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Books > History > World history > From 1900 > Postwar, from 1945
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From fledgling to eagle - The South African Air Force during the Border War (Paperback)
Loot Price: R328
Discovery Miles 3 280
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From fledgling to eagle - The South African Air Force during the Border War (Paperback)
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List price R355
Loot Price R328
Discovery Miles 3 280
You Save R27 (8%)
Expected to ship within 5 - 10 working days
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The crucible of combat over 23 years forged the fledgling South
African Air Force into a formidable strike weapon, capable of
defeating the best Soviet air defences of the time. From Fledgling
to Eagle chronicles the evolution of the SAAF in the `Border War'
that raged in Angola and South West Africa (Namibia) from 1966 to
1989, covering all the major South African Defence Force (SADF)
operations from Ongulumbashe to the `April Fools' Day war' in 1989.
Dick Lord, who writes in a `from the cockpit' style, has drawn on
his own first-hand operational reports and diaries, incorporating
anecdotes from dozens of aviators from a wide variety of squadrons
- Buccaneers, Canberras, Mirages, Impalas, Bosboks, C-160s and
-130s, Dakotas and helicopters. He also expands on the close
relationship the SAAF had with the ground troops in a variety of
operations - such units as the Parabats, Recces and Koevoet.
However, Lord studies the broader ramifications of the conflict in
that it was not a simple black-white war. Angola was really just a
sideshow for the Soviets who wanted to bleed the SAAF in a war of
attrition before attempting total domination of South Africa -
their ultimate goal. He is unafraid to admit SADF mistakes - of
Operations Hooper and Packer he says: "Lines of communications were
too long to ably support the battle, which is why we did not clear
them off the east bank of the Cuito River and why they captured the
three Oliphant tanks which was their only propaganda victory."
Although he gives credit to the enemy when they put up a stiff
fight, he clearly outlines the overwhelming South African successes
and dispels, in accurate detail, all enemy claims by giving an
accurate account of each battle. He says: "I agree with General
Geldenhuys that we thrashed them severely on the Lomba in '85 and
'87 ... much recent publicity has also been given to the so-called
victory of the Forces of Liberation [SWAPO, MPLA, and 50,000 Cubans
and Soviets] over the SADF at Cuito Cuanavale in 1988. Nothing
could be further from the truth - it is blatant propaganda."
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