South African Air Force Museum

The South African Air Force Museum or SAAF Museum has three branches in different locations. The Port Elizabeth South African Air Force Museum is located at Forest Hill Drive, Southdene, on the southern side of the city’s airport. It is home to exhibits that are related to history and memorabilia of the South African Air Force.

The Port Elizabeth museum has nine aircraft. These include helicopters, such as the Aerospatiale Alouette, Westland Wasp and III, and Aerospatiale Puma. Also on display are a jet fighter and trainer aircraft, such as the North American Harvard, Atlas Impala, de Havilland Vampire, Mirage F1, Supermarine Spitfire, Jorg IV Skimmerfoil craft, and more. The Airspeed Oxford, which is also one of the oldest jet fighters in South Africa, is also found here with plans for its restoration. There is restoration work also underway in the World War II hangar.

The SAAF Museum of Port Elizabeth has exhibits of models, photographs, and many other aircraft memorabilia. Besides, there is also a flight simulator dedicated and modeled to the SAAF Buccaneer 415 that disappeared in 1969 in a training exercise. One can have a real-life experience in this simulator that can be booked in advance.