Strana 42
EV421, Maj. Daniel B. Hauptfleisch, No. 2 Squadron SAAF, North Africa, late 1942
FR312, F/O Maurice N. Matthias, No. 112 Squadron RAF, Cutella, Italy, April 1944
No. 2 Squadron of South African Air Force was
formed in January 1939 and equipped with
Hawker Hartbees. From its establishment,
the unit was involved in every single combat
action in which the SAAF took part. The Flying
Cheetahs, as the unit was called, made a
name for itself in the battles for East Africa,
before distinguishing itself in North Africa as
part of the Desert Air Force, and later in Italy.
The squadron was reformed in Kenya on
October 1, 1940, flying Hurricanes and Gladiators
II. After it moved to Egypt, the unit received
Tomahawks IIb in April 1941 and Kittyhawks were
received from May 1942. In 1943 the squadron
moved to Sicily, then Italy, where they were
re-equipped with Spitfires which they flew
until the end of the war. Maj. Daniel Benjamin
“Hoefie” Hauptfleisch was commanding officer of
Flying Cheetahs in late 1942, flying his Kittyhawk
adorned with the unit’ s badge, the outline
of Africa continent with jumping antelope.
In 1943 Hauptfleisch was moved to No. 5
Squadron.
No. 112 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Air Force
which served in both first and second World War.
After the Squadron was re-formed on May 16,
1939, on board the aircraft carrier HMS Argus,
its first destination was Egypt. It was the first
unit on the Allied side to adopt the shark mouth
on their aircraft, which secured them the name
“The Shark Squadron“. This happened after the
unit received their first Tomahawks in July 1941.
This aircraft having a nose more than suitable
for the painting of the shark mouth. The unit
was the first in the world to become operational
with this type and used its successor, Kittyhawk,
until June 1944, when it started to receive
Mustangs III. After the invasion of Sicily on July
10, 1943, the squadron moved to the island and
onto the Italian mainland in September. The
squadron remained in Italy at Lavariano as
part of the occupying forces, until disbanding
on 30 December 1946 at Treviso. This aircraft
took part in combat over Rieti airfield on April
7, 1944 when it was flown by F/O Maurice Neville
Matthias.
KITS 05/2026
INFO Eduard42
May 2026