They are in Baharian now, long way they've gone,still some to go. I'd like to fly that last leg back into Goodwood!
They are in Baharian now, long way they've gone,still some to go. I'd like to fly that last leg back into Goodwood!
Just looked it up, they are in Jordan very near the border with Israel. It's not widely known, but Israel has at least one Spitfire, painted all black. And there museum flies it, or at least the did at one time. I cautioned the pilot about the short range nature due to somewhat small fuel supply and he reminded me that they were a small country surrounded by unfriendly ones so weren't going far from home. The also have or had a 51, and I think 109. likely an HA Spanish version.
I was curious about the 109, since I knew the IAF flew Czech built 109's called S-199. They were essentially Me-109K's with a Junkers Jumo engine as in the He111 and the same prop as the Heinkel. It was NOT a good combination. I looked it up and the IAF museum has the last one on display.
In the air war in 1948, the Israelis flew Me-109s shooting down Egyptian Spitfires. Life is far stranger than fiction.
Which just proves the notion that it's a little bit of airplane and a whole lotta pilot.Originally Posted by Mayhemxpc
During the War of Independance in 1948 the IAF also flew P-51's and Spitfires flown by former fighter pilots from the US and Canada.
Chris Mayer, its been a long time, but I used to know a man, FAA employee from Albuquerque, I think who had flown for Israel in the years after WWII. I recall a story about combat between Mk XVIII Israeli Spitfires shooting down Egyptian Mk IXs. I am not sure at all about this, but don't recall any 109s. A Jumo engine Spanish 109 would unlikely be a match for a Spitfire, with either the late 2 stage Merlin or the Griffon.
Bill,
I was taught a long time ago that "hamburger is hamburger, it doesn't matter how you wrap it." There is the story that King Hussein once outflew two (I think Syrian) Mig 17's while flying a DeHavilland Dove, whereby they learned that one can only tie the record for low flying.
In any case, they weren't the Spanish versions. They were Czech built 109Ks. The only country to ever buy them were Czechoslovakia and the very desperate IAF. There are a few interesting articles on them, including at one in Air and Space.
From the Isaeli Air Force homepage: "The IAF performed its first sortie on May 29th 1948, and helped bring an Egyptian advance near Ashdod to a halt using four Czechoslovakian Messerschmitt planes."
The Spitfire is back in England today Dec. 5, after about a 20,000 mile flight.
A necropost, but this is pretty cool.
As part of their fundraising efforts, the Silver Spitfire folks are selling a print of the Spitfire and Oregon's Mount Hood:
Information at:
https://silverspitfirephotography.co.../stratovolcano
Ron Wanttaja
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