P-47N

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

The First 'Baraqs'
First acquired immediately after independence in 1947, the P-47 was an immediate success with the fledgling IDF/AF. Initially fourteen D-30's were 'donated' by France, and six more from Italy. Rumours quickly surfaced that, like the B-17's before them, the first six aircraft strafed Egyptian patrol boats in the Suez Canal on their delivery flight from Cyprus. Those rumours were neither confirmed nor denied by the Israeli authorities and so passed into modern legend.

Once established as the (not surprisingly) 'Baraq' squadron, those first twenty aircraft flew repeated sorties mainly against Egyptian (and occasionally British) forces in the disputed border areas between the 'New Palestine' and the established Egypt. Quickly adapted to carry/fire six or eight British 60lb rocket, the Baraqs were mainly tasked with ground attack missions. The P-47's excelled at disrupting and stopping resupply convoys working just behind the Egyptian front lines. In those early days there wasn't too much opportunity for the Thunderbolt pilots to engage in air-to-air combat – the greater majority of this being handled by the P-51's & Fw190D's usually tasked with escorting the P-47's – however on the 28th January 1948, returning from an 'armed reconnaissance' in the southern Suez sector, a flight of four P-47's led by Lt. David Gouldman happened upon six Macchi 205's returning toward Egyptian airspace at very low level. The 'post-action report' completed by Lt. Gouldman is displayed at the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim:

"1715 local - Returning from A/R mission in vicinity of (Censored), blue 3 (second element lead) called four, then six 'Spitfires' at very low altitude on a reciprocal course at our 10-o-clock"

"Called the flight into line astern at 500yd intervals and turned-in behind them at approximately 2000yds. Accelerating to 350kts we closed the gap quickly. The 'Spitfire' pilots must have assumed that they were 'safe' this close to their lines as they simply didn't take any sort of evasive action until too late"

"Closed to 400yds at 20deg deflection on last a/c in the flight. First two second burst went low, adjusted and fired second burst. Strikes along left fuselage then wing root. E/a skidded left then right. Adjusted closing speed then fired second two second burst. Strikes on right wing root. Left wing lifted then broke off completely. Pulled high and right." Blue 2 confirmed as destroyed.

"Rest of my flight followed me through, the E/a's were far too low to take any effective avoiding action. I saw the third a/c turn hard, stall and crash without any action taken by any of my flight – a 'panic' move."

"Each member of Blue flight shot down one E/a in a very similar manner to my kill. Only the lead 'Spitfire' got away. Blue flight took no damage and returned to (Censored) with no further incident"

The 'Spitfires' were understandably mis-identified at the time, later confirmed as brand new Macchi 205's that had been on a similar mission over Israeli lines. Lt Gouldman's P-47 is also displayed at the museum still wearing it's 'kill' marking and large number of mission marks.

In summer 1949 the first P-47N's arrived directly from the USA. Almost all came from the Tennessee, North Carolina and New Mexico Air National Guard squadrons. These were chosen because of their limited airframe hours and overall good condition. In total sixty-two P-47N's arrived at Haifa as crated deck cargo aboard two Panamanian freighters (used to get around various national and international political 'obstructions' in the Mediterranean area). Egyptian Air Force DH Vampires escorted by Meteors attempted to sink the vessels in the entrance to Haifa harbor but were thwarted by a combination of anti-aircraft fire and a massive umbrella of air cover comprising of over sixty IDF/AF P-51's, Spitfires and the few remaining Fw's.

In the meantime, fourteen 'Baraqs' flew at wave-top height to toward the airfield southeast of Alexandria that the would-be attackers would be using as a refueling stop on their way back from Haifa. Keeping station five miles off-shore until called by Israeli 'agents', the P-47's climbed and positioned themselves 'up sun', pouncing on the Egyptian jets as they slowed to join the circuit. Four Vampires were shot down, two Meteors were seen to collide. The last two elements of P-47's adjusted their run-in and shot-up fuel trucks, filled with Kerosene, the resultant explosions were felt in the outskirts of the city. Two P-47's were downed by ground-fire.

With the arrival of the 'new' Baraqs, the few remaining Fw-190D's were immediately withdrawn from service whilst the Spitfires and remaining P-47D's were assigned to the new IDF/AF training unit at Hatzerim.

'New' Baraqs
Ideally suited because of its excellent range, load-carrying ability, survivability and firepower, the newer, faster N's proved to be even more popular than their predecessors' with the Israeli pilots. Now the original Baraq squadron could grow to a full wing, each squadron of nominally sixteen aircraft, with six aircraft as a 'base defence flight'. The remaining aircraft kept as spares.

To celebrate the formation of the wing the Baraqs were all decorated with a large red lightning bolt each side of the cockpit, where the aircraft had been painted in the new tan & dark blue/grey camouflage the design was outlined in yellow or white.

