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[vtrelut]

After my visit to Johannesburg, depicted here:

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,3526.0.html

I carried on my trip in South Africa and went to Cape Town.

The South African Air Force maintains several museums in South Africa, one of them is in Ysterplaat air base, very near to the city.



Ysterplaat is the host to several squadrons, one of them operates Dakotas, retrofitted with turboprop engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFB_Ysterplaat

Its museum contains a lot of documents and information about WWII and post war military aviation in South Africa. It is a nice setting for a Shackleton, with the famous Table Mountain in the background:







Four Rolls Royce Griffon engines, such as this one:





The museum hosts a Vampire:





There is also a French Alouette III:



A MATRA 530 air-to-air missile, fitted on Mirage IIICZ interceptors:



The Impala is in fact an Aermacchi trainer assembled in South Africa:









Nice weather isn't it?

In fact the best part was the welcome extended to me by the museum's curator, Chris Teale, Consultant Museologist.

I was looking for the Mirage fighters, and he allowed me to visit Hangar No 4, which is located within the premises of the operational sector of the base. That is where the Mirage are kept, and where aircraft are restored, such as this F-86 Sabre:





Here is the bomb and torpedo bay of another Avro Shackleton:



This Mirage F-1 was employed in combat against enemy forces in Angola:



It came back with a kill on a MiG-21 Fishbed:





Near a Harvard:



I could see this extraordinary Mirage III RZ-2:





It is extraordinary because this particular type was fitted with the same engine as the Mirage F1, the SNECMA ATAR 9-K50. It was more powerful than the ATAR 9 used in Mirage IIICZ. As a result this reconnaissance version of the Mirage III was the fastest of ALL aircraft ever flown by the South African Air Force, much faster than the Gripen it operates today - but they turn better -, and faster that Mirage IIICZ and Mirage F1! A truly unique, historical aircraft.

Thanks a lot to Chris for having allowed me so graciously to visit this hangar and see the treasures inside, especially so important for a Frenchman!

After being much revigorated and motivated, I flew back to Paris, through Amsterdam. Then I realized I could delay my connecting flight from Amsterdam to Paris, and see the Dutch Aviation museum in the Amsterdam area, a logical extension after Johannsesburg and Cape Town, isn't it?

So I did, although I was in a hurry: a few pictures taken at the Aviodrome museum in Lelystad, East of Amsterdam:









The Koolhoven FK23, a 1918 fighter, is one of the jewels of this museum:



There is also a Saab Viggen:



An Antonov-2:



When I went back to Paris, I started to think like a Flying Dutchman:



Again thanks a lot to Chris, Piet, Wilmarli and to all the wonderful people I met in South Africa!

[BravoFxTrt]

My, My, my,!

[Eexhaton]

My girlfriend was kind enough to grant me a flying trip on the DC3 at Aviodrome my next birthday.

[tater718]

Those are some really nice pics. I know how hard it is to get good quality snaps in an air museum.
Thanks for sharing those with us.

[michel_boonstra1974]

Nice and interesting pics, thanks for sharing.

[SAS~CirX]

Thnax for the piccies! Good journeys Vincent

[Dudok22]

nice pics!
btw on that first pic:

 

[norm]

By the way, what is that happy plane?

[vtrelut]

A Avro Shackleton, powered with 4 Rolls Royce Griffon engines; it is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, armed with torpedoes and bombs, in addition to the nose guns of Dudok22's picture. It probably carried mines too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Shackleton

Besides England, South Africa was the only other country to operate this aircraft type. So the first few pictures I posted above show a rather rare plane.

In the Wikipedia article, you can read a reference to the only Shackleton in flying condition being located at Ysterplaat air base. I believe it is the one I saw in hangar No 4 at Ysterplaat, close to the Mirage F1. I took a picture of the bomb and torpedo bay of that Shackleton, who seemed to be in pretty good shape.

The other Shackleton with Table Mountain in the back is not in flying condition. It is displayed outside and obviously suffers from this fate. Fortunately and hopefully the one in the hangar with the bomb and torpedo bay open will probably stay in good condition for a long time.

[SAS~Malone]

nice pics, Vincent. I was lucky enough to be invited to a special 'starting of the engines' of that Shackleton about a year ago. She is the last flying one of her type, and was due to go for final flight last year before being permanently retired, althoug I'm not sure if she did it yet. After that flight, this'll be another fantasic plane consigned to the history books.
It was an awesome treat to hear the 4 Griffons being started and warmed up for a bit. I recorded what I could, but because of my inferior recorfing equipment, what I played back was rather a mess, to say the least...
Nevertheless, I can say 'I was there' and it was a great experience! 

[peterpro]

A great idea to modders.The avro shakleton!!! 

[SAS~GJE52]

I work with an RAF guy who was a Shackleton pilot with shed loads of hours in them ... he has a slightly different opinion of them 

G