By the late 1950's it was becoming evident that the Miami class boats were becoming obsolete and two new vessels were purchased from Krogerwerft in Rendsburg, Germany. These boats were 30 metres in length, with a displacement 87 tonnes and a top speed of about 33 knots. The first one R30, arrived in Cape Town aboard a cargo vessel in April 1961 and in 1962 R31 was delivered and two of the remaining Miami’s were sold.

With these two vessels, the SAAF Marine Craft Unit increased its enviable record. No distress call ever went unanswered. When other vessels refused to put to sea, these boats would go out looking for the lost, the shipwrecked and the distressed mariners around our coast. The Shackletons were often the crash boat’s "eye in the sky" and they worked together on almost every rescue. The Unit itself was the smallest independent unit in the SADF, with 28 men and four crash boats plus 5 smaller inshore rescue and service vessels. The boats towed targets, acted as sonar targets and exercised with the Shackeltons.

On 1 November 1969, the Marine Craft Unit was transferred to the South African Navy and became SAS Flamingo. However the change of service did not change the main purpose of the new navy unit. Within two weeks they were at sea on a rescue mission. In 1971 two new 19,6m Fairey Marine Tracker craft were taken into service and the final Miami crashboat was sold. In March 1987 the facilities of SAS Flamingo were handed over to the SA Army and the unit moved to the Naval Base at Saldanha for a short time until it was disbanded.

It is the intention of the Simon's Town Museum to preserve R4 or Zest as she is known, and to present her in the colours in which she served during the war.

The full history of the SAAF Motor Boat unit has been documented in the book 'Serve to Save - The South African Air Force at Sea' No 10 in the African Aviation Series from Freeworld publications. Side view drawings by Dave Cooke - a full set of drawings of all the various boats in their various schemes are printed in the book.
Badge drawn by Eugene Griessel - other relevant badges drawn by Eugene are printed on the back cover. For more info, on the book, contact Guy Ellis:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

R4 built by Miami Shipbuilding Corporation. A Mark 1 version delivered 20 May 1941. Disposed of on 1946 and used commercially until finally retired in 2001. To be preserved at Simons Town.