 when they were replaced with the Orange, White and Blue roundels. 1 Squadron was called to fly reconnaissance missions and to bombard the strikers’ positions, the SAAF was again deployed to suppress the Bondelzwart Rebellion at Kalkfontein between 29 May and 3 July 1922. For maritime patrol operations, the SAAF took over all 29 passenger aircraft of South African Airways,18 Junkers Ju 86Z-ls for maritime patrols, SAAF maritime patrols commenced on 21 September 1939 with 16 Squadron flying three JU-86Zs from Walvis Bay. By 1940, the Ju 86s were replaced by Ansons and Coastal Command SAAF had been established, in December 1939 the Duke of Aosta had sent a report to Mussolini recording the state of chronic unpreparedness of the Allied Forces in East Africa
4.
Air Force Base Durban
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AFB Durban is an airbase of the South African Air Force, located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa The runway is shared with the Durban International Airport. The airbase is at the end of the runway. As of August 2016 no replacement site has provided for 15 Squadron. As a helicopter unit it does not require an airfield with runways. Their primary role is maritime and landward search and rescue, two flights of Oryx are based in Durban and C Flight, consisting of four BK 117s is detached to Port Elizabeth. C Flights conversion to AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters has been postponed due to delays in developing emergency flotation equipment for the type,15 Squadron- Helicopters 508 Squadron 105 Squadron - Citizen Force liaison and crime prevention patrol squadron. Reserve squadron operating various civil light aircraft by civilian pilots
5.
Atlas Oryx
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The Atlas Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter manufactured by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation of South Africa. Outside France, the SAAF was the largest user of Aérospatiale SA330 Puma, the Oryx can trace its origins back to the Bush War. Despite the efforts of the gunship Alouette, the need for a dedicated gunship was recognized, Atlas Aircraft Corporation produced an experimental attack helicopter, the Alpha XH-1. This helicopter was used for feasibility studies and could not serve any practical purpose - this led to the more powerful XTP-1 in April 1987, two XTP-1s were converted, and based on a Puma J airframe. Various weapons and other systems were tested on XTP-1 and paved the way for Project, however, the dynamic flight components of the XTP-1 made Atlas realise what advantages an upgraded Puma could have. 177, was converted to Oryx configuration and used as a prototype and this included complete airframes and dynamic components such as gearboxes, rotor blades and turbines and hot section parts. The engine intakes are fitted with locally produced dust filters and ensure higher efficiency, first examples were fitted with the latest dust filters as were then in use on the SAAF Puma. These units had an auxiliary air intake on the front. A newly designed dust filter was fitted without the auxiliary air intake. Should one of the engines fail, the remaining powerplant has sufficient power for the Oryx to complete its mission, if an engine fails in flight, the management system automatically advances the power setting on the remaining engine. This ensures the Oryx sustains flight with very little crew input, the basic airframe is still that of the original Puma, but the structure was modernized by extensive use of locally produced carbon-composite materials. These materials result in an airframe that is lighter and more rugged, the obvious external difference is the new modified tailboom which is slightly longer, than the Puma. By mid-1991, the SAAF acknowledged that the Oryx was in service, as a replacement for the Puma and it was shown for the first time to the public at an open day at Potchefstroom in August 91. The Oryx is currently in service with several squadrons of the South African Air Force, the Oryx is a multi-role helicopter. Its main uses in the SAAF are, medium to heavy transport and communications flights, task force rapid deployment operations, fire fighting, and search & rescue missions. It can carry up to 20 fully equipped troops, or 6 wounded on stretchers with 4 attendants, or 3,000 kg freight carried in the cabin, or 4,500 kg freight on an external sling. Tasks for the SA Navy include transport, replenishment at sea, force multiplication, reconnaissance, search & rescue, most Oryx are equipped with a 50m hydraulic hoist, rated for up to 2 personnel, for use in rescue operations. Additionally a large metal A-frame structure can be fitted in the bay which allows up to 4 personnel to rappel or abseil from the aircraft simultaneously
6.
Squadron (aviation)
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In most armed forces, two or more squadrons will form a group or a wing. Some air forces use the term squadrons for non-flying ground units. In contrast to United States Air Force units where flying squadrons are separate from supporting administrative and aircraft maintenance squadrons, in United States Marine Corps Aviation the nomenclature squadron is also used to designate all battalion-equivalent, aviation support organizations. These squadrons include, wing headquarters, tactical air command, air control, air support, aviation logistics, wing support, exceptions are USN helicopter mine countrmeasures squadrons, USMC composite medium tilt-rotor squadrons, heavy helicopter and light/attack helicopter squadrons, and Marine attack squadrons. Although part of U. S. naval aviation, United States Coast Guard aviation units are centered on an air station versus a squadron or group/wing organizational structure, the one exception to this is the Coast Guards Helicopter Interdiction Squadron, which is engaged primarily in counter-narcotics interdiction operations. In U. S. Army Aviation, flying units may be organized in battalions or squadrons reporting to an aviation brigade, an escadron is the equivalent unit in Frances Armée de lAir. It is normally subdivided into escadrilles of eight aircraft, in the Air Training Corps of the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth nations, a Squadron is a group of cadets who parade regularly. In the U. S. Civil Air Patrol, a squadron is the administrative unit. In the Swedish Air Force a helicopter squadron is a detachment from the Helicopter Wing
7.
