Helicopters

Motto: Aquila Petit Ardua(The Eagle Seeks the Heights)
During the sixties new types of helicopters were also introduced to the South African Air Force, including the Alouette II and III light helicopters, the SA 330C Puma and SA 321L Super Frelon medium transport helicopter as well as the Westland Wasp light anti-submarine helicopter. The Oryx helicopter is a medium lift helicopter that is normally employed in trooping, sea and land rescues, external load lifting and specialist night operation roles. 15 Squadron has distinguished itself in the field of civilian aid rendering and has in the past repeatedly placed the South African Air Force on the front covers in this regard. These operations include the assistance rendered during Cyclone Demonia in 1984, the Oceanos sea rescues in 1991, the snow rescues in Lesotho in 1996, as well as the Mozambique floods rescues in 1997. This unit also became notorious during the Angolan Bush War as a competent casevac force. In the late eighties, Atlas in South Africa started to develop the TP-1 Oryx helicopter and in January 1989 a Flight, namely E Flight, was equipped at Air Force Base Swartkop. In January 1991 this flight was transferred to Air Force Base Louis Trichardt, with Alouette III helicopters added to its inventory. In January 1992 the whole of 19 Squadron was transferred to Air Force Base Louis Trichardt.
During the sixties new types of helicopters were also introduced to the South African Air Force, including the Alouette II and III light helicopters, the SA 330C Puma and SA 321L Super Frelon medium transport helicopter as well as the Westland Wasp light anti-submarine helicopter. The Oryx helicopter is a medium lift helicopter that is normally employed in trooping, sea and land rescues, external load lifting and specialist night operation roles. 15 Squadron has distinguished itself in the field of civilian aid rendering and has in the past repeatedly placed the South African Air Force on the front covers in this regard. These operations include the assistance rendered during Cyclone Demonia in 1984, the Oceanos sea rescues in 1991, the snow rescues in Lesotho in 1996, as well as the Mozambique floods rescues in 1997. This unit also became notorious during the Angolan Bush War as a competent casevac force. In the late eighties, Atlas in South Africa started to develop the TP-1 Oryx helicopter and in January 1989 a Flight, namely E Flight, was equipped at Air Force Base Swartkop. In January 1991 this flight was transferred to Air Force Base Louis Trichardt, with Alouette III helicopters added to its inventory. In January 1992 the whole of 19 Squadron was transferred to Air Force Base Louis Trichardt.
Locations | |
Years | Location | ICAO/FAA |
1981/ | AFB Durban | FADN |
1968/81 | AFB Swartkop | FASK |
Models | Login to Edit | |
Years | Models |
1994/ | Bk117 |
1968/90 | SA321L Super Frelon |
Oryx ![]() |
Construction Numbers (Not all in this unit) | Help Us | |
C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
001 | oryx | 1200: SAAF 1st prototype ![]() | |||||
01 | oryx | 1201: SAAF | |||||
02 | oryx | 1202: SAAF ![]() | |||||
03 | oryx | 1203: SAAF ![]() | |||||
04 | oryx | 1204: SAAF ![]() | |||||
05 | oryx | 1205: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
06 | oryx | 1206: SAAF ![]() | |||||
07 | oryx | 1207: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn.; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
08 | oryx | 1208: SAAF ![]() | |||||
09 | oryx | 1209: SAAF ![]() | |||||
10 | oryx | 1210: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn.; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
11 | oryx | 1211: SAAF TP-1 Oryx; 17 sqn | |||||
12 | oryx | 1212: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn.; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
![]() | 13 | oryx | 1213: SAAF ![]() | 1213: pictured in Democratic Rep Congo in support of operations against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) re... | |||
