Legacy Conversations - SAAF Steve Scott - Bosbok Pilot

We speak to Steve Scott, a pilot in the South African Air Force. He tells us about his career which included flying the Harvard, Impala jet, Bosbok, and DC3 Dakota. This episode is about his combat tours flying the Bosbok, a light single-engine scout aircraft often used with the elite units like 32Bn, Koevoet (Police Unit) and Special Forces. If you have questions for Steve, please leave them below. Subscribe and activate the bell to be informed of new episodes.
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[@riaannel2766]

I had a very interesting radio message one night doing National Service in 1991down on Margate Airfield .Our Bosbok pilot requested me to contact Durban Weather services and get the local weather around Margate, as the Bosbok was about to go on an night-ops in support of the Parabats. The weather advice, which was actually relayed by said Bosbok pilot in disguise, was a bit wonky, like 300 knots wind and so forth. But I relayed this info back to the Bosbok pilot. Two minutes later, I was asked for take-off clearance. I said "go ahead for take-off", I heard a engine roar and as I looked over the tent flap, I saw an SAAF Landrover on the runway, tearing through the dark accelerating for take-off, with arms coming out of it, flayling wildly to gain lift. My heart sank, I was had. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Yep, I was had, they had to make fun of the rookie. I look back fondly to this memory, even I was really dikbek that particular night. I took my job very very seriously. The Bosbok pilots where really some nice guys and I had a nice flight in the Bosbok later that week, down the South Coast.

[@riaannel2766]

To add, the Bosbok had a great big Garfield on its fuselage.

[@anderbotha9825]

Thanks for your service, we always got on well with the guys in blue. The pongos were a different story 🤣🤣

[@milesbrown8016]

Really awesome 😎

[@jameslesch7917]

Salute to you guys.......remembering guys like Richard Glynn

[@stevescott7375]

Rich was grand chap indeed, always time for everyone !

[@wollieerasmus9444]

Thanks Steve, I enjoyed your bit of remembering and presenting to us.

[@Cross-Country-Biker]

Thanks Steve and Koos. I Remember hearing the bosbok flying over after each time our base was revved to drop a pooitjie fakal to illuminate the area. Amazing to hear from a pilot of a Bosbok

[@johnbarnard3203]

Well done Steve, well said, I am not so sure about the mental capacity of a Prop. Really enjoyed the presentation brought back memories

[@manuelresendeferreira5701]

Great show. Huge Respect for the Bosbok pilots.

[@stanleyrobson4622]

Thanks Koos and Steve. Nice chat.

[@janharmlaas]

Dankie Steve, jy het my nou ver terug gevat!

[@chrismoll6862]

Dankie Manne!

[@Socialism_Sucks]

Thanks for the memories Steve and Koos. You have represented us very well Steve, we had a great time on Bossies.

[@johnphillips5607]

SAAF pilot - one of a kind. Enjoyed the interview very much. So young.

[@Antz_42]

Quinton Coetzee went to school with me, he studied survival whilst living with the bushmen and thereafter taught survival in the army. An amazingly gifted & pleasant guy.

[@Deonrossouw]

Nice memories Steve, send me a copy of the SAAFCOL pic, only realised we were together in Syndicate 3 when I saw it.

[@matthysjuys6884]

Thank you for bringing us this lovely story Koos and Steve. I was in the SAAF and served on many operations when MAOT's were allocated to special forces teams as a Radio Operator. I never met Steve, or I don't recall but I worked with Bruce Johnstone (my MAOT Commander & Bosbok driver) during Ops Askari where we operated with 32 Bn out of Omaoni (Spelling?? The place with the underground pub) and with Fred Peterson out of Rundu. Years later I worked with Bruce in Civilian Life again at Qwila Air. Indeed, those were interesting times, and I can concur that Civilian Trained Pilots like myself, and SAAF Pilots had different outlooks and especially agree with some (very few though) real doos SAA Captains that were ex SAAF. However once I had a camp at AFB Ondangwa and my Civilian Check Ride & Instruments were due. I do not recall the Ops officer in charge but remember him taking me to "Col Spyker" who was base OC. He arranged for me to go to Windhoek Eros on a SWA Air Force Commando Flight where I did the check ride with Oom Swanie (DCA) at Eros! So I have good memories of my Diensplig in the SAAF.

[@sarelvandermerwe6713]

Great interview. Saw Bosbokkies land on "Oom Willie se pad" at Eenhana on occasion in 1977. At that stage in '77 there were no real facilities. The base consisted of a tent camp next to the road.

[@gavinmangnall1143]

thanks for this interview. was at potch for last 6 months of national service. transferred from Hoedspruit to potch was different from the jets to props but enjoyed it anyway. just before i klard out had a flip in a bosbok and it was great. done the rest of my camps there as well. i got transferred from the doggies to fire brigade and learnt a lot about the planes especially the rescue of a crash. it is a pity that steve did not mention the armaments' the bosbok could carry, some people would be surprised. thanks again.

[@craigcoffey2459]

Great to hear your story Steve. I am sure you will remember me, the two of us were in Milner High School together and both wanted to become pilots ... unfortunately I changed my mind ... which I later regretted. What I can say is that during my military service I was an artillery observation officer and spent many hours in Alouette Helicopters (also training other officers). In addition I managed to 'fly' a Bosbok during a training exercise in Lohatla where I flew for around 40 minutes thanks to a very kind pilot who was willing to teach me. Our target identification task was delayed due to ground operations so we had time to waste and I was taught to fly in 40 minutes 🙂. When the pilot eventually fired the rockets on the target (dive bombing!!!) I experienced an adrenalin rush like no other! So whilst I never became a pilot I certainly experienced flying. I will get your details from Koos because I would like to get in touch again. Thanks a lot Steve for your great interview and especially Koos for organizing these interviews! (Let's hope my comment remains this time ... because KZbin removed the last comment).

