The build up to the 2025 SAAF Museum Airshow had a large cloud of uncertainty hanging over it, just like the looming bad weather forecast predicted for the afternoon of the show.
With the SANDF being actively deployed in the DRC, assisting with the local peacekeeping efforts, the possibility of having any of the traditional show favorites participating in the show were widely disputed and discussed on social media platforms.
The morning of the 3rd of May was chilly, with a definite bite in the air; winter had finally arrived after the extended summer we enjoyed! On the base it was a buzz of activity as vendors were all preparing their stalls for the day and with aircraft arriving to attend the show for their static and flying displays.
Henley Air, who had a large squadron of Bell 222's attending, made a grand entrance with an iconic fly-past of these magnificent helicopters, with the drumming of the large twin blades filling the air.
The show started off with the traditional motorized glider formation, followed by the emergency vehicle parade and then the paratroopers jumping from the SAPS porter.
Tristan Eeles flew the first aerobatic flying display for the day with his recently rebranded Extra 300. Performing a superb display, his now green and white Reclam branded plane looked stunning!
Next up was Andre Coetzee with the Henley Air Bell 222. As always it was such a treat to see these iconic helicopters being expertly flown in the hands of Andre. As mentioned previously, Henley had multiple Bell 222's on static display for the show as well.
Stepping back to yesteryear, it was time Grant Timms and Steve Brown to fly the Tigermoth dual display. Being the oldest aircraft flying on the day, these old ladies were flown in a gracefully choreographed display routine.
The next act was the three ship helicopter formation consisting of the SAR Huey of Jan Bothma, the Gazelle of Bennie de Jager and the Alouette III of Henco Ingram. This fly past formation was recently done for the first time at the Rhino Park Pretoria Airshow. This really is a superb addition to the airshow routine with the iconic two bladed Huey thumping leading the other two helicopters around the circuit.
Next up was Andre van Zyl with his Gyrocopter. Andre made full use of the long flightline and gave a very good flying display, doing things with his Magni Gyro which would even flatter the designers!
Following his display, Juba Joubert joined in on the action and decided to play a bit of cat-and-mouse with Andre, flying the much larger green Alouette III, he snuck up on Andre and chased him around a bit before continuing with his solo display in the Alo. It is safe to say that you have not seen a proper helicopter display, until you have seen a “Juba” display! Juba is such a humble and caring person, always with a smile and ready for a chat on anything helicopter related, sharing his years of vast experience freely; we really appreciate that uncle Juba!
The cat-and-mouse fight however wasn't over! Andre went to find himself some grunting C63 German weaponry and we ended up with a very unique race, never before seen at MDW Swartkop. From my vantage point it was difficult to see who actually won the race, so I think we will call it a draw, and have them continue this “fight” again at a later stage!
Next up was Allistair Brown flying Menno Parson's well-known Tiger Huey. At any airshow, this is one of the most loved and enjoyed displays and Allistair really gave us a proper performance! “Thump-Thump-Thump” … “Slap-Slap-Slap” … and then the occasional “Whop-tich!” echoing off the old Swartkop hangers when one of the massive blade tips momentarily broke the sound speed barrier like a massive bullwhip cracking!
Grant Timms again took to the sky in the ex-SAAF 957 Bosbok. He showed the crowd why this aircraft was used extensively by the SAAF during the bush war - extreme maneuverability at low level flight.
The Puma Flying Lions then took off for their first display of the day. Filling the sky with thick white smoke and roaring radial engine goodness, the team for the day was Ellis Levine, Arnie Meneghelli and Sean Thackwray. With hard sun backlighting the display, this made for some really unique sunburst photos!
Then it was time for the SAAF A109 flying display flown superbly by Lt.Col. Iwan Robbertse. This very nimble helicopter with retractable undercarriage really gave an exceptional flying performance!
And then an act which many of the crowd was waiting for - the unmistakable sound of a jet engine starting up. Grant Timms was once again ready, this time for his first solo flying airshow display in the Master Power L39. Having been mentored by the legendary Mike Weingartz, who used to fly this L39 at airshows previously, this was really a very special moment for Grant and the Master Power team. Grant flew the L39 perfectly, allowing her to effortlessly bank and roll to the entertainment of the crowd, showing off all the best angles of the jet. Well done, Grant, we look forward to seeing much more of you displaying this beautiful jet at future airshows!
After lunch there were some more parachute jumping and then the two SAAF Museum Harvards gave their traditional tight formation display. Flown by Martin “Marlow” Louw and Daan “Spur” Conradie, this was a mesmerizing display as always.
The next SAAF flying display act was that of the 15 Squadron BK117 duo operational display. They showcased some impressive operational hoisting and slinging maneuvers. For the hoisting helicopter we had Cmdr. Lt. Col. Jared Olivier and co-pilot Maj. Salim Mtahali together with flight engineer, Flt.Sgt. Letladi Mahlakwana. On the cargo slinging helicopter we had Cmdr. Maj. Francois Canosci and co-pilot Maj. Corrie Oberholzer together with flight engineer Sgt. Carl van Dalen. These teams showcased the real-life capabilities and functionalities of these helicopters at 15 Squadron.
Jason Beamish then took to the sky with his Master Power Extra 300 to entertain the crowd with his world class display aerobatics. We are truly honored to have Jason with his exceptional flying skills regularly perform at our local airshows - but please Jason, stay up in the air, you don't have permission to land!
