COVER N. 466 - SOUTH AFRICA

Postmark: no postmark

Posted on ?; received on the 5th June 2024

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Another South African cover full of nice aircraft stamps from the secret service :-), just like the previous, a  Zambian postmark hinting that the cover transited through that country.

I think that the sender was again my Secret German Santa, so again  Danke sehr, Wilhelm! Great to receive the pair to your previous SAAF cover. Many thanks!

As mentioned in the notes to Cover #406, South Africa Post Office issued a minisheet on 28APR2021 with 10 "Standard Postage" stamps, celebrating the centenary of the South African Air Force, which was established on the 1st February 1920, equipped with aircraft donated by the United Kingdom from the vast surplus inventory issued out of the First World War.

The stamps are pretty informative in that they contain a small legend indicating the period of usage of the aircraft depicted on each stamp, which are also well identified.

The 5 stamps that in conjunction with those on cover #406 complete the 10 stamp set, were used on this cover and  from left to right, top to bottom, they are illustrated with photographs of the following aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Dakota

South African Air Force is probably the only air force in the world still using its C-47's operationally, although they must be on the verge of being phased out, which is not strange at all, given that the mighty Dakota first flew on 17 December.... 1935.... not bad in terms of operational life and there are a few still operating in various parts of the globe.

North American F-86 Sabre 

Operational with the SAAF between 1953 and 1980, the North American F-86 Sabre, which first flew in 1947, was probably the most produced second generation jet aircraft,  having raised to fame due to the role it played in the Korean war, where  it had to face  and defeat its most  famous opponent, the nifty Mig-15.

It should  be noted on this subject  that the Korean war  also corresponds to  the first operational use of SAAF Sabres since South Africa integrated the joint UN forces participating in the conflict.

 Saab JAS 39 Gripen D

In service with the SAAF since 2008 (and not 2005 as indicated in the stamp, 2005 being, in fact, the year when they were ordered, I believe) the Saab J 39 Gripen is a Swedish Advanced Light Fighter Aircraft (ALFA).

Having first flown in 1988, the Gripen is in service with the air forces of six countries; Sweden; South Africa; Brazil; UK; Thailand and Czech Republic.

Denel Rooivalk AH-2A

The Denel Rooivalk AH-2A is a locally developed attack helicopter that builds on the experience acquired with the Denel Alpha, an also local  development of the Alouette III. As such, the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma platform was modified so as to fulfil the role of an Attack Helicopter, SAAF operating 11 aircraft of the type since 1999.

Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) / Kawasaki MBB BK117 

A joint German/Japanese developed light utility and transport helicopter, six units of the type are in service with the SAAF since 1994

The only post mark on the cover was applied at Lusaka, Zambia's capital, on 14MAY2024.

COVER N. 406 -  SOUTH AFRICA

Postmark: N/A

Posted on ?; Received on the 1st February 2024

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Another mystery.....

Thank you, whoever it was who sent me this cover from the country where the two oceans come together, all for Good Hope....

I have a suspicion, in fact I have two suspicions, but I'll refrain from outing them here, for they can be absolutely wrong....

And so I'll go directly to the stamps, which fall under my theme of choice: all things aviation.

South Africa Post Office issued a minisheet on 28APR2021 with 10 "Standard Postage" stamps, celebrating the centenary of the South African Air Force, which was established on the 1st February 1920, equipped with aircraft donated by the United Kingdom from the vast surplus inventory issued out of the First World War.

The stamps are pretty informative in that they contain a small legend indicating the period of usage of the aircraft depicted on each stamp, which are also well identified.

On the cover we have 5 of the 10 stamps and, from left to right, top to bottom, we have:

 - Hawker Hurricane IIB, used by the SAAF for the duration of the 2nd World War, between 1939 and 1945.

- Mirage IIICZ, operated between 1963 and 1990,  and from 1966  in the context of what become known as the Border war or the Namibia independence war, a conflict which involved Namibia, Angola, Zambia and South Africa.

De Haviland DH9 - one of the workhorses of  many an air force after the end of WW1, the DH.9 light bomber was a development of the DH4, itself one of the most mass produced aircraft of the first world conflict with over 6,250 aircraft of the type having been produced.

C-130B Hercules, still in service with the SAAF, with whom it began to operate in 1963.

Atlas Oryx - a South African development of the  Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma, which became operational with the SAAF in 1986 band is still in the current inventory.

COVER N.66 - South Africa

Postmark: No postmark on stamps. Letter sent registred (label - Reg. Airmail letter small, 15/12/2021) from Gallomanor 
Posted on the 15th December; received on the 31st January
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The end of the year was drawing close when I got a message from the land of Cape of Good Hope (probably the cape in the world with the most beautiful name, me thinks). A fellow collector wanted to swap covers and I immediately said yes. Sadly it was just about the time Omicron was making its entrance into the daily vocabulary across the world and new restrictions to travel and mail were coming into being, especially affecting transit to and fro that particular area of the globe. 

But as George Harrison once said "All things must pass" and luckily it seems that Omicron might be a contribution for the end of it all, so regular transit is slowly coming back and with it Kyle's beautiful cover finally made it to my letter box. Thanks a lot Kyle; another country to my list!

Kyle used the 5 auto-adhesive stamps issued in souvenir sheet form on 05FEB2015 to celebrate the centenary of the South African Aviation Corps. all stamps have no face value being the correct tariff for "airmail postcard".

Pressured by the German expansion operations in austral Africa ever since the beginning of the First World War, the Union Defence Force of what was still a dominion of the UK, quickly understood the manyfold advantages of  the airplane in warfare and swiftly established the South African Aviation Corps, on the 29th January 2015, the forerunner of the South African Air Force that in its turn would be established on the 1st February 1920. 

The first stamps has showcases the image of an Henry Farman Biplane. The Henry Farman F-27, a reconnaissance airplane,  was sthe first aircraft operated by the SAAC.

The second stamp is illustrated by an image of the 14-15 Star. Quoting directly from Wikipedia, "the 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The medal was never awarded singly and recipients also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal."

The third stamp according to its kegend, depicts a SAAC tunic detail.

the fourth stamps is dedicated to the embroidered  pilot's wings used by pilots of the SAAC.

the fith and final stamp illustrates the shoulder badge of the tunics of SAAC members.