50 Squadron SAAF

Military unit

50 Squadron SAAF was a South African Air Force squadron during World War II.

History

50 Squadron was formed on 1 December 1939 by amalgamating the SAAF's 17, 18 and 19 Squadrons.^[2] During the East African Campaign 50 Squadron operated a 'shuttle service' between the warzone in East Africa and South Africa as part of 1 Bomber Transport Brigade. The brigade was re-designated 5 Wing in February 1941, and continued to fly 'shuttle service' flights between the Mediterranean and South Africa until after the war.^[3]

The squadron operated Junkers F.13FE, Ju-86Z/K-1 and Ju 52/3M aircraft which had been requisitioned from the South African Airways at the outbreak of war. The eleven Ju 52's were assigned to 51 Flight, operating a shuttle service from Nairobi to Egypt, Middle East and South Africa.

Aircraft

Aircraft flown by 50 Squadron
Note: Aircraft type photographs may not necessarily represent aircraft of the same mark or actual aircraft belonging to the squadron.

• 
  Junkers F.13FE
  1939-c. 1946
• 
  Ju-86Z/K-1
  1939-c. 1946
• 
  Ju 52/3M
  1939-c. 1946

References

Footnotes

1. Aviation Pictures ZA. "SAAF – A pictorial history".^{[permanent dead link]}
2. Potgieter and Steenkamp (1981), p. 119
3. "History of the South African Air Force". South African Air Force. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2011.

Bibliography

• Potgieter, Herman; Steenkamp, Willem (1981). Aircraft of the South African Air Force (2nd ed.). Cape Town: C. Struik. ISBN 0-86977-133-7.