4 Squadron
	Motto:	Mors Hosti
	Meaning:	Death to the enemy

This squadron was formed at Durban in April 1939 and equipped with Hawker Hartbees, Hawker Furies and a few Wapitis. One of the Wapitis flew one of the SAAF's first coastal reconnaissance missions after the outbreak of World War II. The squadron was disbanded in December 1939, but was re-formed at Waterkloof air base on March 24,1941 with Hurricanes. Equipped with Curtiss Mohawks and a few Furies, it underwent operational training in East Africa before going to Egypt to convert to Tomahawks.

In November 1941 the squadron went into action in the Western Desert and later moved to Italy, by then flying Kittyhawks and finally Spitfires. It was still in Italy when the war ended and was disbanded for the second time in October 1945. Six years later, however, in January 1951, it was re-formed at Waterkloof from the Active Citizen Force element of 1 squadron, and equipped with Harvards and Spitfires - only to be disbanded yet again on October 10, 1958. Slightly more than three years later, on November 1,1961, No. 4 Squadron was resurrected for the third time and based at AFS Swartkop, flying Harvards. This time it had come to stay, and in August 1972 the squadron was re-equipped with Impala Mk Is before moving house to AFB Waterkloof in December that year. 4 Squadron later flew Impala Mk Is and Mk IIs, which it first received in November 1976.

The sqdn later moved to Lanseria and saw extensive operations in the Border war. A flight of MkIIs were on permanent detachment to the Border war area. With the end of the Border war conflict, the sqdn closed down during September 1991. All the Impala MkIs & MkIIs were transferred to some of the following units: 7 & 8 sqdns,  83 Jet Flying School, 85 Combat Flying School.

• Info from Aircraft of the SAAF, H. Potgieter, W. Steenkamp
• Additional A. Dyason.