Helicopter
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A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and these attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft and many forms of VTOL aircraft cannot perform. English language nicknames for helicopter include chopper, copter, helo, heli, Helicopters were developed and built during the first half-century of flight, with the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 being the first operational helicopter in 1936. Some helicopters reached limited production, but it was not until 1942 that a helicopter designed by Igor Sikorsky reached full-scale production, with 131 aircraft built. Though most earlier designs used more than one rotor, it is the single main rotor with anti-torque tail rotor configuration that has become the most common helicopter configuration. Tandem rotor helicopters are also in use due to their greater payload capacity. Coaxial helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft, and compound helicopters are all flying today, quadcopter helicopters pioneered as early as 1907 in France, and other types of multicopter have been developed for specialized applications such as unmanned drones. The earliest references for vertical flight came from China, since around 400 BC, Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. This bamboo-copter is spun by rolling a stick attached to a rotor, the spinning creates lift, and the toy flies when released. The 4th-century AD Daoist book Baopuzi by Ge Hong reportedly describes some of the ideas inherent to rotary wing aircraft, designs similar to the Chinese helicopter toy appeared in Renaissance paintings and other works. In the 18th and early 19th centuries Western scientists developed flying machines based on the Chinese toy. It was not until the early 1480s, when Leonardo da Vinci created a design for a machine that could be described as an aerial screw, that any recorded advancement was made towards vertical flight. His notes suggested that he built flying models, but there were no indications for any provision to stop the rotor from making the craft rotate. As scientific knowledge increased and became accepted, people continued to pursue the idea of vertical flight. In July 1754, Russian Mikhail Lomonosov had developed a small coaxial modeled after the Chinese top but powered by a spring device. It was powered by a spring, and was suggested as a method to lift meteorological instruments. Sir George Cayley, influenced by a fascination with the Chinese flying top, developed a model of feathers, similar to that of Launoy and Bienvenu. By the end of the century, he had progressed to using sheets of tin for rotor blades and his writings on his experiments and models would become influential on future aviation pioneers
8.
Junkers Ju 86
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The Junkers Ju 86 was a German monoplane bomber and civilian airliner designed in the early 1930s, and employed by both sides during World War II. The civilian model Ju 86B could carry 10 passengers, two were delivered to Swissair and five to Luft Hansa. In addition a single civilian Ju 86Z was delivered to the Swedish AB Aerotransport, five prototypes were ordered from each company, the Junkers Ju 86 and Heinkel He 111. Junkers design was a twin engined monoplane, of all-metal stressed skin construction. Unlike most of Junkers previous designs, it discarded their typical corrugated skinning in favour of smooth metal skinning which helped to reduce drag, the craft was fitted with a narrow track retractable tailwheel undercarriage and twin fins and rudders. It was intended to be powered by the Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engines, the bomber aircraft had a crew of four, a pilot, navigator, radio operator/bombardier and gunner. Defensive armament consisted of three guns, situated at the nose, at a dorsal position and within a retractable ventral position. Bombs were carried vertically in four fuselage cells behind the cockpit, the airliner version replaced the bombload with seating for 10 passengers, with fuel tanks being moved from the fuselage to the wings. The third Ju 86, and the first civil prototype, flew on 4 April 1935, production of pre-series military and civil aircraft started in late 1935, with full production of the Ju 86 A-1 bomber commencing in April 1936. Production quickly switched to the improved Ju 86D with a tail cone to improve stability. One Ju 86 had already converted to use radial engines as a testbed for possible export versions. With production switched to a version powered by the BMW132 engine, the ABA aircraft was later transferred to the Swedish Air Force, with which it served, under the designation Tp 9, until 1958. South African Airways original intention was to have its Ju 86s powered by 745 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrels, Six aircraft for SAA, flown with these engines, were refitted with Hornets before delivery, and the remainder were also Hornet-powered. The Ju 86K was a model, also built under license in Sweden by Saab as the B3 with Bristol Mercury XIX radial engines. Several aircraft remained in service with the Swedish Air Force until 1958, a few were converted to SIGINT platforms. The bomber was field tested in the Spanish Civil War, where it proved inferior to the Heinkel He 111. A replacement aircraft was sent from Germany, but in the summer of 1937 another D-1 was lost in an accident, and it was again used in the 1939 invasion of Poland, but retired soon after. In January 1940, the Luftwaffe tested the prototype Ju 86P with a longer wingspan, pressurized cabin, Jumo 207A1 turbocharged diesel engines, and a two-man crew
9.
