Friends Of The South African Air Force Museum

27/03/2026

Good day everyone,

Please note that due to urgent roadworks at Swartkop, the base will be closed over this weekend to the public, as well as to the FSAAFM.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

25/02/2026

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED.

Hello Cape Town. This is a message from the (volunteers) Friends Of The South African Air Force Museum at Ysterplaat Air Force Base in Cape Town.

Who would like to become part of a really cool volunteer organisation that works on historical South African Air Force aircraft.

We have a fantastic team of volunteers who give up there time on Saturdays to help run this "hidden Gem" museum in the heart of Cape Town.

We need willing and able people, young and old, men and women to join our team. We need tour guides, braai masters, sales staff, parking attendants, handymen, researchers, mechanics and many more.

Our restoration team is always in need of assistance Our hangars need attention, cleaning and painting on a regular basis.

So who is willing to put their hand up, stick there neck out and become part of thee most passionate bunch of dedicated volunteers in CT

All you have to do is either pop down on a Saturday morning and ask for Norman otherwise reply to this ad or contact Norman Larsen directly on 083 698 1943. I can assure you, you wont be disappointed and it's fun.

The FSAAFM is a non profit organisation run and staffed by volunteers dedicated to helping the South African Air force Museum preserve the heritage of the SAAF. We have three branches, one in Pretoria, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

22/02/2026

HELLO CAPE TOWN.

WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY OTHER THAN PREPARE TO WITNESS THE ROAR OF FREEDOM AND THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE.

FIRST TIME FOR 2026 WE BRING YOU THE AMAZING SHACKLETON GROUND RUN THIS COMING SATURDAY 28th FEBRUARY 2026 WHERE YOU WILL FEEL THE FORCE OF THE WIND AND THE SMELL OF AVIATION.

The "Friends of the SAAF museum" Ysterplaat have the pleasure and honour of inviting every aviation enthusiast and others to witness another one of our spectacular OPEN DAYS with a twist at Ysterplaat Air Force Base. This is something you do not want to miss as it's an iconic aircraft with 4 engines and with contraroatating propellers. She is one of only 2 left in the world that feeds the wind through her propellers where ours is by far the most active. The sound and the smell is just goosebump material.

You will be welcomed on arrival by the passionate volunteers showing you were to park and where to enter the museum. You will need to sign in and then we ask you from the bottom of our hearts to please give a donation no matter how small. Our Grand Old Lady is a very thirsty lady and she continuously needs topping up of her tanks so we can keep hearing the roars of her RR/Griffon engines. We have card machines so no need to scratch around for cash at the last minute.

Whats available you may ask. Well. Barista Coffee to begin with, cooldrinks, juices, snacks and then later on Craft Beer from the Shackleton Breweries company and award winning wine from Stettyn Family Vineyards for you to taste and purchase. Then of course our world famous boerewors rolls and delicious gourmet beef and cheese burgers will be on sale for a steal.

Just please try to be at museum by 9.15 am. It does take a while to get a large excited crowd through the museum before we all head off to watch our Shackleton break the morning silence. Once the Ground Run is complete, you will get a chance to take a walk through her and other SAAF museum aircraft.

That's pretty much it. Thanks so much, take care and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday. If you have a questions, you can give Norman a call on 083 698 1943 or myself John on 082 922 7099. Till then, have an awesome week. Ciao.

18/02/2026

HELLO EVERYONE. WE ARE BACK. SONA DONE AND DUSTED AND WE ROARING TO GO.

The Flight Deck and Cabin Crew of the South African Air Force Museum at Ysterplaat cannot wait for this coming Saturday's Open Day the 21st March. Come on CT. Bring it on.......

We really are a true hands on working aviation museum in the very heart of Cape Town. So, whether you’re a history buff, an aviation enthusiast, or a family looking for an educational and exciting outing, please come visit us on Saturday. Entrance is 100% free. Just a small donation would be very welcome.

Oh and then of course almost forgot. We have our new Barista joining us on Saturday for the first time. Pretty damn good coffee so been told. Check the photos out.

We are open from 9am till 2 pm with last "Big Boys hangar tour" leaving around 1pm. We have our awesome hamburgers and boerie rolls for sale with plenty other refreshments available, memrobilia shop with t shirts and caps amongst plenty other items to get your hands on.

So why not pop down on Saturday morning. You will be met by our friendly parking attendants welcoming you and showing you were to go and then you will meet Michael who will give you the run down for your visit.

Thank you very much and we look forward to meeting you on Saturday. Until then, enjoy the rest of your week and stay safe. First officer signing off. 🫡

18/02/2026

🛠️ Restoration Update: Canberra 457
We made some fantastic progress this past Saturday! The team was busy on all fronts:

• Jan and Ian spent the day deep-cleaning the cockpit using a high-powered compressor and vacuum combo. It was incredibly satisfying to see the dust of decades finally clearing out, the results speak for themselves! 🌬️🧹

• Dolf took on the massive task of removing the wing tips for repair. With most of the bolts and screws completely rusted, this was no small feat! 🛠️🔩

• Dirk put in a solid effort working on separating the canopy from the frame. It proved to be a stubborn job for the tools on hand, so he’ll be back at it this coming Saturday with a fresh set of bits to get the job done!

