In 1986, while on a flight to Ondangwa at about 8000ft, Dakota C-47 #32961, SAAF 6855 was hit by a SA-7 missile. The explosion ripped off most of the tail. To add additional pressure, the Dakota was full of military VIP passengers including the Chief of the Army. The aircraft commander, Capt Colin Green slowed…
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68th ANNIVERSARY OF THE WARSAW FLIGHTS – Saturday, 8 September 2012 Tomorrow we will commemorate the 68th Anniversary of the heroic flights over Warsaw by South African and Allied airmen to drop supplies to the Polish Home Army and civilian population of Warsaw, at that time locked in a mortal struggle for freedom. Details of…
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Kev Furness 1951 – 2011 Kevin was born on 05 November 1951, 11 months after his brother Alan at Shabani in Rhodesia, who both eventually lived in Salisbury. After they left high school Kevin went first of all into the British South Africa Police in Harare and then into the Rhodesian Air Force in the…
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On December 21st, 1938, a strange fish was caught off the East London coast. Professor J. L. B. Smith was fascinated by this fish, identified as a coelacanth. This fish was thought to have been extinct for over two hundred million years. (NOTE: Travel here for a full version of this story…) Excited at…
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The C47 prototype first flew in 1935. One of the most famous aircraft of all time, the ‘Dakota’ was powered with two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 radial piston engines of 1200 hp (882 kw) With a length of 19,66 meters, height of 5,16 meters and wingspan of 28,96 meters. The maximum speed at sea level…
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