Legacy Conversations - Martin Louw - Mirage F1 pilot, SAAF
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Vossie Vorster, ex16Sdn Allo Flight Engineer talks with fighter pilot Martin Louw in a very interesting conversation. Lt Col Louw tells of his life as a fighter jock and later as a commercial pilot. There is an active appeal to get other SAAF members to talk and share their experiences so we can capture the legacy for the future. Subscribe and activate the bell to be informed of new episodes.
Vossie's email - Supertramp1@gmail.com
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Proud when you mentioned my father Maj Piet Roos who was the OC at 4SQN
Met Martin Louw at Kentron as a young engineer when a smart civilian project manager added a throughaway comment during a design review about why Kentron was going through all the trouble to develop missiles but the SAAF used the cannon instead to down the Migs in operation. His response was priceless - " if your missiles worked, we would have used them......" The atmosphere in the room was instantly transformed - here is someone who was actually at the front line calling on a weapon which wasn't up to scratch. What a straight forward no holds barred answer which hit the mark. Thanks for sharing your experiences in the SAAF and not shying away from the actual facts.
Amazing interview. Thanks so much for producing this Vossie. Total respect to Martin Louw. Beautifully presented.
Legends. I left the Air Force as a Major. Unfortunately not as an Air Force pilot but atleast I got to fly later on in life. Love these stories. 🛩️
It must have been in 1979, when I was flying jets for the USN as a Fighter RIO, that I was tired of the Cold War and wanted to play a more active role in combating Communism. I was also disgusted with the naive policies of the Carter Administration. To make a long story short, I was offered a short service commission as a Major in the SAAF, with an assignment flying Buccaneers as a navigator in 24 Squadron at Waterkloof. Theoretically, it would have been possible to obtain a Permanent Commission at a later point. I was told that I could expect a very high standard of living as a flyer in the SAAF; also, that I could anticipate flying combat missions against the Cubans after a short period of transition training. My family was making preparations to move to RSA when Rhodesia collapsed. I got a call from the S. African military attaché withdrawing the offer, saying that the SAAF had a moral obligation to take those Rhodesian Air Force officers who wanted to enter the SAAF. Having subsequently spent time in South Africa, and considering events since 1994, I think things worked out for the best for me and my family. What an outstanding officer Lt. Col. Louw proved himself to be!
You are welcome to come and tell your story under our guest channel, would love to hear this, 4xsamil@gmail.com, Koos
Hi Koos. Chris Coomer here (using the wife's login). A big thank you for this post. My favourite Legacy story for 2024 ! All the best Boet!
Thank you Martin for this incredible story and legacy for making it possible.
What a proud career! Thank you for sharing it
What an amazing interview, congratulations to you both.
What a delightful man; thank you for a great presentation.
Thanks a ton for the recollections of your career. What a career ! So fortunate to have flown when you did. Well done, Sir.
A SAAF legend. Great conversation. Thank you for your service, sir and thanks to Legacy for bringing quality viewing to UA-cam.
Thank you again to Martin Louw for this conversation! Great career... Martin flew a Harvard just recently at the SAAF Museum for the 75 Year Chopper Operations gathering at Swartkops! Pity we can't add photos here, Andrew Whitaker was there - he could have shared some of his photos!
Brilliant! Some stories I hadn't heard before
Thanks LT Col. That was very interesting. I was on Daphne submarines which was probably the slowest thing the SADF had. You were on F1 Mirages which was the fastest thing the SADF had. 😂😂
Met Maartin at 3 Squadron in 1988 - one of the best of the best pilots I know! Our air and ground crews worked extremely hard, but we made sure we had fun as well... The 3 Sqn family was also the best tour in my Air Force career of 41 years and 3 months! I WISH HIM WELL...
Come and tell your story please, we always looking for SAAF people, Koos
What an interesting story. And as Vossie said, these stories brings back soooo many memories - good & bad.
Amazing how Martin & I tread the same ground.
1. Same time in Helpmekaar Boys High School. (I was a 'koshuisbrak')
2. Both worked at Langebaan
3. Both worked at Swartkops on Harvards (and I will put my head on a block that I worked on & flew backseat in 7111 with Bart Hauptfleish)
4. Both worked at 4 Sqn
5. Both served under the command of Piet Roos
6. My other 4 Sqn OC was KC Lewis
.... and both did bush tours on Imps, etc, etc.
Thanks Rob... yes, I had the odd similar time too... on Imps and then onto Alo's!
My name is Cobus Nel. You may not remember me but I was a National Service Fitter Aircraft at 3 Squadron from. Nov 80 to July 82. I strapped you in many times during this time. I arrived at the squadron the week that a mirage was lost during a night flying sortie. Im delighted to learn that you had such a rewarding career as a aviator. I wish you well for the future
Awesome life storey!!! Thanks for your service!
