South African Air Force squadron identification codes

The South African Air Force (SAAF) adopted the use of squadron codes from the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

[1] Aircraft deployed for the East African Campaign did not carry any squadron codes—these were first introduced when the SAAF deployed to North Africa in 1942.

Squadron codes were assigned by the RAF from a theater annex to SD110.

[2] Historically, the codes were usually two alphabetic characters, painted on the rear fuselage next to the roundel.

These formed a suffix or prefix to the call sign of each aircraft (on the other side of the roundel) which was usually a single letter (e. g. "G for George").