Everything about Royal Rhodesian Air Force totally explained
The
Royal Rhodesian Air Force was the air arm of the British colonial state of
Rhodesia. It existed between 1935 and 1980 under various names, and is now the
Air Force of Zimbabwe.
Markings
The SRAF used standard RAF type A roundel, with green,yellow/green bars on each side of the fuselage roundel and type A fin flashes.
The RRAF used standard RAF type A roundels with three small
assegais in black and white superimposed on the red center and type A fin flashes.. These assegais represented the three territories of the Federation, namely
Southern Rhodesia,
Northern Rhodesia and
Nyasaland.
The Rhodesian Air Force changed to a type D roundel with a single assegai and a type D in flash.
When Rhodesia became a republic in 1970 the roundels became a green ring with a lion and tusk on the white center.
History
Formed in
1935 under the name
Southern Rhodesia Staff Corp Air Unit as a territorial unit, the first regular servicemen with the unit went to Britain for ground crew training in
1936. Its first pilots were awarded their flying wings on
13 May 1938. The reservists were called up early
August 1939 and were posted to
Canada by
28 August. On
19 September 1939, two weeks after the
United Kingdom declared war against
Germany, the Air Unit officially became the
Southern Rhodesia Air Force (SRAF), and Air Unit flights become Number 1 Squadron SRAF.
By
April 1940, the SRAF was absorbed into the British
Royal Air Force (RAF) proper and redesignated
No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF. This squadron, initially equipped with
Hawker Hardys, participated in the
East African Campaign against the Italians.
On
1 June 1941, the Southern Rhodesian Women's Auxiliary Air Services came into being. British
No. 44 Squadron RAF and
No. 266 Squadron RAF were also assigned the name "(Rhodesia)" because of the large number of Rhodesian airmen and crew in these units. Rhodesians fought in many of the theatres of
World War II, the most notable of those in the contemporary era being
Ian Smith who, after being shot down over
Italy behind enemy lines, was able to avoid capture and return to
Allied lines.
With the creation of the
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in
1953, Rhodesia received its first jets, 16
de Havilland Vampire FB9 aircraft.
On
15 October 1954 the air arm was officially designated as the
Royal Rhodesian Air Force (RRAF).
In the late
1950s, 16
Canberra bombers were purchased, as well as Provost trainers,
Dakota and
Canadair DC4 freighters.
In
1962,
Hunter fighter aircraft were obtained, and the
Vampire FB9s were reallocated to advanced training and ground attack roles.
The first
Alouette helicopters also arrived around this time, equipping Number 7 Squadron.
Inventory of Aircraft
- Aermacchi AL60-B2L - "Trojan"
- Aerospatiale SA316/319 Alouette III B
- Agusta Bell 205A - "Cheetah"
- Britten-Norman BN-A Islander
- Canadair C.4 Argonaut
- Canberra B.2/T4
- De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth
- De Havilland Vampire FB9/T11
- Douglas C.47/DC-3 Dakota
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Hawker Hunter FGA 9
Hunting Pembroke C.1
Hunting Percival Provost T52
North American Harvard
Reims Cessna FTB337G - "Lynx"
SIAI Marchetti SF 260 - "Genet"
Supermarine Spitfire MK22
DC-7CF
Beech 95 C-55 Baron
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Cessna 421A
Hawker Hart
DH89 Rapide
Hawker Audax Mk1
DH85 Leopard Moth
Auster J/1 Autocrat
Avro Anson
Auster J/5
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Major Air Bases
New Sarum Air Force Base
In the early days of Rhodesian aviation, the various Air Units often lodged in buildings and facilities that they inherited. By the 1940s, it became apparent that a more permanent home for aviation was need near the capital city, Salisbury. The decision was made to build a completely new airfield at Kentucky Farm to provide a base of operations for civilian airlines and military aircraft.
Work started on the military section of the airfield in 1951. In March 1952, the New Air Headquarters and Technical Headquarters were completed at what was called New Sarum Air Force Base. The name derived from Salisbury's sister city in England, Wiltshire, which for centuries had used the name "Sarum". The RAF station near Wiltshire was called "Old Sarum". It was therefore appropriate in view of both similarities in name and close association with the Royal Air Force that the new airfield be called "New Sarum."
New Sarum is still regarded as the principal Air Force establishment and provides facilities for four squadrons of aircraft of widely differing roles as well as housing training schools for technicians, security personnel, dog handlers, and the Air Force Regiment. The schools and flying squadrons are supported by a full range of services and amenities including workshops, transport fleets, living quarters, equipment depots, and sporting & entertainment facilities. The station shares with the Salisbury (Harare) Airport Complex, one of the longest civil airport runways in the world, 15510 feet or 2.42 miles, but is otherwise a totally self-contained community.
