<p><strong>South African pioneers in the air</strong></p><p>Since time immemmorial, nation has waged war upon nation, both by land and by sea, yet it is only during this century that the air has evolved into a major theatre of war. Riding on the flood tide of a technology stimulated by two World Wars and the ever present need to remain prepared for the eventuality of an armed conflict, military aviation has, in a few short years, developed from relatively primitive beginnings into a highly effective and sophisticated weapon indispensable to a modern defence force. To a greater extent, he who controls the skies also controls the rest of the battlefield.</p>