27 Squadron SAAF 27 Squadron was established as a World War II maritime patrol squadron of the South African Air Force . It was disbanded after the war and resurrected in the same role from 1951 to 1958 . Its final period of service was from 1962 to 1990 when it was finally disbanded when its Piaggio Albatross aircraft were de - commissioned . History . 27 Squadron was founded on 24 August 1942 at Eerste Rivier , out of the aircrew and ground staff of 8 Squadron which had been disbanded the month before . It was placed under control of the RAF ' s Coastal Command and employed as a coastal reconnaissance / patrol unit , flying Lockheed Ventura Mk . IV aircraft , performing convoy escort and anti - submarine warfare patrols , or conducting operations off the South African west coast . One flight was based at Aus and the rest of the squadron flew from Walvis Bay and Rooikop in the Mandate territory of South West Africa . Between February and April 1943 a squadron detachment was deployed to Darling in the south western Cape to patrol the northern and western approaches to Cape Town harbour . The Commanding Officer of 27 Squadron , Colonel Thys Uys , has been lauded for leading the “ Skeleton Coast ” rescue when the call for aid came from the helpless men , women , and children marooned on a desert beach . The men of the South African Naval Forces , the South African Air Force , the South African Army , the South African Police , the South African Railways and Harbours Administration and , last but not least , the Royal Navy , got together and , between them , pulled off what was an amazing rescue . As Field - Marshal J . C . Smuts would write , “ They overcame almost superhuman difficulties and , by sheer courage and determination , saved everyone , though two of the rescuers sacrificed their lives in doing so . We salute them , one and all . They proved themselves heroes . ” In June 1944 , the squadron was moved to the Western Mediterranean Theatre , where their Venturas were upgraded to Ventura Mk . Vs . One flight was based at La Senia in Algeria and commenced anti - submarine patrols on 18 July 1944 . A second flight was deployed to Hal Far in Malta , also on anti - submarine duties and re - joined the squadron in October 1944 . In November 1944 , one flight returned to AFS Swartkop in South Africa via Egypt , arriving home in January 1945 . The remaining flights were converted to Vickers Warwick Vs and Vickers Wellington XIVs between February and March 1945 . By this time the squadron had been moved to Gianaclis in Egypt and were flying air - sea rescue missions until this duty was taken over by the Royal Air Force ' s 621 Squadron . After handing over to the RAF , the squadron returned to South Africa and was disbanded in December 1945 . The squadron was reconstituted at AFB Ysterplaat in January 1951 as a part - time maritime patrol unit , still equipped with Venturas Vs until 1958 when it was again disbanded . It remained inactive until October 1962 when it was re - established at AFB Ysterplaat for inshore maritime reconnaissance duties . It was initially equipped with Douglas C - 47 s and the squadron received Piaggio P - 166S Albatross maritime patrol aircraft in 1969 . On receipt of the new aircraft , the squadron moved to Cape Town International Airport from which it operated , as a maritime patrol squadron , until October 1990 when it was disbanded for the last time .