List of South African Military Chiefs - Chief of The Air Force

Chief of The Air Force

The Chief of the South African Air Force is the professional head of the Air Force. The post was called 'Director of Air Services' 1920-33, 'Director of Air & Technical Services' 1937-39, 'Director-General of Air Services' 1939-41, 'Director-General of the Air Force' 1941-51, and 'Air Chief of Staff' 1951-66, and has been 'Chief of the Air Force' since 1966.

Col Sir Pierre van Ryneveld KBE DSO MC 1 February 1920 30 September 1937
Col Frederick Hoare CBE 1 October 1937 31 October 1937
Lt Col Hector Daniel MC AFC 1 November 1937 12 September 1939
Col John Holthouse OBE 13 September 1939 30 September 1940
Maj Gen Christoffel Venter CB DFC 1 October 1940 16 October 1945
Brig Harold Willmott CBE 17 October 1945 10 September 1946
Brig James 'Jimmy' Durrant CB DFC 1 October 1946 30 June 1951
Brig Harold Willmott CBE 1 July 1951 24 August 1954
Brig Stephen Melville OBE 25 August 1954 22 September 1956
Maj Gen Barend Viljoen SSA OBE 23 September 1956 30 April 1965
Lt Gen Henry "Kalfie" Martin SM CBE DFC 1 May 1965 30 November 1967
Lt Gen Jacobus Verster SSA SM 1 December 1967 28 February 1975
Lt Gen Robert 'Bob' Rogers SSA SM DSO DFC 1 March 1975 30 November 1979
Lt Gen Michal Muller SSAS SD 1 December 1979 29 February 1984
Lt Gen Denis Earp SSA SD SM 1 March 1984 30 June 1988
Lt Gen Jan van Loggerenberg SSAS SD SOE 1 July 1988 31 October 1991
Lt Gen James Kriel SSAS SD SM MMM 1 November 1991 30 April 1996
Lt Gen Willem Hechter SSAS 1 May 1996 29 February 2000
Lt Gen Roelf Beukes SD SM MMM 1 March 2000 28 February 2005
Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano SM MMM 1 March 2005 30 September 2012
Lt Gen Fabian Msimang 1 October 2012 present

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