WWII
South African Air Force

September 1939-May 1940 South Africa

List Air25

by Mark Bevis

1st Fighter Squadron

    A Flight: 4x Hurricane I
    B, D Flights@ 3x Hawker Fury I
    C Flight: 3x Hawker Fury I, by May 1940 in Egypt with 3x Gloster Gauntlet, 18x Gladiators, 8 pilots

12th Bomber-Maritime Recce Squadron (Jan-May 1940): 4 Flights@ 3?x Avro Anson

50th Transport Squadron (March 1940+)

    1 Flight: 3x Vickers Valentia
    1 Flight: 10x Ju-52/3m transports

Other aircraft (in flying schools, squadrons forming up, etc):

    1x Blenheim 1F
    63x Hawker Hartebeeste army cooperation biplanes
    18x Ju-86 bombers
    1x Fairey Battle (February 1940+)

2. Air Force June 1940+

1st Fighter Squadron: (in Kenya)

    A Flight: 4x Hurricane I
    B, D Flights@ 3x Hawker Fury I
    C Flight: 9x Gloster Gladiator (from July 21st 1940)

1st Bomber Brigade:

    11th Bomber Squadron (up to June 20th 1940)
      4 Flights@ 6x Hartebeeste
      1 Section: 1x Fairey Battle

    11th Bomber Squadron (July 1940+): 15x Fairey Battle
    12th Bomber Squadron:
      SHQ: 1x Ju-86
      3 Flights@ 4x Ju-86

50th Transport Squadron: 3x Vickers Valentia
"AirWays Wing": 10x Ju-52/3m transports

40th Army Co-operation Squadron: 4 Flights@ 6x Hartebeeste (late June 1940+)

62nd Photo-Recce Squadron: (June 23rd 1940+) 1x Airspeed Envoy, 1x BA Double Eagle (unarmed)

2nd Fighter Squadron: 5x Hurricane I, 9x Hawker Fury (Oct 1940+)

3rd Fighter Squadron (forming Oct 1940): 9x Hurricane I (16x Hurricane by Nov)

3. Notes

    a) Most of the combat aircraft are deployed in Kenya.
    b) Hurricane I is armed with 8x .303" machne guns.
    c) Hawker Fury I biplane fighter is armed with 2x .303" Vickers machine guns.
    d) Avro Anson recce plane is armed with 1x .303" fixed firing forward and one Lewis gun in rear turret. Bomb load can include 2x 100lb HE and 8x 20lb frag bombs.
    e) Vickers Valentia is unarmed and carries 22 troops or 2200lbs cargo.
    f) Blenheim 1F is armed with 5x .30" Brownings fixed firing forward and 1x Vickers K .303" in dorsal cockpit.
    g) Hawker Hartebeeste biplane is armed with 1x Vickers .303" fixed firing forward and 1x .30" Lewis MG in rear cockpit, and can carry 4x 120lb HE bombs and 8x 20lb frag bombs.
    h) Ju-86Z-7 bombers are armed with 3x .303" MGs in dorsal rear, belly rear and fixed forward positions, and up to 1760lbs of bombs.
    i) Ju-52/3m transports are unarmed and carries up to 18 troops.
    j) Fairey Battle is armed with 1x .303" fixed firing forward, one Vickers K in rear dorsal position, and 6x 250lb HE bombs.
    k) Gloster Gauntlet biplane fighters are armed with 2x .303" Vickers machine guns.
    l) Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters are armed with 4x .303" machine guns.
    m) Airspeed Envoy is armed with 1x .30" MG fixed firing forward and another in rear dorsal position.


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© Copyright 2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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