Hawker Hurricane Mk I, 277 'Q', N° 1 Squadron, Port Reitz, Kenya, June 1940.

Hawker Hurricane Mk I, 277 'Q', N° 1 Squadron, Port Reitz, Kenya, June 1940.

On the 12th September 1940, nine ex-RAF Hurricanes were delivered to Cape Town aboard the mv “Rochester Castle". They were ferried from the docks to Wingfield, for assembly at the newly formed N°9 Air Depot. The first of these assembled Hurricanes was ready for test flying by the 20th September. After assembly, these nine Mk1’s received the SAAF serials of 278 - 286, and after successful test-flights the aircraft departed for Pretoria. 

The first eight aircraft arrived at Waterkloof Air Station at 12:30 on the 2nd October 1940. Led by Major Wilmot, they had left Wingfield on the 1st October for Beaufort West, covering the 271 miles in 1 hour and two minutes. From Beaufort West they departed for Kimberley and covered the 280 miles in an hour and seven minutes. The third leg was flown to Waterkloof the following day, in 1 hour and 17 minutes. The ninth Hurricane, (286) which had initially been left behind at Wingfield, due to radiator trouble, arrived at Waterkloof Air Station on the 6th October, having been piloted by Capt. Frost . They were all taken on strength by N°3 squadron, which had been newly formed at Waterkloof on the 9th September 1940. 

Under the command of Major L.A. Wilmot, once the formation of the new squadron was completed, they flew these nine Mk1’s to Nairobi, Kenya. Departing Waterkloof Air Station, on the 16th October 1940, the aircraft numbers and their respective pilots, for the flight north were: 285 – Maj. L.awrence Aubrey Wilmot; 280 – Capt. John Everitt Frost; 278 – 2/Lt. S.D. Marsh; 279 – 2/Lt. John Philip Upton; 281 – 2/lt. W.J.A White; 282 – 2/Lt. F.R. “Frikkie” Glover; 283 - 2/Lt. H.M. Torr; 284 - 2/Lt. Robert Harold Carlisle “Bob” Kershaw; 286 - 2/Lt. J. Hewitson.

Sources: 
War Diaries of: Waterkloof Air Station; N°9 Air Depot, Wingfield; N°1 sqdn; N°3 sqdn. 
SA Flyer article: "Whatever happened to South Africa's Hurricanes?" by Dave Becker.
"85 Years of South African Air Force" by Winston Brent.
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