When the Boeing 707 was introduced the big cargo holds increased the amount of cargo carried on the overseas services.
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Its ancestry came from the Lancaster bomber. It carried twelve passengers and had six crewmembers. Its four engines were fitted to its high wing, the tail had three fins and the body was square and slab sided. The York was an ungainly looking aircraft. British Overseas Airways Corporation planned to operate their service with Avro York aircraft some of which were leased to SAA to operate the reciprocal service. The airport was named Palmietfontein and was situated south of Rand Airport. Rand Airport’s runways were too short and a temporary airport was built to accommodate the envisaged service to Britain. Jan Smuts Airport was built on the farm Witkoppies. The name of the airport was to be Highveld, but with Field Marshal Montgomery performing the naming ceremony in December 1947, it was decided to name it Jan Smuts Airport. The construction of the airport at Johannesburg would take several years to complete. Major Miller also placed an order for 3 Junkers Ju 52/3m aircraft an all-metal airliner with three engines which could carry up to 18 passengers.ĭuring the conflict new airports were planned for Durban, Cape Town and an international airport at Johannesburg. This compelled the airline to move their base from Port Elizabeth to Durban. Passenger growth on the Durban – Johannesburg service grew steadily culminating in a daily flight. The carriage of airmail from Durban to Johannesburg and Durban to Cape Town was contracted to Union Airways. Imperial’s airmail service from Britain to Cape Town was routed via Rand Airport and Kimberley and this made the Union Airways airmail service from Cape Town to Johannesburg unnecessary. More Junkers aircraft followed in the form of F13 and W34 aircraft and later a Junkers A50 also joined the fleet. An all-metal Junkers F13 was chartered from SWA Airways and was soon operating in place of the wrecked Fokker. Junkers South Africa Pty (Ltd) who owned and operated South West African Airways, bought a substantial share in Union Airways.
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Union Airways was struggling to make ends meet and little help was forthcoming from the South African government.