hey guys , i've decided to open this branch in order to see how ya'all accept this stuff:) if it wont go good then i'll delete it. anyways, here it goes. all the planes that had the glory to be part of IAF. if ill would fine any new facts ill update them in my posts. if you have any remarks please PRIVATEMESSAGE me ok guys ? thanks
first one- AVIA S199
Avia S199 (IAF codename: knife)
Czechoslovakian production, single seated aircraft.
Wingspan 9.92 m, height 2.59 m and length of 8.94 m.
Max. speed- 590 km\h max. service ceiling- 9,5 km, effective range- 850 kms.
IAF's fleet back in the days of Independence war was a strange collaboration of aircraft of different types, which were made in different countries all over the world. The critical absence of aircrafts and difficulties in their purchasing for the young Jewish state stimulated a need to buy every plane that falls in their hands, at any price without rigorous planning and no actual testing of real needs and operating issues.
One of the most unusual aircrafts that could be seen in these times was the Evia S199.
Czechoslovakian model of Messerschmitt 109, was one of the main Luftwaffe's planes, during WWII. When purchase people of the infant IAF were going all over the world in search of any useable fighter plane for the young country, the Messerschmitt was not on their grocery list.
Avia comes from the times of WWII, when Germans made Czechoslovakia to product aircrafts and other war equipment. The Avia factory was part of the Skoda Corporation. After the end of the war the aircraft continued to be madebut due to lack of original engines and propellers the had to fit into body of Messerschmitt 109G Junkers Jumo 211 (JU87's engine), and a propeller of He 111 bomber. These "fine tunings" made no good to aircraft which was suffering from lots of disadvantages ( a plane had a tendency to yaw left during take offs and landings, causing lots of accidents.
The favorite planes for purchasing were mainly American and UK planes, on whom had lots of flight hours the first Israeli and foreign volunteer pilots. But the embargo that USA put on weapons deals with Middle East and refusal of the rest of states except Czechoslovakia to sell to Israel combat planes, had changed the priorities and IAF had to compromise on buying Messerschmitt's. Although that no one of IAF pilots didn’t know the proper operation, the ground teams had no idea how to maintain them, was a hard absence of spares and the price was exorbitant.
Nevertheless, Israel acquired 25 aircrafts at 1948. First ones were flown over here, disassembled, inside cargo planes. They were assembled here by technicians from Czechoslovakia. Planes were flying at 101st (First Battle Squadron) squadron during the independence war. At that war many missions, like attacking ground targets, fields, defending the skies of Israel and patrols were done by the Avia S199. The first operation and the first ops flight of 101st squadron was in 29.05.1948 when 4 Avia attacked the Egypt ground corpses near Ashdod, and the next day Jordan ground forces were attacked too. Avia has 5 hits in its service:2 Egyptian Dakotas that were gunned down by Modi Alon ( the commander of 101st) in front of peoples of Tel-Aviv. Other planes that were gunned down by Avia: Egyptian spitfire, Syrian Harward and Jordan Rapid.
some pictures. about the rest information ill try to search in my books
UPDATE:
at 15.11.49 the 101th squadron moved to Kastina AFB and was active untill 06.1949, when a decision was made by Ezer Weizman- the squadron commander- to dissasemble the planes and store them for need of emergency.
more update to come
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