60 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is a transport, aerial refuelling and EW(electronic warfare)/ELINT(electronic intelligence) squadron. It was first formed at Nairobi in December 1940.

60 Squadron
Retired 60 Squadron Boeing 707 tail number 1419
ActiveDecember 1940–present
CountrySouth Africa  South Africa
BranchSouth African Air Force
RoleTransport, aerial refueling and EW/ELINT
Current BaseAFB Waterkloof
Motto(s)Accipimus Et Damus We Take and We Give
EquipmentBoeing 707

In 1943 the 60th Squadron was a part of the North African Photo Reconnaissance Wing, which later became the Mediterranean Allied Photo Reconnaissance Wing. In several flights during 1944 Mosquitos took many of the later discussed pictures of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps, in which the Holocaust was visible but was not recognized.

During its first years the squadron flew the British Aircraft Double Eagle, Martin Maryland, de Havilland Mosquito, and the Lockheed Ventura. The squadron was reequipped with Boeing 707s in 1986.

While it was based for a long period at AFB Waterkloof, Pretoria, due to ongoing runway and taxiway repairs at that base, the squadron operated temporarily for a period out of Johannesburg International Airport.

Operations wound down with the last operational Boeing 707 flight flown on 10 July 2007 to Bujumbura, Kinshasa and Kindu.[1] The squadron appears to be in limbo, with conversion to the Airbus A400M Atlas cancelled.

60 Sqn Mosquito PR-16 reconnaissance aircraft 1943

References

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  1. ^ "The South African Air Force".