A huge thank you to Jan, Ian, Dolf, and Dirk for the hard work, and to Francois for keeping the team fueled with some legendary pizza! 🍕🙏

Want to get involved?
We’ll be back at it again this Saturday to repeat the cleaning process and tackle the canopy again. All are welcome to join the crew, whether you’re a pro with a vacuum or just want to see this beauty up close, we’d love to have you there!

Help us reach the finish line ✈️
Restoring a piece of aviation history like the Canberra 457 takes more than just elbow grease; it takes resources. If you can’t make it down to the hangar, please consider supporting our BackaBuddy campaign. Every bit helps us preserve this icon for future generations.

🔗 BackaBuddy Link in the first comment below! ⬇️

See you Saturday!



*** A huge thank you to for capturing the restoration process in images

12/02/2026

Our Canberra Restoration Project team at the Swartkop branch needs your help to restore our beautiful Canberra to her former glory!

"We are a group of dedicated volunteers at the SAAF Museum, Swartkop with a mission to restore the SAAF Canberra 457, affectionately known as "Oom Daan se GT", to international museum standards.

English Electric Canberra 457 is a rare hybrid: originally built as a B2 in 1953, converted to a T4 trainer, and later modified back to a B2 configuration by the SAAF.

While she will not fly again, our goal is to achieve a level of aesthetic and technical perfection that makes her the finest static display of a Canberra globally. We are preserving the legacy of the "Oom Daan se GT" legend, the bomber that once outran the rest of the formation due to her lighter frame, ensuring her history inspires future generations."

We are a dedicated collective of retired South African Air Force (SAAF) technicians, pilots, and ground crew based at the SAAF Museum, Swartkop. Our ...

12/02/2026

CLOSED.....CLOSED...CLOSED

THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE MUSEUM AT YSTERPLAAT AIR FORCE BASE IS CLOSED THIS WEEKEND DUE TO SONA AND AIR FORCE OPERATIONS.

WILL BE OPEN ONCE AGAIN ON SATURDAY 21ST FEBRUARY

The FSAAFM is a non profit organisation run and staffed by volunteers dedicated to helping the South African Air force Museum preserve the heritage of the SAAF. We have three branches, one in Pretoria, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

04/02/2026

Once again greetings from the Flight Deck and cabin crew of the South African Air Force Museum at Ysterplaat.
We are having an OPEN DAY this coming Saturday 7th February at our museum at the Ysterplaat Air Force Base and we want you to come visit us.

We really are a true hands on working aviation museum in the very heart of Cape Town. So, whether you’re a history buff, an aviation enthusiast, or a family looking for an educational and exciting outing, please come visit is at the SAAF Museum. Entrance is 100% free. Just a small donation would be very welcome.

We are open from 9am till 2 pm with last "Big Boys hangar tour" leaving around 1pm. We have our awesome hamburgers and boerie rolls for sale with plenty other refreshments available, memrobilia shop with t shirts and caps amongst plenty other items to get your hands on.

So why not pop down on Saturday morning. You will be met by our friendly parking attendants welcoming you and showing you were to go and then you will meet Michael who will give you the run down for your visit.

Thank you very much and we look forward to meeting you on Saturday. Until then, enjoy the rest of your week and stay safe. Captain signing off. 🫡

29/01/2026

Some of the more recent progress on the Canberra 457 restoration project, including the removal of the wingtip tanks, other general restoration tasks and cleaning in the hangar and surrounding area, a huge thank you to all involved!

Photo credits to Kyle Carbonell

19/11/2025

HELLO CAPE TOWN. THE FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE MUSEUM ARE ONCE AGAIN AT IT. ANOTHER OPEN DAY THIS COMING SATURDAY 22nd NOVEMBER AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE MUSEUM AT YSTERPLAAT AIR FORCE BASE IN CAPE TOWN..

If you still not sure what to do with the family on Saturday, then there is only one place to be. We look forward to welcoming you all to our amazing "hands on" hidden gem museum.

We are open from 8.30am till 2pm with the last tour to the Big Boys hangar leaving at 1pm. ENTRANCE IS FREE, just a small donation would be very much appreciated.

On arrival, you will be welcomed by our parking attendants who will show you where to park and where the entrance is to sign in and be given a quick run down where everything is and what's going to happen while you visit us.

Our famous boerwors rolls and hamburgers will be on sale of course with plenty other snacks, cooldrinks, Shackleton beer, Stettyn wines and our barista coffee. Our memrobilia stand will also have everything on display to buy as well as museum t shirts and caps.

We the passionate volunteers look forward to your arrival on Saturday. I can assure you, you won't be disappointed. Anyone who would like to join our team, then please ask for Norman or Janis and they will get you sorted to become a member.

Thanks very much CT. Enjoy the rest of the week and see you soon.