101 Squadron (Israel)

Israeli military unit yes 101 Squadron טייסת הקרב הראשונה IAF_Squadron_101_2.png May 20, 1948 – Present Israel 23px Israel 23px Air Defence Ramat David Airbase First Fighter Squadron Modi AlonYosef AlonAvraham Lanir F-16C thumb|An Avia S-199 with the 101 Squadron badge 250px|thumb|Barak 2020-F-16C aircraft of the 'First Fighter' squadron in the Israeli Air Force 250px|thumb|The F-16C Barak 2020 aircraft of Squadron 101 in the Independence Day display. 101 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force (IAF), also known as the First Fighter Squadron, operates F-16C Fighting Falcon Barak II out of Ramat David Airbase.https://www.janes.com/defence-intelligence-insights/defence-news/defence/update-israel-retires-barak-1-variant-f-16s Update: Israel retires Barak 1-variant F-16s janes.com 17 July 2024 10 October 2026 History 101 Squadron is Israel's first fighter squadron, formed on 20 May 1948, six days after Israel declared its independence. Initially flying the Avia S-199, it has since operated the Supermarine Spitfire, North American Mustang, Dassault Mystere IV, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Nesher and IAI Kfir. 101 Squadron was formed at two air bases simultaneously: IAF Ekron, former RAF Aqir, currently Tel Nof Airbase, and Žatec, code-named "Zebra", in northwestern Czechoslovakia, a former Luftwaffe airfield close to a Messerschmitt production facility. Pilots received initial flight training on the Avia S-199s, Czechoslovak-built copies of the Bf 109G with 1,320 hp Junkers Jumo 211F powerplants. During one ferry flight some of the squadron's 15 aircraft were forced to land in Greece, and were immediately impounded. During the next ferry-flight a C-46 was used as a navigation guide, and a corvette was readied off the coast in case any aircraft had to be ditched and pilots rescued from the water.Luttrell, Robert J., I flew for Israel, Flying Magazine, May 1949, p.58 Four of these flew the squadron's first mission on 29 May 1948, strafing the Egyptian ground forces near Ad Halom, in the prelude to Operation Pleshet. 101 Squadron was responsible for the Israeli Air Force's first aerial victories on 3 June 1948, when Modi Alon, after taking off from Herzliya Airport, shot down a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s which had just bombed Tel Aviv.Aloni Shlomo Arab–Israeli Air Wars Osprey Publishing 2001 1-84176-294-6 https://books.google.com/books?id=mO02czQ9jyYC 11Norton Bill Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947 Midland Publishing 2004 1-85780-088-5 110–112 A makeshift strip located around the current Herzliya Airport was the main operating base of the squadron between June and October 1948, and the squadron moved to it after un-assembled planes were strafed on the ground on 30 May. The airfield was used as it was some distance behind the front lines, and was clandestine. It was a purpose built strip that was constructed after the beginning of hostilities in between the orange orchards around Herzliya, and did not appear on published maps.https://warisboring.com/how-nazi-fighter-planes-saved-israel-c2b54f34c2a8 How Nazi Fighter Planes Saved Israel War Is Boring, 2016-15-08 2017-03-15 http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20160907135738/https://warisboring.com/how%2Dnazi%2Dfighter%2Dplanes%2Dsaved%2Disrael%2Dc2b54f34c2a8#.w9xn5xesi 2016-09-07 dead https://www.aopa.org.il/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%92%D7%9B%D7%92%D7%93%D7%9A%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9A%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%97/ Herzliya Airfield - first days, AOPA Israel, 2014-04-22 2017-03-15 2017-03-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20170315180037/https://www.aopa.org.il/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%92%D7%9B%D7%92%D7%93%D7%9A%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9A%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%97/ dead 2017-03-15 המרכז הבינתחומי - הבסיס שעשה היסטוריה - וואלה! חדשות http://news.walla.co.il/item/384730 2021-06-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20170315175212/http://news.walla.co.il/item/384730 2017-03-15 During these initial operations, the squadron operated with a few planes in the face of the Arab forces' near-Air supremacy and the airplanes were dispersed between the orange trees when parked. The squadron was moved in October to Hatzor Airbase from the strip in due to its unsuitability in rainy conditions, probable loss of clandestine status, fluidity of the front lines which made former British bases safe for use, and a shift in the balance of air superiority towards the Israelis. In 2021 the squadron relocated from Hatzor Airbase to Ramat David Airbase alongside the 105 Squadron. Pilots Yosef Alon Aviation Israel Giora Epstein Israel Baharav Aaron "Red" Finkel Mitchell Flint Avi Lanir Gordon Levett Christopher Magee Milton Rubenfeld Iftach Spector Bob Vickman Ezer Weizman George Lichter Gideon Lichtman References External links Global Security Profile 101 Squadron, Israel's first fighter squadron https://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=277611 Yaakov Katz 'It was all destiny' - One of the last surviving founders of IAF recalls mission that stopped Egypt from advancing on Tel Aviv April 23, 2013 The Jerusalem Post July 16, 2012 Category:Israeli Air Force squadrons Category:Military units and formations established in 1948