Rotary aircraft enter operations with the SAAF:

The SAAF's very first helicopter. Sikorsky S-51 serial A1

All went well until the mountainous area around the Hluhluwe Game Reserve required spraying. The Anson could not spray effectively in these areas, due to the terrain. What was required was rotary aircraft and in April 1948 it was announced a single example of the Sikorsky S-51 had been ordered from the USA at a cost of $85000. The mountainous terrain and Dr Rennie du Toit from Onderstepoort were instrumental in this decision. Captain L.B. (Bunny) Pearce and Flight Sergeant F.D. Williams attended a 6-week course at the Sikorsky factory in the USA. The US export permit no A2818 was granted on 23 July 1948. In August 1948 the S-51 arrived at Durban in knock down form and was subsequently assembled to be ready for the first test flight by Capt. Pearce. 12 Sqdn, then based at Hluhluwe for the spraying operations, received the very first helicopter to fly in SA.

Effective aerial spray delivery

The helicopter received SAAF serial no “A1” and went into operation either in January or February 1949.Two tanks with a capacity of 65 gallons were fitted on either side of the fuselage. A mix of DDT and diesel oil formed the basis of the insecticide and this was fed via piping under gravity to an extended exhaust pipe to produce a visible smoke trail. The downdraft of the main rotor assisted to disperse the insecticide. Two full tanks enabled an area of 20-30 hectares to be effectively covered. The S-51 was so successful in operations, that a further two examples were ordered and received SAAF serial no’s “A2” and “A3” during early 1949. Later tanks with a larger capacity were used.

Note extended exhaust, external tank and start cart

Due to its duties public appearance was very limited but A1 did appear at Wonderboom in August 1949, as part of an airshow and piloted by Maj Pearce. During 1950, 12 Sqdn was disbanded and the spraying detachment renamed 28 Sqdn “Spray Flight” with Col Geoff Tatham as OC who took over from Jack Robbs. The original 12 Sqdn was reformed shortly afterwards to be equipped with the Canberra - an aircraft which would remain the main type of the Sqdn until disbandment on 31 December 1990. “Spray Flight” carried on until the end of 1951 when the three helicopters were leased to PLACO – a civilian operator which continued the spray flights under contract until 1952. As part of 12 Sqdn and 28 Sqdn “Spray Flight”, A1 was involved in three serious incidents with an accident claiming A3 on 20 April 1951 in the Hluhluwe area.

Maj Pearce at Wonderboom airshow 1949