Dan K wrote:
Joe Scheil wrote:
...As to historic and special variants, the Avia CS-199 is something else entirely with a really rich and important contribution to the state of Israel and the founding of the nation...
Did the Avia CS-199 actually serve with the Israelis?
I've seen some plastic models with 'what if' markings, but can't remember seeing an actual pic of one in IAF service.
"The first examples arrived on May 20, 1948, six days after Israel's declaration of independence and five days after the commencement of hostilities by Egypt. Forming Israel's first fighter squadron, they were assembled and sent into combat for the first time on May 29, attacking the Egyptian army between Isdud and the Ad Halom bridge, south of Tel Aviv. A few days later, on June 3, the type scored the Israeli Air Force's first aerial victories when Modi Alon shot down a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s which had just bombed Tel Aviv."
But also:
"The type proved unreliable and performed poorly in combat. One Avia pilot remarked "she tried to kill us on every take off and landing."
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Avia_S-199In front line service from May to Oct 1948