Springs Mine and Military Museum lands iconic SAAF Impala MK1

The Springs Mine and Military Museum (SMMM) continues to soar to new heights with the arrival of a South African Air Force Impala MK1, a rare and iconic addition to its growing collection.

The aircraft, initially manufactured in Italy, was donated by the Swartkop Air Force Museum (SAFM) on August 13 and is mounted at the local museum as one of the centrepieces for visitors to admire and learn from.

This publication was invited to witness the process of fetching and transporting the aircraft from the Swartkop Museum in Pretoria. The SAFM houses a diverse collection of military artefacts that reflect the rich history of SA and the world.

SMMM founder Tony da Cruz is leading efforts to preserve this history. His extensive research has equipped him to share these important stories with younger generations, brought to life through the museum’s many exhibits.

During the trip to Pretoria, seven other supporters of the museum accompanied Da Cruz, including curators Errol Brits and DJ Goosen, sea cadets leader Chris Hand, and Allan Pollastrini. Delmas Crane Hire was present to do the safe transportation of the aircraft.

Da Cruz explained how the museum came to receive this donation.

“After receiving the Mirage 3 in November last year, we illustrated to our donor, the SAFM, that we are serious about the restoration promise and passionate about growing the museum as a youth education point and tourist destination. The Mirage restoration impressed them, and they rewarded us with further donations.

“It is an apex display in our collection, and with the Mirage 3, they are a major drawcard for tourism and school groups doing educational tours,” he said.

He spoke about the aircraft’s history, saying that the Atlas Aircraft Corporation built it under license from the original Aermacchi MB-326. The first 16 were built in Italy. The logistics part of the donation went well, according to Da Cruz and Hannes Greyling from Delmas Crane Hire.

“The aircraft attracted a lot of attention on the R21 and N12. The assembly of the wings took a bit longer than expected because the connections were rusty from years of exposure to moisture and rain.

“But, ultimately, it all fell into place. The mounts planted 48 hours earlier had also set hard enough to carry the 3 200kg load when the plane was put into place,” da Cruz said.

Greyling, having done this five times, said transporting military artefacts is easy.

“It is just like another day at the office. We used our 30-ton crane, which made the job easy.”

He also talked about why they need to be involved in this project.

“We choose to be involved in this museum because it is a part of our heritage. When we preserve it, our children will get to enjoy this history and know where we come from,” Greyling said.

Da Cruz said the aircraft’s interior would be restored in a few months.

“Visitors will be able to access the cockpit and sit in it for photo opportunities,” he said.

He thanked the team that helped mount the aircraft and Delmas Crane Hire for their continued support.