Tag Archives: Mercedes-Benz Club
Mercedes Day-Brakpan Airfield
A different type of fraternity, The Mercedes Benz club of South Africa, get together every year with the last event taking place at Brakpan Airfield. The same venue under the Brakpan Aero Club Members including organiser Hilton Wolff and many other role players put together a day which many visitors of the day wont forget for years to come.
The history of Mercedes-Benz in South Africa by far outstretches the history of the marque’s club here. Although the enthusiasm, interest and involvement of “fans” of the marque throughout its history, this cannot be denied and underplayed, it was not until the late 1970’s that this was harnessed and organised into the beginnings of the Mercedes-Benz Club.
The purpose of the day, was to give members of the club, a taste of flight in small aircraft, and not just any aircraft but some unique and modern flying machines. With vintage era up to the modern Mercedes vehicles parked in the vicinity of the club house, both aircraft and car enthusiasts were in their element.
Grant Timms flew in a Rand Airport based Harvard ‘7526’ which belongs to John Wright, the aircraft was a major draw card as its not to often to see a Harvard at Brakpan Airfield. It made a excellent photo opportunity as some Mercedes Benz photo bombed the aircraft.
Very well known helicopter pilots at Brakpan airfield Rob Osner and Charles Fuller flew both an Alouette II and III. Nothing like flying in ex air force helicopters and flying over the once rich mining areas of the east rand of Johannesburg.
Other aircraft that gave flips, namely the Cessna Grand Caravan flown by Frederick Kotzee, Dornier Do 27 flown by Rodney Benn,An2 ‘Little Annie’ flown by Jon-Marc Hill. A Piaggio Albatross,Cessna 210 and many more!
At non airshow type events its always crucial to have safety as your main priority, Both Colonel Keith Fryer and Colonel Keith Andrews from the South African Airforce kept all flights as well as the ramp safe and running smoothly during the course of the day.
The Brakpan Aero Club welcomed guests with muffins and coffee and provided boerewors rolls and Hamburgers for the rest. Local flight schools and Mercedes Benz dealership also provided excellent offerings of their latest deals on both pilots licences and car purchase deals.
Well done Hilton Wolff and the Mercedes Benz Club Members as well as all the pilots and ground crew who made the event possible and safe. We look forward to the 2020 edition of the event.
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Mercedes-Benz Club Day at Brakpan Airfield
Mercedes-Benz Club Day at Brakpan Airfield
Horseless carriage
The first car that ever-set wheel on South-African soil was a Benz Velo.
Although the “horseless carriage”, which had been imported by a local businessman, John Percy Hess, arrived in SA at the end of 1896, it did not run under its own power until January 4 of the following year. This was due to the fact that there was a delay of a month in the arrival of the benzene fuel for the engine! The first public demonstration of the Benz Velo took place at the Berea Park sports ground in Pretoria in front of Paul Kruger, the President of the Transvaal Republic. The publicity blurb urging Pretorians to attend this “red letter day” event proclaimed that “the motor car, like the bicycle, has come to stay and will be the craze of the century.”
Hess went on to become the sole agent for the Benz brand in South Africa. The car was subsequently driven in Johannesburg as part of his initiative to promote “a revolution in locomotion.”
The Mercedes-Benz club convoyed to the East of Johannesburg,to join up with more members owning a Mercedes vehicles and sharing the same passion in the culture of cars that members and some of the public own today from the older class Mercedes to current models.
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Mr Hilton Wolff and some of the other members of the Brakpan Aero club hosted a fun filled day for members of the Mercedes Club of the Gauteng Region as well as some public member’s visiting the airfield on a lazy Sunday. Brakpan Aero Club which was founded in 1953, the great club house offered guests refreshments during the day as well as a swim in the clubs swimming pool for the brave hearted people out there as we soon go into the winter weather of the year.
Many pilots flew aircraft in to give flips to the public all for free and for a good cause, most passengers who got to fly in aircraft had a great smile for the rest of the day. The busy bees for the day, taking most pax up were Rob Osner in his Alouette III and Father and son team Mark and Jon-Marc hill in Little Annie AN2 and a Cessna Caravan.Other aircraft we also had the privilege of seeing flying and taking pax was the D-27 Dornier, Yak52, Bosbok, Boeing Stearman, Mushak just to name a few.
By the afternoon the approaching weather scared off most of the public,the ones that stayed on were blessed with beautiful weather as the storm changed direction and missed the airport with thunder showers. By 3HooPm the public were treated to a formation of aircraft that took part in the day.And a flypast by Ivan Van der Schaar in his Randolph sponsored Boeing Stearman.Well done to a great event hosted by the Mercedes Benz club and Mr Hilton Wolff and all other members that took the time and event to make the day a success.
