Heraldry of the South African Air Force.

[Marcus Karlsson]

The units of the SAAF have departed from the Commonwealth Tradition in having full amorial bearing for most of its units. Otherwise the rule in the Commonwealth Air Forces is to have Badges.


Air Force Station Zwartkop. This was the first Air Force Base in the then Union of South Africa opened in 1921. Today it Houses the Airspace Control Unit, the SAAF Museum Historic Flight and the SAAF Museum.


Air Force Base Waterkloof. Opened in 1938 today its one of the busiest bases of the SAAF houseing Transport Squadrons and a host of other units.


AFB Makhado, opened in 1987 as AFB Louis Trichardt. The name chaged in 2003. Home of the SAAF Jet Fighters in from of the SAAB Gripen of no 2 Squadron. The Arms and the Motto (meaning Northern Fortress) allundes to the fact that Makhado is the most northern SAAF Base.


AFB Langebaanweg, opened in 1946 today its houses the Central Flying School.

[Marcus Karlsson]

No 2 Sqn. Was South Africa's contribution to the UN Forces in Korea flying Mustangs and Sabres. Tod it the SAAF:s only Fighter Squadron with SAAB Gripen.


No 15 Squadron, a Helicopter Unit based at AFB Durban.


No 16 Squadron, Attack Helicopter Unit at AFB Bloemspruit.

[Arthur Radburn]

To add to what Marcus has posted : the coats of arms were introduced in the 1970s. Before that, there was no particular system. Most of the unit badges originated as 'nose art' during WWII. After the war, they were put into circular crowned frames, a la the RAF, surrounded by protea flowers and leaves instead of laurel leaves. The frames were abandoned around 1960. Here's 2 Squadron's badge, showing the "flying cheetah" badge in the frame :


Re the AFB arms : in modern SAAF heraldry, the embattled bordure indicates a base.

No 15 Squadron, a Helicopter Unit based at AFB Durban.

These arms were partly derived from an earlier quasi-armorial badge. I had a copy of these arms for quite a few years before the penny dropped as to why the searchlight beams were arranged the way they are!

[Marcus Karlsson]

Thanks for the information Arthur, and as seen with the No 2 Squadron some Squadrons still has the round frame. As for the searchlight in the Arms of No 15 Squadron they form the Roman number XV = 15.


No 17 Squadron, as seen with these "Arms" som Squadrons retains much of the unregulated Badgelike insignia of the earlier SAAF Unit insignia.


No 19 Squadron.


No 22 Squadron which flies the Super Lynx Helicopters onbehalf of the South African Navy has an design that tells about the Naval role of the Squadron. The Motto translates "So the Seas may be free".


No 28 Squadron has retained a Badgelike design recalling its Transport role. The Motto translates as "We carry". The Squadron is the South African operator of the ubiquitous C-130 Hercules.

[Marcus Karlsson]

No 44 Squadron is another Transport Unit. The Design shows a Springbok over a winged Globe. The Motto translates as "We are useful".


No 60 Squadron, at present without Aircraft. It formerly operated Boeing 707 on Air-to-air refueling., Electronic Warfare and Heavy Transport. This i illustrated by the Motto which means "We give and we take". Believed to be the Unit to operate the Airbus A400M Atlas ordered by South Africa, but the order for 8 A400M has since then been cancelled.


80 Air Navigation School. Located att AFB Ysterplaat the Scholl has no aircraft of its own but borrows form other units.


85 Combat Flying Scholl based at AFB Makhado with BAe Hawk Mk 120.

[Marcus Karlsson]

SAAF College Thaba Tshwane (1939-1998 Voortrekkerhoogte and 1905-1939 Roberts Heights), Pretoria. The Motto translates as "Knowledge Conquers Everything".


Central Flying School AFB Langebaanweg. Flies PC-7 Mk II Astra. The Eagle over a outline Map of Africa holds a Key symbolising the unlocking of the knowledge of flying. The Motto translates as "Our Deeds Shall Live".


Test Flight and Development Centre AFB Overberg.

[Marcus Karlsson]

Badge of the No 1 Squadron, disbanded in 1997. The Eagle is holding the Shield of the British 8th Army, which the Squadron supported during the Campaign in North Africa during World War II.


Arms of No 11 Squadron, disbanded in 1991. The Motto translates as "Let Courage not fail".


Arms of No 27 Sqn, disbanded 1990. The design aptly symbolises the maritime reconnaissance role of the Squadron. The Motto translates as "We protect".


86 Multi-Engine Flying School. The design clearly speaks of the educational role. The Motto translates as "We teach Flying". In 1997 the 86 MEFS was merged into the 44 Sqn.

[Marcus Karlsson]

88 Maritime Operational Training School. The Motto translates as "We teach the guardians of the shores". 88 MOTS was disbanded in 1990.


89 Combat Flying School. The Motto translates "We train to kill". 89 CFS was disbanded in 1992 and its remaining equipment transfered to 2 Sqn.


1 Air Servicing Unit.


10 Air Depot.


Bushveld Airspace Control Sector. The Bat denotes the Radar used by the Unit. The Motto translates as Rulers of the Sky".

[Arthur Radburn]

Arms of No 27 Sqn, disbanded 1990. The design aptly symbolises the maritime reconnaissance role of the Squadron. The Motto translates as "We protect".

The symbolism of the design goes a bit farther : the bird is an albatross, and the squadron was flying Piaggio Albatross aircraft at the time these arms were assumed in the late 1970s. It was a rather noisy aircraft, and the squadron reportedly joked that the motto should have been "we come unseen but not unheard".

[Arthur Radburn]

1 Air Servicing Unit.

On a point of interest : this is a standard design for ASU arms. Each unit's arms are differenced by changing the charge between the wings. 2 ASU , at AFB Ysterplaat, for instance, has the chemical symbol for iron ('yster' in Afrikaans) between the wings.

10 Air Depot.

This too is one of a series of standardised arms. Each AD is identified by the charge on the roundel. 11 AD, for instance, has a escallop. The field of the arms is Azure, the roundel and arrows are Argent, the charge on the roundel is Gules.