Bristol Blenheim
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The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War. It was originally developed as the civil-orientated Type 142 in response to Lord Rothermeres challenge to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. First flying in April 1935, the Air Ministry was quickly impressed by its performance, on 10 March 1937, deliveries of the newly named Blenheim commenced to RAF squadrons. The Blenheim was one of the first British aircraft to feature an all-metal stressed-skin construction, retractable landing gear, flaps, a more capable bomber derivative, the Beaufort, was also developed, being both larger and heavier than the Blenheim. A Canadian-built variant named the Bolingbroke was used as a patrol aircraft. The Mark IV variant was equally unsuccessful in its daylight bombing role, the Blenheim was also used by a wide range of overseas operators, as well being produced under licence in Finland and Yugoslavia. By this point, proposed use of the Aquila engine had been shelved in favour of the supercharger-equipped, deeming it suitable for the issued challenge, the design of Type 135 was further adapted to produce the Type 142 in order to meet the requirements outlined by Rothermere. On 12 April 1935, the Type 142, which had given the name Britain First, conducted its maiden flight from Filton Aerodrome. Flight tests soon proved that the aircraft was in fact faster than any fighter in service with the Royal Air Force at the time, Rothermere presented the aircraft to the nation for a formal evaluation at a potential bomber. By June 1935, the Air Ministry had become interested in the due to its high performance. On 9 July 1935, a conference was held by Bristol at the ministrys request into the question of converting the Type 142 into a suitable medium bomber. Based upon talks from the conference, the Air Ministry quickly formalised Specification B. 28/35 for prototypes of a bomber version, the Type 142M. Other modifications included the addition of a position and a Browning machine gun gun in the nose along with provisions for a semi-retractable gun turret in the dorsal position. In September 1935, a contract for 150 aircraft was placed. The Air Ministry had chosen to order the type directly from the board, having been urgently sought as one piece of a wider. The first aircraft built of this model, K7033, served as the only prototype, on 25 June 1936. The service name for the aircraft became Blenheim Mk I after the battle during the War of the Spanish Succession. On 10 March 1937, production deliveries to the RAF formally started,114 Squadron became the first squadron to receive the Blenheim
10.
Martin Maryland
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The Martin Model 167 was an American-designed medium bomber that first flew in 1939. It saw action in World War II with France and the United Kingdom, in response to a United States Army Air Corps light bomber requirement issued in 1938, the Glenn L. Martin Company produced their Model 167, which was given the official designation XA-22. Martins design was a twin-engine all-metal monoplane, capable of around 310 mph with a crew of three, the prototype Model 167W was powered by twin-row Pratt & Whitney R-1830-37 Twin Wasp engines, which were replaced in French production aircraft by single-row 9-cylinder Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines. All versions of the Model 167 were armed with six guns, four fixed guns in the wings, one dorsal gun. In the prototype these guns were all 0.30 in Browning machine guns, the dorsal gun was mounted in a fully retractable turret. The French aircraft used license built Belgian Fabrique Nationale FN-Brownings, the weight saved helped to increase the top speed to 288 mph. The Model 167 was a fairly typical twin engined bomber of the period, the most unusual feature of the Model 167 was the very narrow fuselage although it was shared with a number of late pre-war contemporaries. Glenn L. Martin doubled the size of the Baltimore factory, and built all 115 aircraft in six months, despite this the French placed an order for an additional 100 aircraft. The embargo was lifted in October 1939, and the 115 aircraft from the first order were delivered by late November 1939, deliveries then slowed down, and only 25 of the second batch reached France before the Armistice of 22 June 1940. Facing a massive German arms buildup and desperate for modern aircraft, Martin received an order for more than 200167 Fs which incorporated French-specific equipment such as metric instruments. French officials expected deliveries to begin in January 1939 but the type, notably, because of the U. S. embargo on arms exports after the beginning of World War II, many aircraft were impounded for two months before being shipped to Europe. When the Germans invaded France there were only four Groupes de bombardement equipped, the Glenns were quickly sent to the front lines where they performed well with their adequate speed and excellent maneuverability for an aircraft in this class. In about 400 sorties, they suffered a 4% loss rate, immediately before the June 1940 Armistice, units flying the Glenn Martin 167 were evacuated to French North Africa to avoid capture by the Germans. One of them landed in Spain and was interned, being tested by the Spanish Air Force, some examples were transferred to the Aéronautique Navale. During Vichy rule of the French empire, French Martins bombed British Commonwealth forces, as French North Africa got back in the Allied camp in 1943, M. 167s were replaced with more modern Allied types, including the Martin B-26 Marauder. Approximately 215 Martin 167s were delivered to France, just before the Franco-German Armistice, the remaining 75 planes on the French order were signed over to the United Kingdom. Thirty-two aircraft had completed to French specifications and were converted to British requirements in the UK. Engines were changed from the Cyclone 9 to the Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp and various weapons, the last 43 of the order were completed as required by Glenn Martin
South Africa
South African Air Force
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