South African Airways Museum
Aviation Museum Complex
Dakota Crescent (south),
Airport Park, Germiston

Tuesday to Sunday 9.00 to 15.30 h
Admission:
Adults R 40.00
Children R 25.00

www.saamuseum.za.co
Tel. +27 (0) 76 879 5044

The museum is situated at the Rand airport in Germiston, near the end of runway 11. This is somehow fitting as it was the first airport built in the Johannesburg area before the war.

The museum was founded in 1986 by SAA employees and other interested people. It consists of a museum building with SAA memorabilia like uniforms, photos and models as well as a small shop.

The museum owns a number of static exhibits as well as some airworthy aircraft.

The oldest aircraft is a Lockheed Lodestar that was ordered for SAA at the beginning of the Second World War. Immediately after arrival it was taken over by the South African Air Force and used on a shuttle service between Egypt and South Africa. After the war it was one of 29 such aircraft operated by SAA until 1955 when it was sold and used for survey flights in Africa. In 1973 its registration was cancelled and the airframe was donated for museum use. For man years it was stored at Jan Smuts airport, where SAA apprentices restored it until 1975. When brought to the museum, it was first stored outside until a few ears ago a small shed was built that houses the Lodestar and the De Havilland Dove.

The Dove only served four years with SAA before being sold. After several transactions it ended up in England being used as a donator of spares to keep another aircraft in the air. It was possible to buy the remains and ship it back to South Africa on board some SAA 747, suitably dismantled. Again the apprentices of SAA did restore the remains to its present condition.

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar
ZS-ASN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

de Havilland DH 104 Dove
ZS-BCC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Vickers VC1A Viking ZS-DKH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

SAA operated eight Vickers Vikings for a short time after WW2. The aircraft on display never flew with SAA. After its flying days were over, it was placed on top of a Garage being a well known landmark. The museum managed to acquire it in exchange for an Avro Shackleton.

The Lockheed Starliner was serving with SAA only for a short time in 1965. It was leased from Trek airways to serve on the route to Australia. During that time it kept the colours of Trek airways.

In 2002 the museum requested SAA to make a Boeing 747 available. In 2004 the Boeing 747-244, registered ZS-SAN and named “Lebombo” was flown to Rand airport and landed on runway 11 that is just 15 metres wide and 1700 metres long. There is a video showing in the museum building of the arrival of the aircraft.

The second aircraft, a 747SP, registered ZS-SPC, named "Maluti" arrived in 2006.

Vickers VC1A Viking ZS-DKH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Vickers VC1A Viking ZS-DKH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Vickers VC1A Viking ZS-DKH (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Starliner before assembly (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Starliner engines (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Lockheed L1649A Starliner
ZS-DVJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 747SP-44 ZS-SPC "Maluti" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 747SP-44 ZS-SPC "Maluti" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 747-244B ZS-SAN "Lebombo" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Other aircraft on display are a Douglas C-54D-15-DC, a Douglas DC-4 Skymaster and a Boeing 737-219 Adv. There is a Fuselage section of a Boeing 707 and an A300 simulator.

Under cover together with the Lodestar and Dove is a Pietenpol Air Camper on loan from the Pretoria Boys High School Aeronautical Society as well as a Link trainer and sectionalised radial engine.

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas C-54D-15-DC ZS-PAJ "Helios" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Douglas DC-4 Skymaster ZS-AUB Outeniqua (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 737-219 Adv ZS-SMD
"Pukeko" (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Piper PA-23-250 Aztec. ZS-CWL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

In addition to the static exhibits, the museum also owns some airworthy aircraft. These are a CASA 352L (Junkers Ju 52/3m), a Douglas DC-3 Dakota and a Douglas DC-4 Skymaster which are airworthy. These aircraft are are leased to the company Skyclass Aviation, who operate them for charter usage.

It is unfortunately not possible to view these three aircraft.

Pietenpol Air Camper