Great career. Thanks Martin & Vossie for another great talk.
Martin you were truly blessed. Many war records have exceeded their limitations and are easy to talk about. So don’t hold back, the submariners are openly talking about their shenanigans !
Wow. What an interesting carreer. Thank you for sharing it. You must have been very bored flying the Antonov AN2 biplane as it is very slow. I did jump from an Antonov AN2 in the early 90's and it took forever to reach 8000 feet AGL.
What an amazing gentleman 👏
As an MSC Tech I signed his aircraft many times. In fact when 3 Squadron flew for the last time 30 September 1992, I signed for the last time "DD700" documents. Without the ground staff support, pilots carriers will never progress.
Wow, you lived my dream.. I wasn't interested to become a doctor or a lawyer. My dream was to become a Vlamgat... But live took me on a different road... Well done. I salute you..
Watching those magnificent men in their flying machines in Angola, during operations was an unforgettable sight and experience. I was on the ground in 1983.
Thank you Martin and Vossie.
Salute
Great video and talking to a SAAF legend
Awesome career.....Super Legacy !!
Well done Martin.
Salute.
Lovely video. I have good memories of Airforce Gym and Waterkloof
Awesome remarkable story, thoroughly enjoyed it! Looking forward to the books
Jannie Geldenhuis was a real people's guy. I was at Army HQ when he was there. He always had a good word for the guys doing guard duty.
One weekend he came to AHQ wearing a tracksuit and no ID. The guard didn't know who he was, so I was called to check this oom out. The guard kakked himself when he realized it was Jannie, but Jannie assured him he had done his job right and never let so meone in unless you know who they are.
A Buccaneer went down in Walker Bay between Hermanus. As far as I recall it was never found.
Before that two of us were canoeing in the lagoon at Voelklip Hermanus and this this buccaneer dropped down from the tree tops and right over the top of us. We could see the faces clearly. What shock.
An aviator par excellence!
When I was in the Army in Pretoria I went diving with some SAAF pilots. One was an Imp test pilot and the other flew Mirage.
The Mirage pilot was mad about diving and spearfishing. He had some stories about flying with all his spearfishing kit in the cockpit. The only way to fit the spear gun in was to put the point at his feet and the other end over his shoulder. I think he flew to PE and back like that.
Does anyone know who that Mirage pilot was? There can't be too many pilots like that.
🎉Thank you. Excellent 💪✈️
Obviously not another fighter jock, who I only met as Louwtjie Louw! Met him for a job interview in about 1991/2 for a job interview, when he was farming in the Orange River Valley. At the time, Louwtjie told us some interesting tales of his SAAF flying days, before he also went commercial. If he is still around, he would be about 80?
Reminds me of one Barry Marais, flossie pilot gone commercial, who in about 1990 became HR Manager at the SA National Council for the Blind. He would probably be in his 90's by now?
Most likely no longer around would be another two SAAF members whom I had dealings with in Marloth Park in the early 1990's.
Staff Sergeant Charlie Brown. One of his favourite sayings was "moenie jou poepstring skeur nie".
Genl(ret) Roux, who then was flying executive jet passengers for Anglo American; his house was named 'Rouxeloos'.
This reminds me of another old Marloth Park connection. 'Die brigadier se vrou' (Army?) who at the time ran a house maintenance service, except I cannot remember either a name or surname!
To complete the circle for Vossie. There was a record label 'Brigadiers' which was also involved in the film industry, run by one Albie Venter, whose Dad was actually the brigadier. For one of their movies they apparently "borrowed" a chopper from the SAAF, only to have a small accident involving the rear wheel? That was probably more in Oom At's days, maybe he can recall more?
Thanks for the mention... really interesting memories. Yes, I vaguely remember "Brigadiers"... I must go look in my SA vinyl pressings if I have any of their records!
Happy Birthday for the 13th
Such an interesting episode
Excellent!!!
Dankie SAW, Legacy ! Helloo almal
wow what a life😊
Martin 🎉I was a house friend of Johan du Plessis ✈️👍
Super interesting .
Vossie, were you at 6 squadron when the lady reported that an Impala crashed into the sea off North End?
No... but I was standing in the hangar door watching the Imp's return from their night flying sortie when the Imp crashed south of the runway - after the sea-mist rushed in... sad evening that!
Salute / Saluut.
Salute
Uitstekend. Wat n vervulde lewe!
Martin, of the friends you lost... the last one was maybe Colin Brits? Colin Brits was my cousin and he was killed!
Israel Krieger