Airspeed AS.10 Oxford, part six, African users

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a British twin-engined multi-role aircraft that served in great numbers through the World War 2 and after. With more than 8.500 machines manufactured, it saw service with many air forces throughout the world. Among them the following ones:

• Belgian Congo: In April 1944 six Oxfords were acquired by the Force Publique (Public Force - the local Gendarmerie and Military force of the Belgian Congo). They served in the photo reconnaissance and light transport role until July 1955 when the Belgian Air Force declared the Oxfords as obsolete given the poor condition of their wooden fuselage. They were all moved to Brussels to be scrapped.
• Egypt: During World War 2 the Royal Air Force loaned some Oxfords T.1 (the trainer variant) to the Royal Egyptian Air Force. They were assigned to the No.4 Squadron. The loaning continued after the war and until 1948 when the last one was transferred. They were used most probably during the first Arab-Israeli War in 1948 as makeshift bombers but any further detail about their fate is unknown.
• Southern Rhodesia: As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme many flying schools present in Rhodesia during the World War 2, operated with the Oxford. These were the Nos.20, 23 & 21 SFTS (Service Flying Training Squadron), at Salisbury and Bulawayo respectively, No.24 Bombing Gunnery and Navigation (previously known as No.24 Combined Air Observation School), No.29 Elementary Navigation School all of them at Moffat, in Gwelo and the Rhodesian Central Flying School (AKA Rhodesian Air Training Group), No.33 Flying Instructors School and the Central Flying School (Southern Rhodesia), all of them based at Norton.
• South Africa: As part of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the South African Air Force was allocated around 700 Oxfords which arrived to South Africa in November 1940. They were assigned to many training units all around South Africa such as the 21, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 62, 65 and 66 Air Schools. Due to the intense training many of them, 256 machines, were lost in accidents. Most of them were withdrawn in 1945 when the war ended and were sold two years later in 1947.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford#Other_users

2. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Airspeed%20Oxford/airspeed_oxford%20frontpage.htm

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_Publique#Aviation

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Egyptian_Air_Force

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan_facilities_in_Southern_Rhodesia

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan_facilities_in_South_Africa