Warplanes of the Second World War preserved in Zimbabwe

Warplanes of the Second World War preserved in Zimbabwe

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document Warplanes from the Second World War preserved in Zimbabwe.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are as credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War in Zimbabwe would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

Vita vya Vita vya Pili vya Dunia vilihifadhiwa nchini Zimbabwe

Kusudi la wavuti hii ni kupata, kutambua na hati Warplanes kutoka Vita vya Pili vya Dunia vilivyohifadhiwa nchini Zimbabwe. Wachangiaji wengi wamesaidia katika uwindaji wa ndege hizi kutoa na kusasisha data kwenye wavuti hii. Picha ni kama sifa. Makosa yoyote yaliyopatikana hapa ni ya mwandishi, na nyongeza yoyote, marekebisho au marekebisho katika orodha hii ya Waliyosalia Warplane wa Vita Vikuu vya Pili vya Dunia nchini Zimbabwe vitakaribishwa zaidi na zinaweza kutumwa kwa barua pepe kwa mwandishi huko hskaarup@rogers.com.

Gweru Military Museum

de Havilland Tiger Moth (Serial No. SR26).  This aircraft is painted in the markings of the first Tiger Moth delivered to the Southern Rhodesian Air Force, ex-RAF (Serial No. DX658).  It is reported that 18 of these Aircraft were delivered in the late 1940s and early 1950s

Douglas C-47A Dakota (Serial No. 3708).  An ex Royal Air Force (Serial No. KN538), this Dakota was delivered to Rhodesia in 1955 becoming either RRAF (Serial No. 157) or RRAF (Serial No. 158), later RRAF (Serial No. 708).

(Dave Panton Photo)

North American Harvard Mk. IIA (Serial No. SR48).  This Harvard is an ex-South African Air Force aircraft supplied in the early 1950s to the Southern Rhodesian Air Force.  Many of this type were used during the War to train pilots for the Royal Air Force under the Empire Air Training Scheme in Rhodesia.

(Bob Adams Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 22 (Serial No. PK355).   On display at the Gweru Military Museum, Gweru, Zimbabwe since 1993.  PK355 was built at the Castle Bromwich factory, Birmingham and delivered to the Southern Rhodesian AF as (Serial No. SR.65) on 28 March 1951, it transferred to the Royal Rhodesian AF as RRAF65 in October 1954.  After its active service PK355 was initially displayed at the Bulawayo Museum from June 1955 to 1957, then went on to be displayed mounted on a plinth at Thornhill Air Base, Rhodesia between 1960 and 1981.  Displayed between 1981 and 1990 at New Sarum Air Base in the Zimbabwe Air Force Museum before transferring to its current location.

(RRAF Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 22 (Serial No. SR60), Royal Rhodesian Air Force ca 1954.

(Philip Evans Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 22 (Serial No. PK350).  It was originally delivered to the Southern Rhodesian Air Force as (Serial No. SR64), on 28 March 1951.  Delivered to Royal Rhodesian AF as (Serial No. RRAF64), October 1954.  Withdrawn from use, 18 December 1954 . Displayed on pole at New Sarum Air Base, Rhodesia, from 1969 to 1977.  Acquired by Captain Jack Malloch, Air Trans Africa, Salisbury, Harare, Zimbabwe, 1977.  It was rebuilt to airworthy condition at Salisbury, first flight 29 March 1980.  Painted as (Serial No. PK350), coded JM-M.  This aircraft ran into a severe hailstorm during an air-to-air photo shoot, crashed and was destroyed at Goromorzi, near Harare, Zimbabwe, killing the pilot on 26 March 1982.

(K. Kemsley Photo)

Supermarine Spitfires at Cranbourne starting up.  An Anson and a Tiger Moth are visible in the background. Circa the time the SRAF became the Rhodesian Air Force.

‍