Page 33 - World Airnews Magazine January 2021 Edition

FEATURE FEATURE

Mustang in authentic colours belonging to

2 Squadron, also known as the Flying Chee-
tahs,” said Grant Askham, CEO of Performance
Centre.
He shared the company’s journey to get the
go-ahead from the RTR company that builds
these Ford Mustangs in the United States.
“We had to approach RTR and get their
approval. There was a lot of red tape involved.
We had to send renderings to them. We had to
get hand drawn sketches and colours matched
and special paint formulas drawn up – to make
sure that the colours are an exact replication

of the originals,” he said.

The company has committed to building
a total of 10 similar high performance cars
- each one as a testament to South Africa’s

flying legends. The first is already complete
and up for grabs at the Performance Centre Photo by Russell Dixon-Paver
show room.
“When we held the launch last year, we met
some of the old aviation pilots who all have a Grant.

story to tell, which will be lost if we don’t make sure that this histo- More and more as he became involved, Grant said, the impor-
SPITFIRE RESTORATION ry is kept alive. So the project has grown and developed,” he said. tance of this aviation history was brought home.

To this end a website has now also been created. It is aptly called
If you are interested in purchasing this car – one of a kind –

www.warriorofthesky.co.za and acts as a database of stories about please contact the chairman of the Friends Ian Grace on iang@

aviation heroes from the past.
PROJECT FEELS THE PINCH that captures all the amazing feats performed by these pilots,” said xsinet.co.za and 082 452 5291, or Grant Askam on grant@per-
“It’s all about the Aces. And we want the website to be a place
formancecentre.co.za and 082 905 2224. Or you can go to www.

spitfire-restoration.co.za or www.warriorofthesky.co.za. Q
The photograph ABOVE was taken at AFB Swartkop, South Africa’s, and possibly the world’s

oldest still operating military air base, which will be celebrating its centenary in 2021. THE DBH RTR SPITFIRE in January 1941. He matriculated assigned to 208 Squadron (RAF) in and placed in

In the background are hangars which formed part of the Imperial Gift to South Africa after MUSTANG IS THE FIRST from Maritzburg College in 1938, Egypt, where he flew Hurricanes command of 225

the First World War, and which included the aircraft that formed the original SAAF MUSTANG RTR SPEC and then enrolled as a medical and Spitfires in North Africa, Sicily, Squadron, RAF.
5 WIDE BODY IN THE student at the University of the Italy and Austria. For his services To page 32

kop limited, the project has required the WORLD! Witwatersrand until mid-1940. He was shot down near Beng- he was awarded
World Airnews editor building of a new hangar, which the SAAF The first warrior is linked to He then joined the South African hazi in 1942, but managed to a DSO and DFC and Bar. Even his

he effects of the Covid-19 virus
Heidi Gibson spoke Tacross the aviati on industry have Museum has given the green light to. warrior Capt. Bob Rogers. Robert Air Force as a volunteer for active escape capture. father, who was a captain in the
service in World War 2, first as an
army, had to salute him – much
In August 1942, despite having
Harry Doherty “Bob” Rogers
“The airframe needs to be placed into
to Ian Grace, chair- been far-reaching and now a South African jigs so that we can continue with the work. was born on 7 November 1921 air gunner. When he volunteered a finger shot off, he fought off to the delight of both men.

Towards the end of World War II,
to train as a pilot, he went to

man of the Friends of aviation non-profit organisation - the To do this we need space and to do this in Warden in the Orange Free Southern Rhodesia for training. four Luftwaffe ME 109s. By Rogers was put in charge of his
State. He joined the SA Air Force,
December 1943, he had been
we need to build a hangar. We need all the
Friends of the South African Air Force Mu-
the South African Air seum (FSAAFM) - is also feeling the pinch. help we can get to build it and restore this commencing his flying training By October 1941, Rogers was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel old squadron, 40 Squadron. Q
beauty to her former glory,” he said.
The NPO, started in 2015, has been
Force Museum and focused on the restoration of a Superma- “We have four quotes for the supply and

Performance Centre rine Spitfire, registration TE213, with SAAF erection of this new hangar. Once complet-
ed, relevant components of the airframe
number 5518. Delivered to South Africa in
CEO Grant Askham 1947, the aircraft is believed to be the last will be moved to this facility in order of

about a unique aircraft remaining example in the world of a Mark priority, as and when they are ready to be
restored. The hangar - once complete - will
IXe with clipped wings and the bubble type
and car collaboration canopy. also be the long term dedicated space for

any other future upgrade and restoration

The FSAAFM organisation supports all

three branches of the SAAF Museum in work undertaken by the organisation.
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and at the Swart- So Covid-19 might have put a stop to their

kop air force base in Valhalla. fund-raising efforts, but this is only tem-

“Covid-19 effectively brought to a halt porary as the volunteer run organisation is

all planned air shows and special avia- not put off and instead has intensified their

tion events in the country. It also meant efforts to keep the project alive.

the postponement of the SAAF century Enter the Performance Centre - a Preto-

celebrations and as a result of this we have ria based high performance motor compa-
not been able to continue to raise funds ny that upgrades Ford Mustangs and SUVs.

or even awareness, ” Ian Grace, of the “In the past I worked for the camera giant

FSAAFM told World Airnews. Nikon and we would attend airshows as

TE213 was restored to flying in the 1990s part of our marketing and promotions – so In her former glory –

and was used as major attraction at air I knew all about the Spitfire Restoration TE213 in 1999 at the

shows until an emergency landing in April Project at Swartkop. It seemed an obvious Swartkop Air Show a year
2000 took place and it was extensively and easy next step for us. We pitched the before the crash. Photo
by Russell Dixon-Paver
damaged. With workshop space at Swart- idea of building a custom designed 5L Ford
World Airnews | January 2021 World Airnews | January 2021
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