Aviation Historian 15
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S.Aloni - The Pick-up Artist
A Nord Noratlas and a pair of C-47s of the IAF’s 103 Squadron at Solomon Field, Sharm el-Sheikh, in November 1956, towards the end of Operation Kadesh - the Israeli occupation of Sinai, for which Yarkon had been a prelude.
Douglas C-47 "1409” of 103 Squadron was used throughout Operation Yarkon for transport duties. From November 1948 all IAF aircraft types were given a four-digit serial, the first two numbers representing the aircraft type - "04” for the Piper Cub/Super Cub, “14” for the C-47 etc - and the second pair representing the individual airframe.
The identity of the Super Cub fitted with a four-wheeled main undercarriage used for Yarkon is not known for certain, although it is likely it was serial number “0433”, which was the only aircraft assigned to the mission equipped with a radio transceiver.
Moses Aran and Mordecai Golan of 100 Squadron perform a message pick-up in Super Cub “0431 ” during an air power demonstration at Hatzor on March 3, 1955. At the time, the IAF had no helicopters, the Cub/Super Cub fulfilling the Army Co-operation role for the IDF.
The first of the Israeli Air Force Piper J3/L-4 Cubs, "0401”, is seen here in the background at Ramla the day after Enoch Keret flew it on the preliminary reconnaissance mission over the Sinai Peninsula on May 28, 1955. The Israelis received 20 of these early-model Cubs from August 1948, with PA-18 Super Cubs arriving from 1955.
Israeli aircrew make their way towards their de Havilland Mosquitoes at Hatzor in April 1955, two months before FB.VI “2172”, the first in the line-up here, was flown by Amity Levin during his top-cover mission in support of Operation Yarkon on June 9, 1955.