Memories of historical aircraft on the roof

Vic’s Viking Garage

In 1957, Trek Airways introduced Skymaster aircraft, and three of its Viking aircraft became redundant: ZS-DKH (c/n 121), ZS-DKI (c/n 124), named Louis Trichardt, and ZS-DNU (c/n 118), named Piet Retief. A subsidiary company, registered as Protea Airways, was formed, to which the three Vikings were transferred. Later, one of the Vikings, ZS-DKH, was sold to Vic DE VILLIERS. At the time, Vic owned a Caltex service station, then known as Vic’s Goggomobile Garage and later as Vic’s Viking Garage, in Armadale south-west of Johannesburg and not far from Uncle Charlie’s junction.

After its last flight from Rand Airport to Baragwanath Airfield on 18 December 1962, the Viking was towed and mounted in January 1963 above the service station’s courtyard and became a well-known landmark from 1961 to 1987. She had flown a total of 13,881 hours. Laurenzo de Villiers GIANI (1934-2009) was the last pilot to fly her.

On March 5, 1987, the Viking was replaced by the South African Air Force Shackleton 1723 (c/n 1533). ZS-DKH was donated to the South African Airways Museum Society. The Viking’s wings were removed, and she was towed to Jan Smuts Airport. In 2008, the aircraft had still not been restored and still stood at OR Tambo International Airport.

In 2015, John AUSTIN-WILLIAMS met with John ILLSLEY of Pretoria Boys High School. The school offered the help of its Aeronautical Society, and the first work session took place in March 2015. Matthew HARVEY from SAA Technical became the project coordinator. On 22 January 2017, the aircraft was moved to the South African Airways Museum at Rand Airport. The short drive took two hours and five minutes.

ZS-DKH was built at the Vickers-Armstrong factory in Weybridge, England. It first flew on 30 August 1946, registered as G-AHOT with British European Airways. It was used in the 1948 Berlin Airlift. On 26 September 1954, the aircraft was sold to Trek Airways and registered as ZS-DKH. Hundreds of passengers flew with her between South Africa and Europe. The aircraft also starred in the film Kimberly Jim with the late Jim REEVES. He toured in South Africa in late 1962 and signed the logbook, which is now in the possession of Vic’s children.

The Magic Wand roadside cafe was next door to the service station. The cafe used to give policemen free coffee after midnight. Today, the service station belongs to Sasol.

Shackleton 1726 first flew on 10 February 1958. On 14 February 1958, she started her journey to South Africa, arriving at AFB Ysterplaat on 26 February 1958, where she served with 35 Squadron. The aircraft was retired on 22 November 1977 and stored in the open at AFB Ysterplaat until she was displayed at Vic’s Viking Garage. The Shackleton was initially displayed in SAAF colours, but over the years it was sprayed with Coca-Cola (red and white) and then Sasol (blue and white).

Victor Edward DE VILLIERS was born on 27 June 1925, the son of Stephanus Jan DE VILLIERS (1888-1928) and Mary Jane Sarah (1899-d). Victor was baptised on December 13, 1925, at St Mary’s the Less Anglican Church in Jeppe, Johannesburg. He was known as Vic. His parents were married in 1919 in London, England. In September 1919, Mary (20) of 39 Rowena Crescent, Battersea, was charged with bigamously marrying Stephanus on June 2 at the Hanover Square registry office. Her first husband, JONES, had left her, without a divorce process happening. In October 1919, Mary pleaded guilty and was fined £10. Mary married a CLARKSON following the death of Stephanus in 1928.

Vic enlisted in 1941 and became an apprentice working on aircraft. After World War II, Vic worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer for South African Airways, Trek Airways, Comair Airways, and Protea Airways. While working for Comair, he bought the service station in the early 1960s. He got involved in the pilot training and hire-and-fly business when he bought the Baragwanath Flight School from Bill ASHURST. Following the closure of Baragwanath Airfield, he relocated the training operation to Rand Airport, renaming it as Vic’s Piper Flight Centre. Drummond and Jeanette worked in the business too. In the early 1980s, Drummond took part in the State President’s Air Race. He lived in the USA for a few years before returning to South Africa, where he runs a Christian school in the Palm Ridge area. Vic sold the service station to Sasol in 2004.

