A film he watched as a young boy inspired a lifelong fascination with aviation for Gordon Dyne.
The 78-year-old Bedfordview resident is the man behind the recent addition of a restored Dassault Mirage F1 on display at the Brakpan Airfield.
Mounted on two poles, this eye-catching plane looks poised to take off into the clouds, and is fast becoming a local landmark.
The plane has been entirely refurbished to look like the real McCoy, complete with traditional camouflage colours, decals and other finishing touches, such as lights to replicate the afterburner effect. There’s even a pilot and an emergency parachute.
Designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation, these French fighter and attack aircraft were used by the South African Air Force during the Border War.
Gordon told the Brakpan Herald the plane was found on a farm in Nigel and the owners initially rejected his purchase offers.
When he was finally able to acquire the plane, it was clear the restoration was going to be a significant endeavour.
“She was in a terrible state with bullet holes and all sorts. It was a major undertaking,” said Gordon.
The plane was carefully transported by Gary Freeman’s Smart Machine Moving and Rigging to Techneil’s factory in Elandsfontein where between May and November last year, it was refurbished by Neil Fenton’s Techneil team.
It was then transferred, again by Smart Machine, to the airfield, where Fenton and Freeman’s teams mounted the plane outside Gordon’s hangar or ‘Man Cave’.
The plane was officially unveiled in December, and shares the space with another of Gordon’s restoration projects.
This plane, the first Mirage F1 acquired by Gordon, was found in a factory in Heidelberg.
It too was rebuilt by Techniel, between May and October 2019, and then put on display. Both Mirages were built around 1980.
These planes are just two of Gordon’s prized possessions, and his Man Cave boasts a museum-worthy collection of memorabilia and souvenirs of all things aviation.
From books and model airplanes, to photos and paintings of famous pilots, Gordon’s hangar is a treasure trove of collectables, and draws interest from visitors, veteran and trainee pilots and other enthusiasts.
“Much of it has been bought, begged for, borrowed or stolen,” he said of his collection.
Gordon considers each and every piece beautiful and doesn’t have a favourite.
He also has a love for fast cars, and has a spectacular collection of these too, including Jaguars, an Aston Martin, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini.
Gordon describes the hangar as his second home, and he can be found there most Saturdays.
A pilot for decades, Gordon also owns two planes – a Piper Arrow 200 and a Nanchang Dragon.
He completed his first solo flight in May 2000, and has been a familiar face at the airfield for many years, where he is always on hand to share his wisdom with aspiring pilots or to talk shop with other enthusiasts.
“I did my training here, it’s a lovely airfield and I love it here. I’ve been to many all over the country, and this is by far the nicest,” he said.
A medical condition now prohibits him from flying solo, but he still takes to the skies with a safety pilot.
The 1956 British biographical film Reach for the Sky about Sir Douglas Bader kick-started Gordon’s passion for planes and flying.
“I watched it when I was nine years old, and fell in love with airplanes. It’s a wonderful film and book,” he said.
The film is the true story of RAF Group Captain Bader who, after having lost both legs in an accident, went on to fly a British fighter plane during World War Two.
Bader was shot down over France and captured. He made a number of escape attempts and was eventually sent to the prisoner-of-war camp at Colditz Castle, where he remained until the camp was liberated in April 1945.
Gordon, who originally hails from England, has a long military family history, and wanted to join the Royal Airforce once he completed school.
“My grandfather died in the First World War, and my father was in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War,” he shared, adding that he was ultimately unable to join the air force due to medical reasons.
“I did, however, once get to enjoy a wonderful month with the Royal Airforce, and later I was in the Territorial Army but I never saw any combat,” he said.
In 2023, Gordon experienced a dream trip for any World War Two history buff when he toured the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France.
He also visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, which honours American troops who died in Europe during the war.
“It was tragic looking at all those crosses, all those young men who died,” he said.
Gordon’s job saw him arrive in South Africa in 1980. After being retrenched in 1993, he started his own business and was later able to pursue his love for flying. He still owns the Benoni-based business.
Throughout the years he has made many friends in the aviation world, including the legendary Spitfire pilot John Martin, who was a lieutenant in the South African Airforce during World War Two.
They met through a mutual connection and became firm friends. John died in 2019.
“I loved him dearly,” said Gordon, who now proudly displays John’s medals and logbook in his Man Cave.
One of the planes most admired by Gordon is the Boeing 707, predecessor to the 747, the first successful commercial passenger jetliner.
His job saw him travelling all over the world and he was a regular passenger on the 707.
“It was a beautiful plane. Very quiet,” he noted.
For Gordon, flying expresses a strong sense of freedom and offers the ability to explore the world.
“It’s wonderful to get in a plane and go for breakfast somewhere and then fly somewhere else for lunch. We go all over,” he said.
While Gordon has no plans for any future restorations, he can be proud of his own legacy of breathing new life into historical aircraft and preserving them for future generations.
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