Operation Motel
Operation Motel | |
---|---|
Part of the South African Border War and Rhodesian Bush War | |
Location |
Zambia Lusaka Solwezi Operation Motel (Zambia) |
Objective | Destroy ZIPRA camp in Northern Zambia. |
Date | 23 August 1979 |
Operation Motel was a Rhodesian military operation in Zambia with clandestine assistance from the South African Air Force (SAAF) during the Rhodesian Bush War and South African Border War. The Rhodesian Air Force planned raids against a ZIPRA camp in Northern Zambia.
Background
The operation consisted of two raids on a ZIPRA camp on 23 August 1979. The Rhodesian and South African Canberra bombers and Hawker Hunter strike aircraft took off at 09h40 for Operation Motel I with the aircraft forming over Victoria Falls before conducting a low-level bombing attack on a camp 32 km south of Solwezi in Northern Zambia.[1]:Ch5 The same formation left again for Operation Motel II at 15h30 for another attack on the same target and the aircraft returned to base with one of the SAAF Canberra bombers damaged by friendly fire after taking shrapnel from bomb explosions.[1]:Ch5
References
Further reading
- Lord, Dick (2012). From Fledging to Eagle. The South African Airforce during the Border War. (Kindle ed.). Solihull, England: Helion & Company. ISBN 9781908916624.
- Moorcraft, Paul; McLaughlin, Peter (2011). The Rhodesian War. A Military History. (3rd ed.). Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 9781848845220.