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Intaf accumulated quite an impressive squadron
of aircraft including a beautiful twin engine Cessna 420. The remainder of the aircraft
were single engine Cessnas, mainly 172, 182 and 206, accommodating 3 to 5 passengers. The
air wing had been started long before the war with one aircraft and the fleet had
gradually grown. Initially they were used for flights over the districts so that the
District Commissioner and his staff could more efficiently plan development such as roads,
dip tanks and especially soil conservation. Members of the tribal land authorities
were
also taken up to see for themselves the ravages of soil erosion.
As
the war intensified the aircraft became more and more useful and clocked up many thousands
of hours. After the enemy started its use of heat seeking surface to air missiles, the
Intaf fleet was painted a dull dark green colour in common with the Viscounts of Air
Rhodesia. One of our aircraft was blown up by a mine on an airfield and one was shot down
but the pilot, wounded though he was, managed to make a successful forced landing and
survived to fly again.
(Webmaster: The young pilot killed by the mine
was Bryne Gardner. The wounded pilot was Russell Killner who was shot in the stomach
and landed normally, the aircraft was fine! )
Aircraft were used for conveying staff from their isolated keeps to district
headquarters, although we continued to use ground transport for the majority of the
journeys. The aircraft were also used for propaganda pamphlet drops and even for
reconnaissance purposes from time to time. The ultimate ambition of Secretary for Internal
Affairs, Don Yardley, was an aircraft for each district but we never got beyond 13 for the
51 districts. It was Don Yardley who initiated the pilot - training scheme for certain
District Commissioners and Provincial Commissioners. I never found out exactly how he
chose his trainee pilots but a privileged few received training and managed to get their
private pilot's licences. They were then able to fly themselves about their provinces or
districts, thus releasing the professional pilots for other purposes. However, the
acquisition of hours is very important for young professional pilots seeking to attain
their commercial pilot's licences and an official complaint was made that the newly
licenced amateur pilots were preventing them from accumulating their hours. Thereafter our
amateurs were only permitted to fly if a professional pilot was not available.
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