Zingi Harrison

WW2 Spitfire Fighter Pilot Zingi Harrison tribute page

Hi and welcome to this site;

I met Gary Harrison via the internet and he was so kind to let me scan and copy all his late dad's war service memorabilia. We subsequently decided to construct this tribute page in memory of Zingi Harrison.

Neville Claude Harrison joined the SAAF in early 1942. He was selected for pilot training and eventually ended up in No. 2 Fighter Squadron in Italy for operational service, June 1944.

Zingi flew Spitfires and finish his 200 hour operational tour in 1945. He flew mainly ground strafing and dive bombing sorties as well as bomber escort and recce sorties. Zingi's aircraft was hit on several occasions by enemy ground fire while flying on operations.

Zingi was demobilised after the war and had a successful career in aviation where he was a founder member of the Pretoria Light Aircraft Company. On retirement he built a replica Sopwith Pup (flown by his dad in WW1), one of only 4 flying Pups in the world.

Zingi passed away in 1999.

1944/45: Spitfire fighter pilot in Italy

1943: pupil pilot

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 Zingi in 2 squadron, photographs, stories etc. Please e-mail me. Most welcome will be any photographs of No. 2 squadron while Zingi was with them.

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

August 2013

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ZINGI'S FLYING LOG BOOK

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ZINGI'S PHOTOGRAPHS

Gary meeting his dad's Squadron commander Stewart "Bomb" Finney, DFC and bar. Cape Town 2014

Military career

25/02/1942 I.T.W. and A.T.W. 75 AS

22/06/1942 SA Military College

08/10/1942 A.F.V.

09/01/1943 5 AS Witbank, 80 h Tiger Moth

18/01/1943 First solo

03/04/1943 25 AS Standerton, 155 h Miles Master

11/06/1943 Accident with Miles Master while taxi, pulled up UC instead of flaps

??/08/1943 Qualify as pilot and obtain wings

23/08/1943 MAF Depot

18/12/1943 11 OTU Roberts Heights, Harvards and Kittyhawks

08/01/1944 11 OTU Isipingo

30/01/1944 ZAS Roberts Heights

22/03/1944 ALAMASA SAAF base camp Cairo

25/03/1944 Conversion course Ismalia, Hurricanes, Harvards

26/04/1944 Advance base Bari

15/05/1944 4 Aircraft delivery unit, Bari

28/05/1944 7 Wing training flight, Spitfire 5

20/06/1944 2 Squadron, Italy, Spitfire 9

18/07/1944 Aircraft damaged by small arms fire

11/10/1944 Aircraft damaged by flak

14/03/1945 Aircraft damaged by flak

23/03/1945 End of operational tour, completed 200 ops hours, returned to South Africa.

Zingi (R) with his parents

In his Spitfire: DB-B "Zilla". The name refers to Mrs. Harrison who is still around at 91. Note the removed canopy.

TRAINING

Initial Training : glider flying at Kwaggapoort near Pretoria.

Flying Miles Master II at 25 Air School Standerton, service flying training.

Miles Master II

Operational Training Unit 11 Isipingo: Curtiss Kittyhawk

No notes on this photograph but it appears to be the wings parade or officer's promotion parade group photograph at 25 AS. It seems to be a Miles Master at the back. Zingi on the extreme right seated. Interesting occasion as Field Marshall Jan Smuts, Gen. Boetie Venter and Gen. Pierre van Ryneveld were present!