The first missions for the new Baraqs were mostly uneventful 'armed reconnaissance' sorties by flights or pairs in the now quiet south Sinai region. In late 1949, most of the 'action' could be found in the north, in the foothills and peaks of the Golan Heights.

The Baraq wing detached 101 Squadron to the northeast in December 1949. Air Force P-51's and Mosquito's had been attempting to destroy two heavily fortified artillery positions that looked directly into Israel from the heights. Although the targets had been hit a number of times, the 500lb bombs simply failed to make any impact on the man-made and natural defences.

101 Squadron operations officer Capt. Jacob Kolawski formulated a plan typical of Israeli improvisation, ingenuity and daring. In exchange for two truck-loads of belted .50cal ammunition (which the squadron had an excess of), he received four 2000lb hard-case AP bombs from a contact (his brother-in-law) in a IDF/Navy squadron that flew Grumman Avengers. A single bomb was shackled to centerline of four of the P-47's, the rest loaded with rockets for (what we call these days), defence suppression. The four bombers trailed a few minutes behind their comrades as set-off.

As the first P-47's arrived in the target area and began to 'soften-up' the defences the bombers split into two flight and clawed their way to altitude, rolling over from 8000ft into a 60deg dive they released two bombs into the bedrock below the Syrian positions, fifteen seconds later the second two bombs struck just above the guns.
When the dust settled, nothing had appeared to have happened. Israeli 'spotters' looking from across the valley and closer by in halftracks whooped with delight at the massive explosions but then bemoaned the lack of accuracy... the positions appeared untouched.

As predicted the Syrian guns were brought to bear on the nearest Israeli target, a forward base seven miles inside the border. The first three rounds were all it took for the undermined bedrock to give way. First the looser ground above the positions began to slip onto the guns and their crews then the extra weight of that rock proved too much for the lower rocks and the positions, the guns and their crews tumbled into the wadi below. Captain Kolawski – a former geology student from Kracow – had prevailed !!

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So, here's my starting-point.

Not decided which one to build, but the end result will (obviously) be the same; a 1:48 IDF P-47N. Haven't even opened the box(s) yet let-alone decided whether to build an 'early' NMF machine or a later camouflaged one. Which brings me to a question:

Anybody here know when the Dark Blue/Grey & Sand camouflage was introduced on IDF machines - I'm guessing around 1950, but I could be way-out.

Progress shots when I can. And as ever, throughout the build I'll do my best to answer any queries and comments.

AFN

Ian

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

A little bit of 'Googling' (other search engines are available), and I found my answer.... 1955/56, first blue/grey & dark sand camo aircraft appeared !!

So looks like an NMF P-47N, then 

Ian

[The Wooksta!]

Not quite as far fetched as you'd think as Isreal nearly got P47s from Mexico - until the State Department stepped in and reminded the Mexicans that the US still owned said P47s and they were going nowhere.

They nearly got P40s too - South Africa had hundreds just sitting in the desert doing nowt.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Thanks Lee, good to know. Isn't there some 'mileage' in them trying to get Fw190's out of Czechoslovakia aswell ?? (I mentioned them in the backstory).

Ian

[Father Ennis]

Let's not forget my personal fav, the Avia S-199 !!!  These were delivered in overall grey/green and later painted in ,probably,British middle stone above and light grey below ( or maybe British PRU blue ). At least that is what my Hobbycraft kit says they were.

[NARSES2]

Isn't there some 'mileage' in them trying to get Fw190's out of Czechoslovakia aswell ?? (I mentioned them in the backstory).

Ian[/color]

Yes there is. Indeed the Czechs nearly built Fw 190's post war instead of the S-199. They weren't D's but Kbely has details on the A's. Surprised me, Steve and Geoff a bit

[The Wooksta!]

The Czechs had various 190 and Ta 152 airframes left over, so anything would fit.  I've done a Czech D and Terry did an Isreali one ages ago - I saw it at Donnington in '95.

The Isrealis tried buying the Junkers Ju 290 that the Czechs had cobbled together from bits left over at the Letov factory in Prague.  Ideal use for the Revell kit, although you'd need to give it props from a Fw 190A for more accuracy  - Letov didn't have the correct props.

Basically, any Luftwaffe aircraft flying with a Czech flag is whiffable with plausible deniability into isreali markings.  Offhand - Arado Ar96 and Ar 396. Bucker Bu 181 Bestmann (plus the post war Egyptian built versions that could have been captured). Focke Wulf Fw 190 and Ta 152.  Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (and given that the French will sell weapons to anyone, the MS Criquets as well).  Heinkel He 111H and He 219.  Not sure if there were factories on Czech soil building He 162s but as the Cezchs tried to sell a developed 262 with BMW 003 engines, you might get away with an Isreali He 162.   There were some He 177s in Prague, although probably best use as scrap. Junkers built aircraft on Czech soil, so anything in the 88 family.  Ju 52/3m could also come from France. Bf 109s anyway.  Czechs flew Bf 108s too.  Some evidence that Isreal may have got at least one Me 262.  Me 208 built post war by France. Siebel 204 produced post war by both the Czechs and the French.

