By Dean Wingrin

 

Photos have emerged on the internet of an ex-South African Air Force (SAAF) Boeing 707 being scrapped in 2014.

 

The SAAF operated five Boeing 707 aircraft as long-range transport, air refuelling tankers and electronic warfare aircraft until 2007 when the last of the aircraft was retired, with aircraft 1419 flown to the SAAF Museum, Swartkop, on 2 November 2007. This aircraft is still on public display.

 

Following retirement of Boeing 707-328C (KC) serial 1417, the nose section was cut off for display at the SAAF Museum, AFB Swartkop in May 2010, with the rest of the fuselage, stripped of parts, earmarked for scrapping.

 

It would appear that the fuselage of 1417 lay for quite some time at  AFB Waterkloof, largely forgotten until photos emerged this week of the it being torn apart by plant of an aircraft scrapping company, apparently in 2014.

 

The acquisition of three Boeing 707's in March 1982 was the result of a ten year project undertaken to provide the SAAF with a dedicated air-to-air refuelling capability and it fell upon 60 Squadron to undertake this responsibility when the unit was reformed at AFB Waterkloof on 16 July 1986. The fleet grew to five aircraft with the acquisition of two more Boeings in 1990 and 1992 respectively. An electronic warfare and early warning capability was added to the unit's primary responsibility.