Name: SAAF’s Border War: The South African Air Force in Combat 1966-89
Author: Peter Baxter (Author)
ISBN: 9781908916235

SAAF’s Border War: The South African Air Force in Combat 1966-89 book cover

SAAF’s Border War: The South African Air Force in Combat 1966-89

Author(s): Peter Baxter (Author)

Publisher: Helion and Company
Publication Date: 15 Sept. 2012
Edition: Illustrated
Language: English
Print length: 72 pages
ISBN-10: 9781908916235
ISBN-13: 9781908916235

Book Description

South African Mirages and Cuban MiG-21s dogfighting over Cuito Cuanavale, the largest tank battle on African soil since El Alamein; Puma troopships shot out of the skies by Strela missiles and RPG-7 rockets; Alouette III gunships hovering menacingly above Koevoet tracker-combat teams as they close in for the kill; Hercules and Transall transports disgorging their loads of Parabats over Cassinga; suicidal helicopter hot-extractions of Recce operators deep in enemy territory; and a lone Alouette pilot who disobeyed orders and under intense ground fire evacuated a critically wounded soldier … such is the story of the South African Air Force, the SAAF, over the 23-year period 1966-1989, the period of conflict that became known as the ‘Border War’.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the SAAF was effectively South Africa’s first line of defence against Soviet expansionism in southern Africa. That the Soviets, through their surrogates-the Cuban military, Angola’s FAPLA and Namibia’s SWAPO-sought a communist regime in South Africa is indisputable, as too was the SAAF’s skill, quality, determination and capability to defeat the best Soviet air defences of the time. This account covers all the major operations that the SAAF was involved in, from Operation Blouwildebees, the opening salvo of the conflict at Omgulumbashe, South West Africa in 1966 to the final curtain, Operation Merlyn, the so-called April Fool’s Day ‘war’ of 1989.

In this account, highlighting such operations as Reindeer, Bootlace/Uric, Sceptic, Protea, Daisy, Askari, Moduler, Hooper and Packer, among many, as well as the ongoing methodological operations like Lunar, Maanskyn, Donkermaan and Butterfly, Baxter examines and brings to life the squadrons and aviators that fought in both counter-insurgency and conventional warfare roles.

Besides an extensive selection of rare photographs, the book features a comprehensive section on camouflage and markings and 6 pages of colour aircraft profiles and insignia by noted SAAF authority William Marshall, making this title especially useful for modellers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific tome. It’s wonderfully researched. It’s abundantly illustrated. And it’s a superb supplement to any library of Cold War history and African insurgencies. Rabidly recommended! ― Cybermodeler

This title will appeal to historians and modellers alike, particularly as there has been little written about these operations, and indeed about the activities of the SAAF in general, in the past. ― ModelArt Australia

This unique and fascinating book covers all the major operations that the SAAF was involved in. ― Model Aircraft Monthly

An important new work that documents a little-known air war as never before. ― Glenn Sands

From the Publisher

Peter Baxter completed a full tour of operations as a flight engineer with Royal Air Force Bomber Command during the Second World War. Subsequently he took up Engineer Leader duties with a newly formed squadron, completing further operations over Germany. After the war Peter married Joan and he worked for the family firm in Birmingham as the warehouse manager until his retirement. Peter and Joan had two sons, Andrew and Michael, who wrote the foreword to this book.

About the Author

Peter Baxter is an author, amateur historian and African field, mountain and heritage travel guide. Born in Kenya and educated in Zimbabwe, he has lived and travelled over much of southern and central Africa. He has guided in all the major mountain ranges south of the equator, helping develop the concept of sustainable travel, and the touring of battlefield and heritage sites in East Africa. Peter lives in Oregon, USA, working on the marketing of African heritage travel as well as a variety of book projects. His interests include British Imperial history in Africa and the East Africa campaign of the First World War in particular. His first book was Rhodesia: Last Outpost of the British Empire; he has written several books in the Africa@War series, including France in Centrafrique, Selous Scouts, Mau Mau, SAAF’s Border War and Somalia: US Intervention, 1992–1994.

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