SAVIOURS IN THE SKY - AIRMEN V

 


Only three out of the six Spitfires, which were the first batch to be flown out of Czechoslovakia, made it to Israel.

By the time Israeli ground forces had captured Beersheba from the Egyptians, strengthening the Negev, only four Spitfires and two other fighters  were operational.  They were engaged in multiple operations – escorting bombers, supporting ground forces, flying air patrols and air reconnaissance. 

In October 1948, a tremendously successful attack on the Negev El-Arish air base was carried out, destroying several Egyptian aircraft on the ground and in their hangars. The air base was in a shambles,  putting the airfield temporarily out of action.  Because it was a surprise attack, Israeli bombers had not been threatened by a single Egyptian warplane.

The report informing Modi Alon that the Egyptians were pulling out of Ishdud, sounded too good to be true. Ishdud was where they had flown the squadron’s first combat mission, and stopped the Egyptian march on Tel Aviv some time later. The Egyptian’s plan was to consolidate with the main Egyptian force at their headquarters, just north of Gaza.

On 9th November, the Squadron moved from Herzlia to the Hatzor air base so as to be closer to the battle zone, for action against the Egyptians.  Israel’s small fighter force was finally being deployed the way that Modi Alon wanted. Hit them as hard as possible. Keep them on the run.

Tragedy struck when Modi Alon and Ezer Weizman decided to carry out a quick “Hebrew” mission. The two of them would bomb the long Egyptian convoy which was retreating from Ishdud. It will never be known what happened to Alon’s Messerschmitt fighter, as it was completely destroyed in the crash. There wasn’t one dry eye left, even among the most hardened pilots, when the news reached the air base.

For the Israelis he was a hero – a young fighter against an overwhelming powerful enemy. In the dark days of their war of Independence, Modi Alon gave them hope. He was a WWII veteran with similar training to the non-Jews among the pilots, but he was also an Israeli. Alon was a member of the threatened little nation the volunteers had come to help. He made them feel they were part of a greater purpose.

 

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