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Ysterplaat - Help
On the assumption that the mention of Ysterplaat brings forward PPRuNe members who may have served there or better still has photographs of the place, can I ask whether anyone has photographs of the time when the R.A.F. had an Erection Unit based there in the early 1950’s for the assembly of Harvards destined for the Rhodesian Air Training Group?
I have many photographs of Harvards and other aircraft I photographed whilst I was at 5 FTS (R.A.F. Thornhill) in 1951/52, but I am sadly lacking any showing Ysterplaat itself or any aircraft being assembled by the R.A.F. Erection Unit based there.
From my notes recorded whilst at 5 FTS, Harvards for the Rhodesian Air Training Group were shipped from the UK to Cape Town in South Africa and assembled at the RAF Erection Unit located at the South African Air Force base at Ysterplaat near Cape Town.
After assembly they were flight tested and then flown up to Rhodesia by instructors sent down from R.A.F. Thornhill to collect them. Standard procedure was for the pilots to travel down in an R.A.F. Thornhill based 3 Aerial Navigation School (3 ANS) Anson to Ysterplaat. Collect the newly assembled Harvards and fly them up the S. Rhodesia accompanied by the Anson for navigational purposes. From my notes the Harvards and Anson flew via Beaufortwest, Bloemspruit, Pretoria (Zwartkop) and R.A.F. Heany (4 FTS) and then on to 5 FTS.
Any photos or memories of the R.A.F. Erection Unit at Ysterplaat in the early 1950's would be welcomed – thanks.
Apologies for thread drift - WT
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