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During the first half
of the 1950's There was an increase in the cycle of terrorist
incursions into Israel leading to Israel reprisals and to Arab
counter attacks. In addition, there was a sharp escalation in the
militancy of Arab radio messages and a massive military build-up of
the Arab armies, sponsored by the Soviets (especially of the
air-forces), including modern hardware and instructors; - in short,
there was a bad feeling of an approaching war and the need arise in
the IAF to start urgently commence a world-market exploration in
order to endow the squadrons with aircraft which could give at least
qualitative superiority over the Soviet aircraft generously bestowed
upon the Arab air forces.
In 1954 an IAF procurement mission went to Europe for that purpose.
It included Lt. Col. Alexander Zilony, Lt. Col. Yehuda Gilady,
Capt.. Benjanin Peled and Col. Yehuda Rabin. When they returned to
Israel in April, three aircraft were proposed: the American F-86
Sabre produced under license in Canada, the Swedish SAAB J-29 and
the French Mystטre II. After about one month in Sweden and 15 flying
hours with the J-29, Capt.. Benjamin Peled provided a positive
recommendation to his superiors and negotiations started between the
two governments. However, the Swedes, at a certain stage, changed
their minds and the contract was never signed. IAF turned then to
the Canadians: the F-86 performed very well in Korea and was
considered the most advanced fighter of the epoch.
But the US did not approve the procurement.
So it was now the Mystטre II, which France was willing to sell. In
July 1954, Mr. Shimon Peres, then Director General of the Ministry
of Defense, signed, in the name of the Gvt. of Israel, the first
stage of a contract with the Gvt. of France. This first stage
included:
- Six Mystטre II fighters;
- One Noratlas Nord 2501 cargo aircraft ;
- Option for 15 additional Mystטre II;
- Option for 15 Mystטre IV, which already were on the assembly-line
stage;
In August 1954 the contract was concluded and France was under
obligation to deliver the first six Mystטre II not later than the
beginning of 1955.
According to the "tripartite agreement" of 1950, France was under
obligation to inform and to get the approval of the UK and the US
for any arms deals with the Middle East; the approval was not
granted.
During 1955 a crisis developed between Egypt and the US and Britain.
Egypt requested the evacuation of all British bases in Egypt.
America did not agree to finance the construction of the Assuan dam
on the Nile.
Finally, after many persuasions and also in recognition of Israel's
siding with the French policy in Algeria, the contract started to
materialize. A group of six Israeli pilots and one technical officer
were dispatched to Mont-de-Marsan AFB in south-west of France to
start training on the Mystטre II. The commander of the mission was
Benjamin Peled.
He was deeply disappointed with the performances of the fighter and
sustained by the same conclusions of the French Armee de L'air, he
proposed to give-up the Mystטre II and wait for the Mystטre IV. The
proposal was adopted by the IAF.
In September 1955 the world was surprised to learn about the
"Czech-deal": Egypt received from Czechoslovakia 100 MiG 15 and 17,
fifty Ilyiushin IL-28 bombers, 70 IL-14 cargo-planes, hundreds of
thanks and thousands of artillery and flake batteries. The magnitude
of the deal fundamentally changed the balance of power in the
Middle-East. The pressure on Israel was high but Benjamin Peled
insisted to wait for the Mystטre IV.
The French had an acceptable suggestion: buy now 12 "used" Ouragans
and three Nord's.
The Ouragan was not as good as the Mystטre IV but better than the
Meteors - and the deal was accepted and completed.
In November 1955 an additional contract for 12 Ouragans and 12
Mystטre IV was signed. The Ouragans were received by the IAF, not so
the Mystטres: US and UK were still reluctant to approve the deal.
(separate books on Ouragan and Meteor will be published in the near
future).
Syrian terrorist attacks on civil fishing boats on the lake of
Galilee culminated with the IDF reprisals on Dec. 11 and 12, 1955.