Vic married Augusta DE VILLIERS (1930-1983) on 27 May 1947. She died on 23 December 1983 in Johannesburg. They had four children: Drummond, Lorraine, Jeanette and Robin. Vic passed away on October 8, 2015, in Johannesburg.

Uncle Charlie’s

John Albert BARAGWANATH was an early prospector in the area that became Johannesburg. He was a shareholder in the Vierfontein Farm Gold Mining Company, later absorbed into Crown Mines. He bought land to the south of Ferreira’s Camp alongside the wagon route from Kimberley, where he set up a wayside inn, the Concordia Hotel. This hotel was later bought by Sarel Jacobus DE JONGH (known as Charlie), who changed the name to the Baragwanath Tea Garden.

By the late 1940s, he had added a service station and roadhouse, serving motorists and families who drove past. The location became a landmark for travellers. In the early days, Sarel also had a first aid van that he sent out to help motorists involved in accidents on the Potchefstroom-Johannesburg road.

The intersection later became notorious for traffic congestion as Johannesburg expanded. By the early 1980s, there were often traffic jams. This issue led to the Uncle Charlie’s Interchange Project, completed in the mid-1980s. The project transformed the site into a highway interchange.

Sarel was born on July 1, 1898, in Bloemfontein, the son of Pieter Johannes DE JONGH and Hester Maria DU PLESSIS. He died on 23 October 1954 at the Lady Dudley Nursing Home in Johannesburg. He was buried at West Park Cemetery.

In 1916, armed with a few pounds, he relocated to Johannesburg. He worked in the mines for 10 years before he ran a small vegetable shop in Turffontein. With the first £25 from his shop, he started his business on the Potchefstroom-Johannesburg road. In 1947, Sarel and Gladys bought a residential plot in Mondeor, where they built their house named Eindelik, at 1184 Colworth Avenue.

Sarel was president of the Motor Transport Owners Association, chairman of the Avalon Association, vice-chairman of the Industrial Council for the Motor Transport industry, and chairman of the Johannesburg subdivision of the Motor Traders Association. He was also a prominent member of the Wildlife Protection Society. At one stage, he had a small zoo at Uncle Charlie’s but closed it after the public teased the animals too much. He also owned the Meredale Pleasure Resort.

Sarel married Gladys Wilhelmina SCHUKALA (1912-1990) on 20 January 1930 in Turffontein, Johannesburg and settled at 88 Turf Club Street in Turffontein. They had five children: Daphne Gladys DE JONGH (1932-1932), Barry DE JONGH (1933-2008), Colyn Moir DE JONGH (1935-2005), Louisa DE JONGH (1943-) and Derek Peter DE JONGH (1946-). Barry worked in the service station; Colin worked in the roadhouse; and Derek worked in the resort.

Dakota Roadhouse

In the 1940s, a Dakota DC-3 was perched on top of a roadhouse on Main Reef Road in Langlaagte, Johannesburg. Eighty-four Dakotas were given to the South African Air Force during World War II as part of a deal between the United States and the United Kingdom. Fifty-eight were sent to South Africa in 1943–44 and were mostly used as shuttles between South Africa and Cairo. The others were part of 28 Squadron in North Africa. The roadhouse Dakota (c/n 26114, SAAF number 6845, GZBY) was scrapped by the Air Force in 1946.

In December 1945, Captain William Leonard CHIAZZARI (1919-2016) took off for a test flight from Zwartkop Air Station, but shortly thereafter the aircraft caught fire due to a fuel leak. After being scrapped, it was bought by the roadhouse owner for £120. After about 12 years, it was bought by Calair International and shipped to the USA. It was repaired in California back to flying status. In the late 1950s the Dakota started flying as a government air ambulance in Argentina. It was sold to an individual in the 1970s and retired in 1989. After retirement, it was put on display in Paraná, Argentina.

In the late 1950s, the Dakota Drive-In cinema was opened next door to the roadhouse.