Thornhill Air Force Base
In 1939 a committe was set up to locate and survey three sites in the Gwelo area that were suitable for the establishment of an airfield for the Commonwealth Training Group responsible for training aircrews for the defense of the Empire during
World War II. The most suitable site comprised a portion of Thornhill farm and an adjacent farm, Glengarry. This land was commandeered for the duration of the War and finally purchased in 1947. The first buildings were constructed in 1941 and official use and the beginning of training began in March 1942. Some of the original buildings of this time are still in use at Thornhill today.
The town of Gwelo and the air station grew during World War II. A total of 1810 pilots were trained during this time. Many of these men returned after the war to settle in Rhodesia. Some of them formed the nucleus of the military training schemes which led to the formation of the Southern Rhodesian Air Force.
Thornhill is the home to the fighter squadrons, the training squadrons, and the Pilot Training School, where all Officer Cadets spend up to six months on initial training before beginning flying training with the squadrons. Like New Sarum, Thornhill shares its runway and Air Traffic Control facilities with civil aircraft operators. The military air traffic controllers based at Thornhill are responsible for all air traffic control in the Midlands area.
Rank Structure
Officer Ranks
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Enlisted Ranks
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Rhodesian Air Force (1970-1979)
During the
"Emergency" the air force consisted of no more than 2,300 personnel and of those only 150 were pilots. These pilots were qualified to fly all the aircraft within the air force so were often involved in combat missions. In addition, they were rotated through the various units so as to give rest to the airmen who would otherwise be constantly on active service.
In March 1970, when Rhodesia declared itself a republic, the prefix "Royal" was dropped and the Service's name became the
Rhodesian Air Force. A new roundel was adopted in the new Rhodesian colours of green and white containing a lion (in gold) and tusk in the centre of the white. The new air force ensign was taken into use on 5 April 1970. The new flag contained the Rhodesian flag in the canton with the roundel in the fly on a light blue field. This marking was displayed in the usual six positions, together with a green/white/green fin flash with a narrow white stripe as in RAF type C.
During the 1970's bush war, Rhodesia managed to obtain Rheims-Cessna 337 (known in Rhodesia as the Lynx), and SIAI Machetti SF260 (known in Rhodesia as the Genet or Warrior - two versions, trainer and ground-attack) piston engined aircraft, Bell 204 Iroquois (from Israel), and additional Aeospatiale Alouette III helicopters via covert means, but proved unsuccessful in obtaining jet aircraft (except for some Vampires FB9 and T11 aircraft from South Africa). An order for
CT/4 trainers was embargoed by the New Zealand government.
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Air Force (1979-1980)
In June 1979, the short-lived
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia government of
Bishop Muzorewa was installed and the air force flag was the only military flag to be changed to coincide with the change in the national flag. The roundel remained the same.
In the last year of the Rhodesian War and the first few years of Zimbabwe's independence, no national insignia of any sort were carried on Air Force aircraft. This was legal as long as the aircraft didn't fly outside of the country's borders.
Following the independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980, the air force was renamed the
Air Force of Zimbabwe, but continued to use the emblem of a
Bateleur eagle in flight, as used by the Rhodesians. The new air force flag retains the light blue field and has the Zimbabwe flag in the canton with the air force emblem in gold in the fly.
In 1982, a new post-independence marking was introduced, featuring a yellow Zimbabwe Bird sitting on the walls of
Great Zimbabwe. This marking was displayed on the fin of the aircraft or on the fuselage of helicopters. No wing markings were displayed.
In 1994, a new roundel was introduced, featuring the national colours in concentric rings. Initially, the roundel was used in association with the 'Zimbabwe Bird' tail marking used previously, but this was soon replaced by the national flag. The main marking is normally displayed above and below each wing and on each side of the fuselage. However, this seems to be changed, and today the Zimbabwe Bird is also used as fin flash.
Commanders
The following officers were commanders of the Rhodesian Air Force:
1949 - 30 June 1961 Air Vice-Marshal "Ted" Jacklin
1961 - 1965 Air Vice-Marshal Bentley
1965 - 1968 Air Vice-Marshal Harold Hawkins
1968 - 15 April 1973 Air Marshal Archie Wilson
13 April 1973 - 1977 Air Marshal Mick McLaren
12 April 1977 - 1981 Air Marshal Frank MussellFurther Information
Get more info on 'Royal Rhodesian Air Force'.
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