WW2 SAAF Fighter Pilot Horse Sweeney tribute page
James Mackenzie Sweeney joined the South African Air Force in early 1941 and was selected for bomber pilot training, but later mustered as a fighter pilot. After he finished flying training he was sent to the Middle East where he joined up with No. 2 Fighter Squadron in November 1942.
Horse flew operations in North Africa with Kittyhawk aircraft mainly in a fighter/bomber role.
In mid 1943 the squadron moved to Italy . Here Horse flew operations with Spitfire V aircraft.
Due to an unfortunate crash landing Horse's operational tour was cut short and he spent several months in hospital to recover from injuries sustained and tropical illness.
In 1951 Horse participated in an eventful operational tour to Korea with 2 Squadron as part of an American formation. Again Horse was wounded in action and sent back to South Africa.
After the Korean war Horse had a long and successful career in civil aviation.
Pupil pilot 1941
This is a living web site. Any input and/or participation will be much appreciated regarding additional information, correctness, information from relatives of members who served with Horse, photographs, stories etc. Please e-mail me.
If you perhaps have a family member who served as a SAAF fighter pilot during WW2 and you would want to find out more about his war service please contact me, hopefully I can be of some help.
Tinus le Roux
October 2014
Elementary Flying training with Tiger Moths at Randfontein.
Military Career
17/01/1941 75 Air School Lyttleton, ground instruction
25/10/1941 2 Air School Randfontein, elementary flying training, 56 hours Tiger Moths
18/11/1941 First solo after 15h50
20/12/1941 22 Air School Vereeniging, service flying training, 101 hours Hawker Harts, -Audax's, -Hinds
28/01/1942 Crashed into Kommissie drift dam with Audax, Wonderboom.
16/03/1942 Land in field with a Hind, Aircraft turned on nose.
10/04/1942 Qualified for wings
03/05/1942 26 Air School Petersburg, advanced service flying training, 19 hours Miles Masters II
01/06/1942 6 fighter Squadron, Durban. 13 hours on Masters, Harvards, Mohawks.
01/09/1942 MAF depot
03/10/1942 SAAF Base Depot, Middle East
19/10/1942 53 RSU, LG 222, Middle East. 14 hours on Harvards, Tomahawks, Kittyhawks
06/11/1942 2 Fighter Squadron, Kittyhawks, Spitfires (tour: 28 sorties, 69 ops hours)
27/11/1942 First operational sortie
02/04/1943 Aircraft holed by ack-ack
29/04/1943 Force landed Kittyhawk "F" , "Mickey Mouse", ran out of fuel.
22/05/1943 Force landed Spitfire V "H"
26/08/1943 Engine caught fire, Spitfire V "G" burnt out
02/10/1943 Crashed on take-off, engine malfunction, injured. Spitfire V c, DB-R, JK517
03/10/1943 Hospitals in Tunis, Tripoli and Cairo
28/01/1944 MAF Depot
29/05/1944 62 Air School
08/09/1944 43 Air School
??
?? 24 Squadron
??/??/1950 2 Squadron flying Spitfires, Vampires and Mustangs
??/01/1951 2 Squadron operational service in Korea flying Mustangs (tour: 53 sorties, 146 ops hours)
02/05/1951 Aircraft hit but returned to base, Horse wounded, end of tour
VIDEOS
Video 1
Video 2
In the Noth Africa
Kittyhawk in the desert.
2 Squadron Kittyhawk in North Africa.
Flying Spitfires in Italy
SAAF Mustangs: Korea 1951