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Patrick Chitumba-Midlands Bureau Chief
RHODESIAN war planes that were a source of anguish for war heroes and heroines during the liberation struggle now lie quietly in hangars at the Zimbabwe Military Museum.
The military museum which serves as the country’s National Army and Aviation Museum, is run by National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ).
This is a place where one can appreciate the country’s liberation heritage.
Freedom fighters will remember how the Rhodesian government using war planes such as the Canberra R2504 jet bomber massacred liberation war fighters in Chimoio in Mozambique in November 1977.
But that didn’t deter the gallant sons and daughters from waging a war against the colonisers.
As the metallic birds of death lie quietly in their hangars, it is worth remembering the history that is associated with the great nation called Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe celebrates 42 years of Independence next Monday.
There are about 12 aircraft of various ages and history at the Zimbabwe Military Museum
There is the Hawker Hunter FGA9 (no 1188) which first entered service in the United Kingdom and later sold to Kenyan Air Force before it was acquired by the Rhodesian Government in 1979. They wanted to increase strike potential against the freedom fighters.
The aircraft was bad for the cause of the Zimbabwean people.
“The Hawker Hunter FGA9 (no 1188) participated in many operations including Operation Dingo, the codename for the Chimoio massacre of Zanla cadres in Mozambique. Scores of freedom fighters lost their lives following air strikes from this jet. The aircraft also took part in Operation Uric, codename for the Mapai attack to cut off Zanla forces supply route in Gaza province of Mozambique by the Rhodesian Forces,” said Mr Wellington Madobi, NMMZ heritage education officer.
Mr Madobi said there is also an Electric Canberra R2504 jet bomber which had a carrying capacity of 6 000 pounds (2 721kg) of bombs.
He said the large aircraft had a crew of only two and a photographer and was used for aerial surveillance to monitor movement of freedom fighters.
Mr Madobi said the Electric Canberra R2504 which was powered by two jet engines, and able to fly at high altitudes was also used by the Rhodesian government’s joint operation command (JOC) that planned the attacks on camps in Mozambique.
“It was a big aircraft but very quiet. It was also fast enough to evade interception, hence could take enemies by surprise. The Rhodesian army used the plane in cross-border incursions into Mozambique and Zambia attacking freedom fighters at their camps,” said Mr Madobi.
“The aircraft does not make a lot of noise and since it is fitted with cameras, they used it to survey the landscape in the camps to strategise on their attacks that left thousands of guerrillas and ordinary refugees dead. At the museum is also the Vampire Fighter Bombers and Provost Trainers – all birds of death to the nationalists who wanted to free the country from the bondage of colonialism.”
Helicopter and light aircraft units, he said, were also heavily involved in operations against the liberators to subdue their operations.
Mr Madobi said in addition to the aircraft, visitors can view aero engines, uniforms and equipment associated with Zimbabwe’s military history in the museum’s seven galleries including the foyer, the military gallery, armoured vehicle hanger, police gallery and the artillery hanger.
Acting NMMZ regional director (central region) Mr Clapperton Gutu said the museum is a source of knowledge as its history has an important part in projecting the challenges endured during the liberation struggle, the challenges Zimbabwe faced as a young nation and how it conquered to become the great country it is today.
“As we celebrate our independence on April 18, Zimbabweans should not forget the history – our history which includes the war planes at this military museum which were a source of anguish for our freedom fighters. But the gallant sons and daughters never gave up, they remained resolute in the face of these aircraft and fought against colonisers and today we are celebrating 42 years of independence,” he said.
Mr Gutu said the museum also has anti-air heavy machine guns used by liberation fighters to bring down some of the military aircraft.
“The military museum is very necessary for Zimbabweans from school children to the elderly to visit this place so that they have a recollection of what we have in terms of military heritage. This is part of the liberation heritage. It tells a lot about the suffering that Zimbabweans went through during a prolonged liberation struggle which some referred to as the Rhodesian bush war. These planes were giving our people sleepless nights in the trenches, but besides the efforts by the Rhodesian Forces in acquiring as many aircraft as they did, we have to cherish the efforts undertaken by our nationalists, liberators because they managed to defend, fight and liberate us from day one up to 1980,” he said.
Mr Gutu said showing military paraphernalia is showing the people’s history indicating how disadvantaged the freedom fighters were and how under privileged they were when they went to war.
“Our freedom fighters didn’t have that privilege of fighter jets. These jets were owned by whites who were fighting to take our land, to put us in reserve land and charge us unnecessary and exorbitant taxes.
“So, in terms of history, this is the history that hurts, the history that we don’t like, but we have to teach it so that our children will understand how we won the war,” he said.
Online Reporter