That sound of the Harvard....It was early one morning morning '92 when I was out on a boat patrol on Loskop Dam as a junior ranger. Suddenly the pitch of the Yamaha outboard motor changed. Perplexed I pulled back on the throttle just as two Havards thundered low overhead, splitting the air with their tremendous roar. I nearly fell out of the boat of shock! The bastards were sneaking up on me from behind, almost skimming the water! Overcoming my initial loss of dignity, I had to laugh at their audacity...I would have done the same if I was behind the stick!! I promised myself that one day I will fly in one of those legends. And so I did, thirty years later in 7306, looping and rolling and wishing it should never end! Thank you Havard Club for keeping the legend alive..

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Lovely story! Thanks for sharing. I hope one day I'll also get an opportunity to fly in one.

Thanks Al for this excellent video. It brought many memories back. I worked on these planes servicing them at Snake Valley, adjacent to Swartkops, as a national serviceman in June to December 1971, at Hanger No. 13. Great people I worked with and enjoyed every moment. It is indeed a lovely plane with a unique distinctive sound. ❤❤

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

It must feel good to be part of the chain of expertise that has kept them flying. Thanks for sharing.

My dad was flight sergeant Wallis he was stadiond at CFS Dunnoter i grew up with the sound of the havard. It brings back wonderful memories.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

It sure does. Thanks!

In 1971 when I did my National Service, I was based in Port Elizabeth next to 6th Squadron which had Harvard. The squadron was later, sadly, closed and the planes left PE and went to Swartkops AFB. Thanks for the memories Al. Another interesting episode.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks David! I know the internet is everywhere, but it warms my old analogue soul to think that this episode reached you so far away.

Great video Al. We lived with them overhead in Springs. A huge part of Springs history.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Tony! Just another thing that makes Springs special.

Thanks Al really enjoyed watching. Brings back many memories lying on my back on the lawn watching them doing stunts over Northcliff. 😊

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Magic! Thanks for sharing.

Some time ago i had a flight in one of those ladies(harvards)and i will tell you it was the best experience . Go on and support them. Well done to the club that keeps our heritage roaaaring in our South African sky!

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Well said!

What a great video showing the amazing work the Club does!!

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed it!

@ecomandurban7183

11 ай бұрын

❤

Thank you so much for this episode. As a child I slept to the sound of the Harvards doing their flyovers over Selcourt just down the road from the Dunnottar Air Force Base. When they were retired my heart literally broke. Knowing that some are out there still flying and still bringing joy, makes me very happy.......

@JustOfftheHighway

Ай бұрын

Great memories. Thanks for the lovely comment.

Incredible. That sound of the Harvard's is next level awesome. 😊😮

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Ulandi! You must bring the family to AFB Swartkop and hear them close up.

Great acknowlegement to my late husbands dream...he started the present Harvard Club....Arrie de Klerk

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thank you. I felt privileged to be able to make this episode.

Wonderful tribute 😢 Thank you ❤

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

Thank you for producing this Al I learnt to fly on Harvards on "Pupes Course 1/66: at CFS. A wonderful experience with many very clear memories. I joined the Harvard Club many years later and my re-introduction reawakened the sensations, the sounds the smells as if it had then, only been "yesterday" I continued ty fly those wonderful aircraft at every opportunity whilst pursuing my airline career. Sadly, I now live far away and these treasures are beyond my immediate reach. However I shall return. The Harvard is part of me.

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Beautiful comment. Thank you! I'm sure you'll return to fly them again.

This was very enjoyable. Thank you

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for your kind feedback.

Well done! Exelent content to create awareness for our flying history. Lekker kerels!

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Well done. love the storey's.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thank you. Glad you're enjoying.

I live in Wonderboom General Flying area and get to hear and see them prep for airshows quite often. The Harvards have a very unique recognizable sound which gives me goosebumps every time. Like authority from above.

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

"Like authority from above." Luvvit! Thanks for sharing.

We had thise harvards every saturday afternoon from Rand Airport. They dissapeared once the International flights to Jan Smuts took place. That was in the late 50's early 60's. Great memories. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

@JustOfftheHighway

Ай бұрын

In those days you could see Harvards and then also marvel at the first 747's.

Amazing video! Thank you so much for celebrating this worthy organisation ❤

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

And thank you for your positive and encouraging comment.

never forgot the sound. remember the formation of the planes in a 75 for the 75th anniversary of SAAF. was in the AirForce at hoedspruit and potch. love hearing the roar of a prop plane.

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Yes, I've seen photos of the 75. Wish there were still that many aloft. Thanks for your comment.