Syria left 54 dead soldiers, about 100 wounded and 30 were taken as
prisoners; IDF lost six dead in battle and 14 wounded.
The western powers were still opposed to arms sales to Middle-East,
though Israel strongly, presented the "Czech-deal" as a real danger
to the region's stability, mainly in the air.
A turning point occurred in the views of the west in April 1956 when
Egypt nationalized the Suez canal. US and UK not only lifted the
embargo on Israel, they heartily encouraged Canada and France to
sell fighter aircraft to Israel.
The French promptly agreed to release 12 Mystטres IV of the Nov.
1955 contract and six Israeli pilots were dispatched to Cambrai in
the North of France for training: Benjamin Peled, Danny Shapira,
Jacob Nevo (Yak), Dan Goren, Jacob Morgan and Dror Avneri.
On April 11, 1956 operation "Raz-Yesh" was initiated. (Raz-Hebrew
for mystטre or secret, Yesh- short for Israel in Hebrew).
The operation consisted of bringing the fighters to Israel in
flight! The first six aircraft took-off from Mont-de-Marsan in two
formations of three. A French pilot escorted them part of the way,
then, when he could report that all went well, signaled "hello" to
his friends and returned to his base. The "trio" continued straight
to the Italian AFB in Brindisi, where Ezer Weizman and a crew of
Israeli mechanics waited for them. The cover-up was "aircraft
returned to France for repair".
Another gimmick used for the cover-up was to use the same tail
numbers of the first six aircraft for the other formations. The
Italians were convinced that it was the same formation, coming back
from repairs.
After a short stay at Brindisi for refueling and limbs-stretching -
take-off and straight on to Hatzor AFB to reinstate the "First
Fighter” squadron (101) as the first Mystere IV squadron under the
command of Maj. Benjamin (Benny) Peled.
In April 1956 a new contract for 12 additional Mystטres was signed
and promptly executed during the next month. The operation was
identical to the one described above and under the code name "Cesar"
was successfully completed on May 23, 1956.
On May 1st, six Mystטres took-off from Hatzor AFB and for the first
time in the airspace of Israel, the six offered an air-show which
included aerobatics, dog-fights and supersonic booms (when diving,
only!).
On July 26, 1956, Canada accepted to sell 24 CL-13 Sabre’s to
Israel. The fighters were painted IAF-camouflage and the insignia
were applied to the wings and fuselages. The delivery should have
been in two batches of 12 each, one batch immediately and the second
batch, approximately six weeks later.
In August 1956 France responded positively to an Israeli request for
36 additional Mystטres that were flown to Israel in similar
circumstances as before, this time under the code name "Shacharit"
(sunrise).
They landed at Hatzor AFB on August 18, 1956.
In September 1956, Shmuel Shtopper, Amnon Halivni and Dan Yoel, all
Meteor pilots, were sent to Canada to get acquainted with the
Sabres. The "First Jet" squadron in Ramat-David AFB made
preparations to absorb the new fighters, when the "Kadesh" campaign
broke out. Two days later the Canadians decided to freeze the
contract.
Israel was, in a way, glad to cancel it; the Mystטres were already
supplied and continuity of business with France was more than an
option.
In September 1956 the IAF received one photo - reconnaissance
Mystטre which brought the total to 61 fighters. In time, pilots and
ground crews nicknamed it "MIVA", a "condensation" of Mystטre IV A.
However, these fighters had some problems . For instance, they
required long take-off and landing runways. The landing problem was
partially resolved when, in the early sixties a brake-chute was
installed.
In February 1971 the Mystטre was phased-out and IAF saluted the
wonderful service this fighter offered the country for 16 years with
an impressive air show.
Today, Mystטre #09 and #60 is statically exhibited at the IAF museum
at Hatzerim; Few others are mute memorials affixed on the grounds of
the squadrons they served, as proud testimonials, for the following
generations to remember.
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