Finishing off his display, he made a swooping pass over the runway threshold and then, to the delight of the crowd he led Menno Parsons in the much-loved P-51 Mustang Sally to taking off. The pair then continued to fly a very unique tight formation display with the massively powerful P-51 and the super-agile Extra 300. At times it seemed like the two planes were tethered together, with Jason holding position to the leading Mustang with exceptional skill. It is only when they fly together that you really get to appreciate the size difference between these two aircraft and more significantly the enormous size of the P-51's Hamilton 3.4m diameter four bladed propellor.
Menno then carried on doing his solo display with the one and only Mustang Sally. Menno flew her beautifully, showing off her best side (yes Menno the canopy side is the best side!). Seeing this beautiful plane souring through the skies and hearing the iconic whistling of the gun ports together with the mighty roar of the Packard V12 Merlin engine is one of the most amazing sensory overloading aviation experiences you can ever have.
We are really thankful and blessed for Menno Parsons, who selflessly display this extremely rare and priceless aircraft, together with many other exceptional aircraft such as the L39 at airshows across southern Africa. Together with Master Power Technologies and Team Mustang Sally, their active sponsorships and involvement to the airshow industry is helping in keeping it alive and on-going for the aviation public and future generations to enjoy.
Next up was the De Haviland Chipmunk duo formation display, flown gracefully by Steve Brown and Ryan Briggs. Another iconic plane from the days long gone.
Ivan van der Schaar and his son Jeandre then flew their very unique Boeing Stearman and Extra 300 RC plane flying display. For this display they have revamped the routine and added some exhilarating cross over maneuvers, truly something very unique and not done anywhere else to my knowledge!
Tristan Eeles then did his second display of the day followed by the traditional museum Alouette II and III formation display. Against the cloud formations building up, these heritage helicopters really stood out.
The weather kept on building and the ominous clouds did not bode well for the afternoon… would the weather hold out, was the question on everyone's minds. It did however provide the most beautiful purple color loaded skies as a backdrop for the last few displays of the day.
Juba was up again - this time with the jet-black Gazelle owned by Bennie de Jager. It simply never gets old to see Juba performing with this helicopter, standing her up vertically, you can see Juba intently watching the crowd! As Juba was almost done with his display, he suddenly broke to the left of the flight line and hovered at the Bays Hill side threshold. The reason quickly became clear - his old nemesis Andre van Zyl was back; this time with a grey Aston Martin! And off they went! This time I am 100% confident, that it was still a draw! And so, the epic battle continues…
Grant then gave his second display with the L39 against a cloudy backdrop after which it was time for the legendary Goodyear Eagles Pitts team, flown by Sally Fleck, Gareth Gill and Jason Beamish. With their perfectly coordinated routine, they are always a favorite at any airshow.
The day was nearing to the end and luckily the weather was still holding out, and so were the crowds with some hope that they might still get lucky to see some SAAF jets…
The A109 was up next for its second display followed by the BK117 duo - this time they showcased their advanced maneuverability display; some exceptional flying by both the A109 and BK117 pilots.
The outgoing Commander of the Air Force then gave his closing speech to the crowd - and those faithful ones who held on to the end were rewarded; not by a Gripen or a Hawk display as many would unfortunately have hoped for, but something equally special - a low-level flying display by the SAAF 21 Squadron Falcon 50! Against the beautiful colored cloud backdrop, this was truly mesmerizing. Not often that we get to see this beautiful aircraft perform at airshows, so a rare treat indeed!
A mass Harvard fly-past and the final Flying Lions flat display brought the 2025 SAAF Museum airshow to an end.
Was the cloud which hanged over the airshow only dark, or did it have a little silver lining as well?
Is there a real concern for the dwindling SAAF participation at local airshows?
The answer is yes to both these questions.
Thankfully due to the generous sponsorship and participation of civilian private companies and individuals, the SAAF Museum managed to collect the critical funds needed to hopefully help them in keeping the Museum open for another year. Unfortunately, the lack of participation of iconic SAAF aircraft such as Gripen, Hawk, Rooivalk and the Silver Falcons to name a few, which little boys and girls draw sketches off and have posters of against their bedroom walls, would leave a massive second thought to many - is this really the end of the SAAF public air show participation, or will this Phoenix again rise from the proverbial ashes of the recent tragedies in the DRC… only time, and some serious introspection, will tell. Until then we will keep hope for the return of one of our most iconic airshows to its former strength and glory!
Pilots Post wishes to extend our condolences to all those SANDF members and families who lost loved ones and friends during the DRC conflict. May their souls rest in peace and you find acceptance for your loss.
Pilots Post wishes to extend our condolences to all those SANDF members and families who lost loved ones and friends during the DRC conflict. May their souls rest in peace and you find acceptance for your loss.
In closing - against all odds and with a very difficult hand of cards, the organizers of this year's SAAF Museum Airshow managed to put together a very good show - a massive congratulations to all involved. Also, to Brian Emmenis and his dedicated team at Capital Sounds, for providing the world class sound and commentary. Brian, we as the aviation have walked that flight line from end to end and respect to effort that goes into having proper sound coverage!
Beech 18 and DC3 to SAAF Museum AFB Swartkop Airshow 2015
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