14 | oryx | 1214: SAAF; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
15 | oryx | 1215: SAAF; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
16 | oryx | 1216: SAAF; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
17 | oryx | 1217: SAAF ![]() | |||||
18 | oryx | 1218: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
19 | oryx | 1219: SAAF; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
20 | oryx | 1220: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
21 | oryx | 1221: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn.; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
22 | oryx | 1222: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
23 | oryx | 1223: SAAF ![]() | |||||
24 | oryx | 1224: SAAF ![]() | |||||
25 | oryx | 1225: SAAF ![]() | |||||
26 | oryx | 1226: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
27 | oryx | 1227: SAAF; 1995 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
28 | oryx | 1228: SAAF; Dec96 19Sqn. ![]() | |||||
29 | oryx | 1229: SAAF ![]() | |||||
30 | oryx | 1230: SAAF ![]() | |||||
31 | oryx | 1231: SAAF ![]() | |||||
32 | oryx | 1232: SAAF ![]() | |||||
33 | oryx | 1233: SAAF ![]() | |||||
34 | oryx | 1234: SAAF ![]() | |||||
35 | oryx | 1235: SAAF ![]() | |||||
36 ![]() | oryx | 1236: SAAF ![]() 1236: 22 Sqn at AFB Ysterplaat; w/o 10 hit wires put up recently and not marked + | |||||
37 | oryx | 1237: SAAF | |||||
![]() | 38 | oryx | 1238: SAAF Antarctic type; visit Buenos Aires, Argentina on SAS Drakensberg (A3+ | ||||
39 | oryx | 1239: SAAF ![]() | |||||
40 | oryx | 1240: SAAF ![]() | |||||
41 | oryx | 1241: SAAF ![]() | |||||
42 | oryx | 1242: SAAF ![]() | |||||
43 | oryx | 1243: SAAF; 1995 15Sqn. ![]() | |||||
44 | oryx | 1244: SAAF; 1995 15Sqn. ![]() | |||||
45 | oryx | 1245: SAAF ![]() | |||||
46 | oryx | 1246: SAAF ![]() | |||||
47 | oryx | 1247: SAAF ![]() | |||||
48 ![]() | oryx | 1248: SAAF 15 sqd. w/o 21nov07 | |||||
49 ![]() | oryx | 1249: SAAF 22 sqd. w/o 01jul04 | |||||
109 | sa321L | 301: | |||||
111 | sa321L | 302: | |||||
115 ![]() | sa321L | 303: w/o | |||||
119 | sa321L | 304: | |||||
121 ![]() | sa321L | 305: SAAF 15 sqd. w/o | |||||
185 | sa321L | 305: | |||||
124 | sa321L | 306: | |||||
127 | sa321L | 307: | |||||
![]() | 128 | sa321L | 308: SAAF; 20jul11 pictured preserved in Meyerton near Vereeniging in detoriati+ | ||||
129 | sa321L | 309: Museum Swartkop | |||||
132 | sa321L | 310: ex F-ZKBC | |||||
133 | sa321L | 311: ex F-ZKBN | |||||
135 | sa321L | 312: | |||||
139 | sa321L | 313: ex F-ZKBO | |||||
140 | sa321L | 314: preserved Museum Ysterplaat. ex F-ZKBK | |||||
142 ![]() | sa321L | 315: SAAF 15 sqd. ex F-ZKBK. w/o | |||||
143 | sa321L | 316: | |||||
7049 | bk117a3 | 380: SAAF 15 sqd. ex D-HBMX | ![]() ![]() - VDF-010: VDF ex D-HBMX toward 380 ![]() | ||||
7075 | bk117a3 | 381: SAAF 15 sqd. ex D-HBNW | ![]() ![]() - VDF-020: VDF ex D-HBNW toward 381 ![]() | ||||
7076 | bk117a3 | 382: SAAF. ex ZS-HRR | - ZS-HRR: TFD toward 382 ![]() | ||||
7066 ![]() | bk117a3 | 383: SAAF 15 sqd. ex ZS-HRJ. w/o mar03 | - ZS-HRJ: TDF toward 383 ![]() | ||||
7053 | bk117a1 | 384: SAAF 15 sqd. ex D-HBNA | ![]() ![]() - ZS-HND: CDF ex D-HBNA toward 384 ![]() | ||||
7046 | bk117a1 | 385: SAAF 15 sqd. ex D-HBMU | ![]() ![]() - ZS-HNC: CDF ex D-HBMU toward 385 ![]() | ||||
7034 | bk117a1 | 386: SAAF. ex D-HBMI 386: by Jun 2008 in storage at AFB Durban, still there Jun 2010 ![]() | ![]() ![]() - ZS-HMP: CDF ex D-HBMI toward 386 ![]() | ||||
7117 | bk117a3 | 387: SAAF 15 sqd. ex ZS-HRV 387: 2014 appear in Seal Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines movie | - ZS-HRV: toward T250 ![]() - T250: BDF ex ZS-HRV toward 387 ![]() | ||||
7118 | bk117a3 | 388: SAAF 15 sqd 388: stored at Bloemspruit AFB by ![]() | - ZS-HRW: South Africa, test serial D-HBCM ![]() - T260: Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF), to SAAF ![]() | ||||
7114 ![]() | bk117a4 | 389: SAAF 15 sqd. ex PT-HJD. w/o 20aug03 |
Operations | |
Dates | Operation | |
04-aug-91 | 04-aug-91 | Rescue of mv Oceanos Cruise Liner |