Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:06 am
Historic rescue aircraft to be brought to Israel
The C-46 airplane used in clandestine 1947 rescue operation of 100 Iraqi Jews salvaged from scrap yard in Argentina and will soon arrive in Israel, where it will be showcased at the Atlit Detention Camp Museum dedicated to pre-1948 immigration efforts.
A Curtiss C-46 Commando transport aircraft used in 1947's clandestine Operation Michaelberg, during which 100 Iraqi Jews were rescued and brought to then-British Mandate Palestine, will soon return to Israel after being saved from a metal scrap yard in Argentina.
During the mid-1940s, concerns grew for the fate of the Jews of Iraq, with reports of increasing persecution by their Arab neighbors. The British denied the Jewish community's petition to allow Iraqi Jews to enter Israel legally, and it was decided to mount a clandestine rescue operation and smuggle them into the country. The rescue operation was designed by the Aliyah Bet group, which operated as part of the Haganah, the Jewish paramilitary organization that operated in Israel in defiance of the British Mandate.
Aliyah Bet members, some of whom would later form the Mossad, were able to purchase the aircraft and contract pilot Leo Sanberg and his co-pilot Michael, both American World War II veterans, to make two flights to Iraq. The secret operation, named for the pilots, was carried out in August and September 1947. However, later, as the majority of Jews seeking to enter Israel legally or illegally did so by sea, the plane was sold and all but forgotten.
Former Knesset speaker Shlomo Hillel, who was one of the individuals involved in Operation Michaelberg and later became, alongside Israeli businessman Meshulam Riklis, the driving force behind the preservation efforts of the Ayalon Institute -- a secret, underground Haganah bullet factory, now a museum -- recently learned of the whereabouts of the historic plane, and that its current owner had scheduled it to be scrapped.
Hillel and Riklis immediately began negotiating with the C-46's owner, with Riklis offering to finance its delivery to Israel. The negotiations were successful, and the plane is scheduled to arrive at its new home, at the Atlit Detention Camp Museum dedicated to the history of pre-1948 immigration efforts, in several weeks.
"Hillel explained to me how important this operation was to the heritage of the 'haapala' [illegal pre-state Jewish immigration], and I agreed to help raise the funds necessary to bring the plane to Israel," Riklis told Israel Hayom. "This is a worthy cause, and it is important to the history and heritage of the State of Israel. The plane will be showcased properly, as it should be."
Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:36 am
Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:45 pm
Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:32 pm
SaxMan wrote:The IAF does acknowledge their mistake with not keeping even one of the B-17s. They've tried to obtain one for their collection, but there just aren't enough B-17s to go around.
Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:34 pm
Chris Brame wrote:Any guesses as to the ID of this C-46? "Scrapyard in Argentina" might narrow it down.SaxMan wrote:The IAF does acknowledge their mistake with not keeping even one of the B-17s. They've tried to obtain one for their collection, but there just aren't enough B-17s to go around.
Have they tried to get one of the USAF's outdoor displays? Made an offer on Lacey Lady? The one in storage in Brazil? Any of the ones in England or France? They did try to get the E model that went to Paul Allen, but that fell through as well. Money talks...
Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:19 am
Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:48 am
jdvoss wrote:How will the C-46 be returned to Israel ? Presumably as deck cargo on a freighter... or will there be an attempt to fly back???
http://www.fuselagecodes.com
Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:48 am
Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:28 pm
Sun Jan 18, 2015 6:19 pm
Sun Jan 18, 2015 6:59 pm
Mon Jan 19, 2015 1:00 am
Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:40 am
Joe Baugher wrote:(43-)47190 (c/n 261, line no. CK238) surplused to RFC at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas Nov 16, 1945. Bought later in Nov 1945 by Howard J. Korth. Sold to Transportes Aereos Centro Americano (TACA), registered as YS-01C Dec 15, 1945. Then to F. A. Conner in 1947 as N75393. Bought by a Hagganah front company and marked with spurious Lineas Aeras Panamenas SA (LAPSA) markings with fake registration RX-130 and flown to Israel as CU-T540. LAPSA was a "paper" Panamanian company that served as a clandestine conduit to Israel for planes refurbished by Zionist activists. Operated by Israeli AF as RX-130 for a time, then as 1701. While transporting cargo from Czechoslovakia to Ekron in Israel forced landed in Rhodes, Greece and was impounded until end of war of independence. Then to El Al Airlines as 4X-ACB,
later 4X-ALB. Then to American Air Export and Import Company (AAXICO) as N75393 Jul 27, 1955. Transferred Sep 1, 1955 to Howard J. And Geraldine F. Korth. Leased to TACA (Transportes Aereos Centro Americano, of El Salvador) as YS-35 Dec 1955. Bought by TACA Mar 19, 1956. In 1970 bought by Aeromar Airlines as HI-196. In 1978 bought by Aerolinas Argo. April 1987 bought by Aerolineas Mundo as HI-495CT. Bought by Cargo Aereas Dominicana and registered as HI-495SP. Aerolineas Mundo bought in 1990 as HI-495CT. WFU 1994 and stored at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Current status unknown.
Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:53 am
Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:20 am