m (Remove some templates. interwiki links, delink non military terms, add link to Wikipedia and cleanup) |
(→History: Remove some templates. interwiki links, delink non military terms, add link to Wikipedia and cleanup) |
||
Line 72: | Line 72: | ||
== History == |
== History == |
||
− | 101 Squadron was formed on May 20, 1948 at two air bases simultaneously: IAF Ekron (former [[RAF Aqir]], currently [[Tel-Nof Airbase]]) and [[Žatec]] (code-named "Zebra") in Czechoslovakia, a former Luftwaffe airfield close to a [[Messerschmitt]] production facility, where pilots received initial basic type flight training on the [[Avia S-199]]s, copies of the Bf 109G with 1,320 hp [[Junkers Jumo 211]]F powerplants. During one ferry flight some of the squadron's 15 aircraft were forced to land in Greece, and were immediately impounded, so during the next ferry flight a C-46 was used as a navigation guide, and a corvette was readied off the coast in case any aircraft had to be ditched and pilots rescued from water.<ref>Luttrell, Robert J., I flew for Israel, ''Flying Magazine'', May 1949, p.58</ref> Four of these flew the squadron's first mission on May 29 in the prelude to [[Operation Pleshet]]. 101 Squadron was responsible for the Israeli Air Force's first aerial victories when on 3 June 1948, [[Modi Alon]] shot down a pair of [[Royal Egyptian Air Force]] [[C-47]]s which had just bombed Tel Aviv.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Aloni|first=Shlomo|title=Arab–Israeli Air Wars|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2001|isbn=1-84176-294-6|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=mO02czQ9jyYC|page=11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Norton|first=Bill|title=Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947|publisher= |
+ | 101 Squadron was formed on May 20, 1948 at two air bases simultaneously: IAF Ekron (former [[RAF Aqir]], currently [[Tel-Nof Airbase]]) and [[Žatec]] (code-named "Zebra") in Czechoslovakia, a former Luftwaffe airfield close to a [[Messerschmitt]] production facility, where pilots received initial basic type flight training on the [[Avia S-199]]s, copies of the Bf 109G with 1,320 hp [[Junkers Jumo 211]]F powerplants. During one ferry flight some of the squadron's 15 aircraft were forced to land in Greece, and were immediately impounded, so during the next ferry flight a C-46 was used as a navigation guide, and a corvette was readied off the coast in case any aircraft had to be ditched and pilots rescued from water.<ref>Luttrell, Robert J., I flew for Israel, ''Flying Magazine'', May 1949, p.58</ref> Four of these flew the squadron's first mission on May 29 in the prelude to [[Operation Pleshet]]. 101 Squadron was responsible for the Israeli Air Force's first aerial victories when on 3 June 1948, [[Modi Alon]] shot down a pair of [[Royal Egyptian Air Force]] [[C-47]]s which had just bombed Tel Aviv.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Aloni|first=Shlomo|title=Arab–Israeli Air Wars|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2001|isbn=1-84176-294-6|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=mO02czQ9jyYC|page=11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Norton|first=Bill|title=Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947|publisher=Midland Publishing|year=2004|isbn=1-85780-088-5|pages=110–112}}</ref> |
== See also == |
== See also == |
Revision as of 02:15, 14 January 2014
101st Squadron | |
---|---|
Avia S-199 with the 101st Squadron badge | |
Active | May 20, 1948 – Present |
Country | Israel |
Branch | Israeli Air Force |
Role | Air Defence |
Garrison/HQ | Hatzor Airbase |
Nickname(s) | First Fighter Squadron |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Modi Alon Avraham Lanir |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | F-16C |
101 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the First Fighter Squadron, is Israel's first fighter squadron, formed on May 20, 1948, six days after Israel declared its independence. Initially flying the Avia S-199, it has since operated the Supermarine Spitfire, North American Mustang, Dassault Mystere IV, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Nesher and IAI Kfir. It currently operates out of Hatzor Airbase, flying the F-16C Fighting Falcon.
History
101 Squadron was formed on May 20, 1948 at two air bases simultaneously: IAF Ekron (former RAF Aqir, currently Tel-Nof Airbase) and Žatec (code-named "Zebra") in Czechoslovakia, a former Luftwaffe airfield close to a Messerschmitt production facility, where pilots received initial basic type flight training on the Avia S-199s, copies of the Bf 109G with 1,320 hp Junkers Jumo 211F powerplants. During one ferry flight some of the squadron's 15 aircraft were forced to land in Greece, and were immediately impounded, so during the next ferry flight a C-46 was used as a navigation guide, and a corvette was readied off the coast in case any aircraft had to be ditched and pilots rescued from water.[1] Four of these flew the squadron's first mission on May 29 in the prelude to Operation Pleshet. 101 Squadron was responsible for the Israeli Air Force's first aerial victories when on 3 June 1948, Modi Alon shot down a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s which had just bombed Tel Aviv.[2][3]
See also
- Christopher Magee
- Milton Rubenfeld
- Mitchell Flint
- Gordon Levett
- Giora Epstein
- Bob Vickman
- Yiftah Spector
- Ezer Weizman
- Rimon 20
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Squadron 101 (Israeli Air Force). |
- ↑ Luttrell, Robert J., I flew for Israel, Flying Magazine, May 1949, p.58
- ↑ Aloni, Shlomo (2001). Arab–Israeli Air Wars. Osprey Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 1-84176-294-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=mO02czQ9jyYC.
- ↑ Norton, Bill (2004). Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947. Midland Publishing. pp. 110–112. ISBN 1-85780-088-5.
External links
- Global Security Profile
- 101 Squadron, Israel's first fighter squadron
- Katz, Yaakov (July 16, 2012). "'It was all destiny' - One of last surviving founders of IAF recalls mission that stopped Egypt from advancing on Tel Aviv". The Jerusalem Post. http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=277611. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
|
|
The original article can be found at 101 Squadron (Israel) and the edit history here.