FROM FLEDGLING TO EAGLE - The South African Air Force during the Border War. By Brig-Gen Dick Lord

30 degrees South, 2008. Hardcover with dustcover, 528 pages.

Very good condition: tightly bound, neat and clean.    

From Fledgling to Eagle chronicles the evolution of the SAAF in the Border War that raged in Angola and South West Africa (Namibia) from 1966 to 1989, covering all the major South African Defence Force (SADF) operations from Ongulumbashe to the April Fools Day war in 1989. Dick Lord, who writes in a from the cockpit style, has drawn on his own firsthand operational reports and diaries, incorporating anecdotes from dozens of aviators from a wide variety of squadronsBuccaneers, Canberras, Mirages, Impalas, Bosboks, C-160s and -130s, Dakotas and helicopters. He also expands on the close relationship the SAAF had with the ground troops in a variety of operationssuch units as the Parabats, Recces and Koevoet.

However, Lord studies the broader ramifications of the conflict in that it was not a simple blackwhite war. Angola was really just a sideshow for the Soviets who wanted to bleed the SAAF in a war of attrition before attempting total domination of South Africatheir ultimate goal. He is unafraid to admit SADF mistakesof Operations Hooper and Packer he says: Lines of communications were too long to ably support the battle, which is why we did not clear them off the east bank of the Cuito River and why they captured the three Oliphant tanks which was their only propaganda victory.

Although he gives credit to the enemy when they put up a stiff fight, he clearly outlines the overwhelming South African successes and dispels, in accurate detail, all enemy claims by giving an accurate account of each battle. He said: I agree with General Geldenhuys that we thrashed them severely on the Lomba in 85 and 87 much recent publicity has also been given to the so-called victory of the Forces of Liberation [SWAPO, MPLA, and 50,000 Cubans and Soviets] over the SADF at Cuito Cuanavale in 1988. Nothing could be further from the truthit is blatant propaganda.