GOLDEN YEARS OF AVIATION



Imperial Gift - South Africa


Aircraft Qty Engines Qty
Avro30Puma60
DH.410130hp Clerget40
DH.948Viper I28
S.E.522Eagle 810
90hp RAF4
Total110142

The Avro serials were as follows:

H9679 H9680 H9681 H9682 H9683 H9684 H9685 H9686 H9688 H9689 H9691 H9692 H9693 H9694 H9695 H9696 H9697 H9698 H9699 H9700 H9701 H9702 H9703 H9706 H9707 H9708 H9709 H9710 H9711 H9712


The DH.4 serials were:

B7951 B7962 B7976 B7979 B7991 B7992 B7993 B8005 B8013 B8016


The DH.9 serials were:

D638 D657 D659 D663 D665 D668 D670 D675 D677 D680 D681 D683 D687 D688 D690 D695 D698 D703 D705 H4313 H5544 H5545 H5562 H5570 H5581 H5583 H5586 H5593 H5601 H5608 H5611 H5631 H5639 H5644 H5647 H5648 H5649 H5651 H5657 H5659* H5667 H5669 H5670 H5685 H5687 H5689 H5692 H5695

* listed as H5759. In addition the City of Birmingham presented one further DH.9 (H9412)

At a later date the 'D' prefix aircraft were given SAAF serials in the range 101 to 109 and the 'H' prefix aircraft became SAAF121 to 150.


The SE.5 serials were:

D8478** D8483 D8485 D8492 D8493 D8496 D8497 D8499 D8500 E3167 F7773 F7774 F7775 F7776 F7777 F7778 F7779 F7781 F7782 F7783 F7784 F7785

** listed as D8487. These aircraft were subsequently given SAAF serials 301 to 322.


South Africa was also gifted 2 Be2e: A3109 and A3110