[@darrylweir7871]

Great to see you Steve. Thanks Colin Gibson for the link. Hope you well Steve. Take care bud.

[@stevescott7375]

Hi Darryl, trust well your side, keep safe !

[@royalordinance]

Came home to Birch Acres, noticed my mom and my sister next to the pool chatting with a bushy-haired rock star? I swear, honestly, he looked like Sammy Hagar. Anyway, long story short, I stopped frowning at this stranger cause he was a veteran Bosbok pilot and saw hundreds of remarkable actions. Excitement, sadness, rage, compassion, Everything. Such a non-descript aircraft made such a massive impact. A bit like Rhodesia/SA.

[@michaelphillip8850]

Thanks for a most interesting interview. Comment was made about Atlas maintaining the aircraft and I suddenly remembered walking with Col MCGREGOR of the SAAF Museum on the Snake Valley base Swartkops. We passed a hanger where Atlas personnel were working on Cessna 185 aircraft. They were stripping them of Portuguese markings, maybe you could interview someone who flew those aircraft.

[@LegacyConversations]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH7VqpWmq8iLg8U Col Tony Smit

[@zirkspruyt6670]

Great interview loved the history and nostalgia. I have a Bosbok fully restored close to original as possible still in the original SAAF colours it is based in Nelspruit. It would be my privilige and pleasure if there are ex Bosbok pilots that want to come for a flight.

[@LegacyConversations]

@Zirk Spruyt - I passed this on to Steve - when the SAAF arrive, please make us some videos. Is a great initiative to keep a Bosbok restored, grateful for you, Koos

[@AW-rj6qf]

Salute / Saluut.

[@jandejong5307]

Great episode, very entertaining. Thank you.

[@gerhardmichau4829]

Thanks again Koos another great chat

[@Bettybroogh]

Great story!

[@kempvdwesthuizen9245]

A very interesting episode. Thank you Steve. I used to skydive (as a civilian) at the Pretoria Defence Parachute Club in the early 90's. Once the pilots were practicing flying in formation (next to each other) at Swartkops and took us up to do "Hop and Pops". If I am not mistaken, it was with Bosboks(could be wrong as skydivers never really new the planes, as long as it could take us up to jump out😂)

[@mazambaan]

Terrific thanks ....

[@mikejansen1515]

Yes, pilots did there best to bring back the planes in working condition. I was part of 3 sqn and eye witness to what happened to Athur Piercy's accident at Rundu. Sometimes these choices that the pilots had to make, they had seconds to do so. Arthur did that, and he has my respect. Great times. I had a trip in the Bosbok, from Rundu to Ondangwa, and boy oh boy, that thing is noisy and so slow, it felt like you can outrun it. But it was great experiences...the best.

[@cjovaras5566]

Hey Mike... we were together at 3 sqn as fitters ... and I was with you on that trip from Rundu to Ondangs ... low level all the way, what a flight that that was! I left the Saaf before AP's incident but heard about it . Do you remember that super low level fly past of Wehmeyer at WKLF when just you and I worked late to show him and Gagiano in after a late flight? Could have touched the F1 with a broomstick coming over the apron lol

[@mikejansen1515]

@@cjovaras5566 Hey dude, nice to hear from you. The man that organized the best eats from Bimbo's. Great stuff man. I left at the end off the war in 1990. We should get connected and catch up.

[@wehahnavibus5894]

Magic guy, met at 35 Squadron.

[@barrycoetzee3635]

I think it was in 1986, after a Golden Eagle at Punda Malea, the Mirages did little popups and afterwards a Kudu or Bosbok did a little shootup as well. Very entertaining. At Rundu I watched a Bosbok doing circuits and bumps. He got very bored I suppose and started doing landings on one wheel then the other. Flying a foot or so above the runway.

[@francoisloubser5467]

My instructor took his jacket out of the back seat and said he doesn't want me to burn it, and then sent me solo. He also told me if I do steep turns idling onto finals, I better know my blood group.

[@NickSchoonwinkel]

Parachute jumping is done at De Brug

[@cccmmm1234]

Another that ended up in NZ.

[@charlesspilhaus4357]

I thought the t- shirt looked familiar! Canterbury., New Zealand.

[@grahamwilliams5542]

I can't remember the exact year, but one of the bosbok planes that brought our beloved post to ennahna flipped, could be 1977 ? Can anyone help on this one

[@derekstuart9717]

Steve, what a wonderful talk. Was the Bosbok ever used as an air OP for the artillery as far as you are aware ? BTW, I also met my Afrikaans wife of 43 yrs in Potch while doing national service.

[@stevescott7375]

Doubt there was any FAC in anger etc, but was aways interesting/fun training ! Keep safe out there, cheers

[@Socialism_Sucks]

@@stevescott7375 Hi Steve, long time. Great chat. Just a correction here, Richard Glynn was shot down doing FAC - directing the G5s and G6s onto 47 Brigade along the Lomba river. In the back of the aircraft was (if I recall correctly) Johann du Randt (Comdt) from 4 Art. Time for a beer mate - I live in Wellington NZ now.

[@stevescott7375]

@@Socialism_Sucks Howdy Master, great to hear from you ! Txs for updating/correcting, glad you clarified...gotta catch up some time...cheers

[@louwvandermerwe178]

Dubbel A dubbel B