I also spent many school holidays at my uncle and grandparents house right on the boundary of the Ysterplaat air force base. So many Dakotas and Hercules flew in and out in the mid eighties and once in a blue moon we got to see the Shackleton too. Harvard's stand out because of that bright orange branding, love your channel and love the content!

@JustOfftheHighway

Ай бұрын

Thanks very much! Yes, I remember the same images and sounds from my childhood.

I knew nothing of these planes until I started looking at Heritage pleasure flights in the UK. What a classy looking & sounding plane with such history behind it. The hurricane & spitfire get all of the press, but hearing about the Harvard makes me want to learn more. Luckily,there is an option to take a flight in one. Living in Ireland it's a quick hop over to the UK to fulfil that dream of flying in a piece of WW2 history. Great show, lovely to hear the pride & passion you guys have.

@JustOfftheHighway

Ай бұрын

This comment made my day. Thanks! I hope you enjoy your flight.

I remember harvards flying from youngsfield aerodrome plumstead.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

They seemed to fill the Cape Town skies.

A big part of my childhood days!!!!

@JustOfftheHighway

8 ай бұрын

Mine too.

Al Prodgers, great video, thank you very much, they definitely owe you a flight

@JustOfftheHighway

6 ай бұрын

Thanks very much. I hope the club reads your comment! 😜

Loved the sound of those aircraft's

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Goosebumps! Thanks for your comment.

What a great episode. Well done and thank you

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Pleasure. Thanks for your comment.

Visited them at the beginning of the year,such great people and AIRCRAFT,my family hqs alot of history with the Harvard so she's definitely my favorite aircraft!😁

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment. I wish more people would go and get up close to these aircraft. It's very easy to fall a little bit in love with them.

@Wise_Wings

10 ай бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway I live for aviation and I'm hoping to go fly in one soon

Aaagh die zoom van die beyer... Hahaa.. yip we had them at Waterkloof Airforce Base... They would come and go. Just like flies filling the skies on a hot summers day. I was a firefighter then on standby...I just loved that gutterill noise they made on start up much like the old Dac...Just loved it when we had to remove the chocks from the wheels of the Dac at Rundu Airforce base in Caprivi Strip. Hah. But when these powerful Harvards took to skies in formation the sound was just awesome indeed... Hahaa... Long live those memories... Also as an olde Rhodie we never die. Yip we may fade a little but die... Impossible...Hahaa...We just mellow a little lika good old Brandy... Hahaa.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

So glad the episode brought back powerful memories.

We lived near Jan Smuts and used to hear them (and wimpish impalas) doing circuits & bumps from Denel.....

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment. I'm going to disagree on Imps being wimpish though. They were outdated but still formidable.

I live near the Ysterplaat Air force Base and used to watch these Harvards fly over our house with their distinctive engine sound. The propeller seems somewhat small to me. Wonder why ?

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

I like to go the Harvard Club and watch them do engine starts on Saturdays, even when they're not flying. Once that prop is turning it generates such power that the aircraft keeps trying to climb over the chocks keeping the wheels in place. Small, but impressive. Unfortunately, I don't know enough to understand why, though.

You should come down to the ysterplaat air base museum al and see the new projects going on there

@aviation-867

10 ай бұрын

Including my project which is two rare airforce powder fire extinguishers

@aviation-867

10 ай бұрын

From nearly a hundred years ago

@aviation-867

10 ай бұрын

@JustOfftheHighway we even have a Harvard and the running Shackleton 1722

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Hi Justin, thanks for your comment. I'm sending you an email.

🥰

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Thanks, Mike! 👍 🍻

Swartkops has had so many names over the years. Politics has had a hand in changing the name of this site. It is unfortunate as history is lost with each name change I remember it as Voortrekker Hoogte and it was a prisioner kf war camp during the second world war. The prisioners were Italian and many remained and others left and then returned to South Africa with their families.

@JustOfftheHighway

10 ай бұрын

Hi, thanks for your comment. I'm not sure that Swartkop is the same as Voortrekkerhoogte, but I definitely need to read more on the history of the area.

As much as I can't avoid these videos, they are heartbreaking to watch. I cleared out at AFB SWKP in January 1986 & went back regularly for SAAF Museum flying days & airshows. I am shocked at the condition of the base, which despite it's age was always well maintained, that is until the current regime took over. Another proud institution ruined by political corruption. As for the Harvards, we also had a few SNJ 5's, which was the US Navy variant. A lot of the pilots referred to the Harvard as Spammies, short for spam can, which were standard battlefield rations.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

Yes, I've heard some club members talk about Spammies.

@gary5481

11 ай бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway Any idea where 7111 - Nelson is? An aircraft with an incredible history.

@JustOfftheHighway

11 ай бұрын

@@gary5481 I'll ask at the club. They might have an answer.

Man, show us The Planes, not your Face, Please!!