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I recently came across references to the acquisition and use of Me109 fighter derivatives used by Israel in its war for independence. This was news to me. I wonder if other Forum members have additional information.
They used whatever weapons they could get on the cheap. German fighters like the ME 109. American B 17 bombers. British rifles and submachine guns. Not to mention Jewish volunteer fighters from all over the world including Americans.
They used whatever weapons they could get on the cheap. German fighters like the ME 109. American B 17 bombers. British rifles and submachine guns. Not to mention Jewish volunteer fighters from all over the world including Americans.
Even gentiles volunteered, perhaps most famously among pilots was Canadian ace George Buerling. In one of the movies, I believe Cast A Giant Shadow Frank Sinatra played a similar role as a gentile pilot volunteering and losing his life fighting for Israel
Last edited by Taiko; 04-25-2017 at 10:23 AM..
Reason: auto fill not checked, sorry
It may surprise you how military surplus weapons get re-distributed to other countries even decades after they are decommissioned by the manufacturing countries. Israel using Nazi weapons is ironic but North Vietnam in the 60s was using some German WW2 era weapons including artillery, AA, and anti-tank guns given to them by the Soviets that were in turn captured by them in WW2.
In lots of the current middle-east conflicts including in Iraq, Syria, and Libya you get a smorgesborg of weapons that practically look like a surplus weapons collectors show - including mausers, Nazi-era StG 44s (a valuable relic here in the US), and a couple old german howitzers.
In Libya everyone and his brother seemed to have a WW1 era bolt action Italian Carcano rilfle hiding away (yeah, the same type of weapons used to assassinate JFK) during the most recent uprising.
Word is S. Korea and the Philipines have warehouse full of M1 Garand's (hopefully they will make there way here for the collector market).
Czechoslovakia produced the Avia S-199 which was practically a worse version (using the Junkers Jumo engine used in the Ju-87 and Ju-88) of the late Bf-109G-6. This is the version Israel bought. While I understand the irony that Israel acquired nazi planes built by commie Czechs, it was pretty much the only thing they could get at that point. The Avia was in every way inferior to the late Bf-109-G6 and totally obsolete in 1948.
But as said earlier, using enemy and captured equipment was commonplace. France captured a lot of Panther tanks and used them for several years after WWII.
Czechoslovakia produced the Avia S-199 which was practically a worse version (using the Junkers Jumo engine used in the Ju-87 and Ju-88) of the late Bf-109G-6. This is the version Israel bought. While I understand the irony that Israel acquired nazi planes built by commie Czechs, it was pretty much the only thing they could get at that point. The Avia was in every way inferior to the late Bf-109-G6 and totally obsolete in 1948?
Yes, that was in one of the articles cited. Thanks for confirming it.
Well, in this case it really drives home the point "It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian!"
First rate and really motivated troops with obsolete weaponry usually defeat low-grade troops with first-rate weapons.
Even today the Israelis tend to improve even first rate weapons they get from the US. They more or less invented putting a rear-view mirror in fighter planes, and typically remove the stock warheads from air-to-air missiles, installing "homebrew" ones with more punch. Or so I have heard/read, and I forget where so don't ask me for a citation.
Four planes does not make an air force and two of them crashing within a week of getting them doesn't say much for their quality.
Quote:
This plane was the worst piece of crap I have ever flown. It was not even an airplane. It was put together by the Czechs from mismatched parts left behind by the Nazis. The airframe was that of an Me-109 but the propeller and engine came out of a Heinkel bomber. You can’t make a plane that way. But it was all we could get, so we took it.
Well, in this case it really drives home the point "It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian!"
First rate and really motivated troops with obsolete weaponry usually defeat low-grade troops with first-rate weapons.
Even today the Israelis tend to improve even first rate weapons they get from the US. They more or less invented putting a rear-view mirror in fighter planes, and typically remove the stock warheads from air-to-air missiles, installing "homebrew" ones with more punch. Or so I have heard/read, and I forget where so don't ask me for a citation.
Nearly nothing Israel gets from any supplier goes straight into use. The missiles are usually stock as the one's that are built in the US are built with Israeli supervision.
The documentary "Above and Beyond" is a very interesting film that goes into detail about this era of Israel's history. It's a great movie and a fascinating story. I highly recommend it.
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