Plenty of ideas there.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

All good stuff for the future, Chris & Lee. Thanks for the ideas, chaps.  Will be making a start on the 'Baraq' later this week.  For the sometime in the distant future a D-11 or D-13 from the Eduard 'Weekend Edition' Fw190D kit may happen...

...maybe 

Ian

[The Wooksta!]

Any RAF type left on a scrap dump too - I've done a Spitfire PR1D and I've plans for a Battle.  Defiant target tugs, Hurricanes, Proctors, Masters, Martinets, Magisters, Vultee Vengeance (there's a thought - I've a part started one somewhere).

Any chance that the 'Baraq' will shoot down someone called Obama?

I'd go for a 190D-9 as your base airframe - more of them (11s were mainly prototypes and about 20 13s got produced) and I think the D-11/D-13 were more in evidence on the western front rather than over Czech soil.  A Ta 152 tail would look good though.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Any chance that the 'Baraq' will shoot down someone called Obama?

None whatsoever !!

I'd go for a 190D-9 as your base airframe - more of them (11s were mainly prototypes and about 20 13s got produced) and I think the D-11/D-13 were more in evidence on the western front rather than over Czech soil.  A Ta 152 tail would look good though.

D-9 or D-13 sounds good. But I've got some other (non related), ideas to work-on in the meantime, and as you are all well aware I work at glacier-with-a-limp speed nowadays !!

More later in the week.

Ian

ps:
Lee, there's nothing to stop you doing a 1:72 IDF Fw190D....  

[The Wooksta!]

I'd actually rather do a Spanish one - all blue with a white rudder.  I started an Airfix D way back in the mists of time - 1996 I think - that never got finished.  Too busy though - I'm doing a tour on Lancasters.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Baraqs over Suez
The 'Suez Crisis' in 1956 marked the last major use of the P-47 by the IDF/AF, at this time they were being replaced mainly by Hawker Hunters, F-84F Thunderstreaks & F-86 Sabres.

Taking-off an hour before the main 'strike' force, the P-47's arrived off Port Said at the same time as French & Israeli F-84's that were tasked with 'silencing' the defensive batteries that protected the port installations. Orbiting just off-shore, out of range of the flak, flights of Thunderbolts spotted the batteries as they opened fire on the F-84's as they [in turn] swept low over the town from every direction. The P-47 pilots then half-rolled onto the guns loosing rockets and 500lb bombs.

Of the 32 'Baraqs' that took-off for that first mission, just eight received any damage, and all returned to their bases. However all was not so well over the Sinai. In attempting to support Israeli paratroopers of Ariel Sharons' 202nd Brigade in the Mitla Pass, the P-47's found the Egyptian anti-aircraft fire extremely effective, 30 Squadron alone lost twelve of the twenty-two aircraft it committed and seven pilots (the other five made it back across Israeli lines).

Elsewhere the Thunderbolts were repeatedly employed as flying artillery, using the 'taxi-rank' principle developed by British Air Controllers in Normandy some twelve years prior, scoring some major successes and assisting in the capture, intact, of a forty-truck Syrian resupply column by the simple expedient of shooting-up the front and rear vehicles as they ran through a narrow wadi just north of Shomera near the Lebanese border, then calling an Air Force controller working with a nearby infantry unit. In that instance, the Isreali's took possession of sixty tons shells bound for various artillery positions dug-in in southern Lebanon.

AFN

Ian

[PantherG]

Interesting story.
I have drawed a lot of planes in Israeli markings somewhere here in my topic http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,29685.0.html
Here is P-47D "Bubbletop" from operation Kadesh http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj569/PantherG72/What%20if%20P-47/F-47D-40-RE_IDF_1_zpsf153c1ee.png
And many of my IDF/AF What if planes are here: http://s730.photobucket.com/user/PoorWhistler/library/What%20if%20IDF?sort=3&page=1

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Thanks, those profiles are extremely helpful.

As for the model, well here in NZ, winter has arrived and the garage is simply too cold to work in. 3deg this morning and 'our mountain' is covered in gleaming white 'icing'.

All stop until the I've broken through the ice on my acrylics !!

Ian

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Will be working all weekend, so day-off today (it's 0813am Friday, here). So on a clear, crisp, cold winters day, the P-47N will hit the bench...

...stand-by folks 

Ian