GoldenRivet
09-16-15, 11:09 AM
I recently watched a documentary entitled "above and beyond". Being a history buff on things aviation related and World War II related I was surprised that I did not know this.
Shortly after the events of World War II the state of Israel was created as we all know. Immediately following the creation of the state of Israel virtually every Middle Eastern nation in the region threatened to invade and destroy Israel, they made good on their threat of invasion.
Israel more or less stood alone. They had no Air Force to speak of their entire Air Force at the time of the invasion consisted of two liaison aircraft similar to piper cubs. Their leadership knew that without an Air Force they would be unable to successfully repel an invasion, and the state of Israel would inevitably fall.
Israel began looking for volunteers. They needed pilots with combat experience and needed them now. Not only that but these volunteers had to bring their own combat aircraft to the front lines. The US had a number of experience combat pilots but getting them to volunteer was a different story, it was illegal to volunteer your services to another nation in combat, and you could risk your citizenship and even imprisonment if you did. Beyond that, Jews werent winning any popularity contest in the late 1940s
Several Jewish pilots in the United States who served in combat during the second world war were moved to volunteer their services but none of them had airplanes of any kind, let alone frontline fighter aircraft
Using money raised primarily through the Jewish communities these volunteer pilots purchased 4 surplus military transport aircraft slated for recycling and destruction as they sat in the desert.
These transport military aircraft were then registered as an airline and flown out of the country, the ultimate destination was Czechoslovakia. Through various contacts they had been informed that Czechoslovakia was a war-torn nation in desperate need of American money, and to get their hands on that money they would sell combat ready fighter aircraft to anyone willing to pay for them.
The pilots all had experience flying mustangs and thunderbolts and lightening's through the war years and were informed that Czechoslovakia had just such aircraft available for sale.
Upon their arrival in Czechoslovakia they discovered that there were no mustangs there were no lightnings there were no thunderbolts. Instead, one of the only remaining fighter production factories in the country was still producing fighter aircraft to be sold along with surplus military equipment.
That airplane was the frontline Nazi fighter aircraft the famous Messerschmitt Me-109, The surplus flight suits and the surplus equipment gloriously emblazoned with the swastika. The pilots spent their time removing the swastika from the equipment and replacing it with the star of David, The symbol of Israel. Time was short so they had very little time to practice on the aircraft.
The aircraft were split into sections, fuselage, wings and engines and then loaded one each into four of the transport Aircraft where they made the voyage to Israel. Upon landing ground crews unload of the aircraft into hangers and hastily assembled them according to the Czechoslovakian schematics, loaded them with fuel, bombs, and ammunition.
The pilots wanted a chance to do a functional check flight to ensure that the aircraft of been put together correctly however they were informed that their first mission was due to take off immediately and without delay. A town 6 or 7 miles away was under heavy attack and needed air support badly.
Thus the Israeli Air Force was born. Four premier NAZI designed fighter aircraft and four volunteer Jewish fighter pilots, armed with surplus Nazi equipment and surplus Nazi uniforms.
The strike was swift, lethal and decisive. Eventually more aircraft were procured as were more volunteer pilots, the tide of war turned in the favor Israel and at the end of the day Israel still stood. The invasion of been repulsed.
All of that struck me as interesting, but one thing that struck me as particularly interesting was this
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Rubenfeld#Rubenfeld_Mission.2C_5-30-48
Martin Rubenfeld, veteran US Army Air Force pilot, and one of the very first Jewish volunteer pilots in the Israeli Air Force, all-around American and Israeli Hero........ Also holds The distinction of being the father of Paul Rubenfeld a.k.a Paul Rubens a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman.
And now you know the rest of the story :haha:
Shortly after the events of World War II the state of Israel was created as we all know. Immediately following the creation of the state of Israel virtually every Middle Eastern nation in the region threatened to invade and destroy Israel, they made good on their threat of invasion.
Israel more or less stood alone. They had no Air Force to speak of their entire Air Force at the time of the invasion consisted of two liaison aircraft similar to piper cubs. Their leadership knew that without an Air Force they would be unable to successfully repel an invasion, and the state of Israel would inevitably fall.
Israel began looking for volunteers. They needed pilots with combat experience and needed them now. Not only that but these volunteers had to bring their own combat aircraft to the front lines. The US had a number of experience combat pilots but getting them to volunteer was a different story, it was illegal to volunteer your services to another nation in combat, and you could risk your citizenship and even imprisonment if you did. Beyond that, Jews werent winning any popularity contest in the late 1940s
Several Jewish pilots in the United States who served in combat during the second world war were moved to volunteer their services but none of them had airplanes of any kind, let alone frontline fighter aircraft
Using money raised primarily through the Jewish communities these volunteer pilots purchased 4 surplus military transport aircraft slated for recycling and destruction as they sat in the desert.
These transport military aircraft were then registered as an airline and flown out of the country, the ultimate destination was Czechoslovakia. Through various contacts they had been informed that Czechoslovakia was a war-torn nation in desperate need of American money, and to get their hands on that money they would sell combat ready fighter aircraft to anyone willing to pay for them.
The pilots all had experience flying mustangs and thunderbolts and lightening's through the war years and were informed that Czechoslovakia had just such aircraft available for sale.
Upon their arrival in Czechoslovakia they discovered that there were no mustangs there were no lightnings there were no thunderbolts. Instead, one of the only remaining fighter production factories in the country was still producing fighter aircraft to be sold along with surplus military equipment.
That airplane was the frontline Nazi fighter aircraft the famous Messerschmitt Me-109, The surplus flight suits and the surplus equipment gloriously emblazoned with the swastika. The pilots spent their time removing the swastika from the equipment and replacing it with the star of David, The symbol of Israel. Time was short so they had very little time to practice on the aircraft.
The aircraft were split into sections, fuselage, wings and engines and then loaded one each into four of the transport Aircraft where they made the voyage to Israel. Upon landing ground crews unload of the aircraft into hangers and hastily assembled them according to the Czechoslovakian schematics, loaded them with fuel, bombs, and ammunition.
The pilots wanted a chance to do a functional check flight to ensure that the aircraft of been put together correctly however they were informed that their first mission was due to take off immediately and without delay. A town 6 or 7 miles away was under heavy attack and needed air support badly.
Thus the Israeli Air Force was born. Four premier NAZI designed fighter aircraft and four volunteer Jewish fighter pilots, armed with surplus Nazi equipment and surplus Nazi uniforms.
The strike was swift, lethal and decisive. Eventually more aircraft were procured as were more volunteer pilots, the tide of war turned in the favor Israel and at the end of the day Israel still stood. The invasion of been repulsed.
All of that struck me as interesting, but one thing that struck me as particularly interesting was this
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Rubenfeld#Rubenfeld_Mission.2C_5-30-48
Martin Rubenfeld, veteran US Army Air Force pilot, and one of the very first Jewish volunteer pilots in the Israeli Air Force, all-around American and Israeli Hero........ Also holds The distinction of being the father of Paul Rubenfeld a.k.a Paul Rubens a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman.
And now you know the rest of the story :haha: