275:
195:
380:. Later, Levett heard a rumor that former Luftwaffe pilots had been recruited as mercenaries by the Arab forces, and he wondered if he would have to face an old foe. He also wrestled with the prospect that someday he might face an RAF fighter in combat over Palestine. (A possibility which, fortunately, never presented itself.) "I remembered
403:
Eventually, Levett retired from the
Israeli Air Force. He gave some thought to remaining in Israel, but decided instead to return to England. On his return home, the former orphan and diaper laundry worker found work again as a pilot. He began ferrying planes for aircraft companies, often flying back
356:
Levett survived the nerve-jangling raids. In his memoir decades later, Levett recalled his enthusiasm for the
Israeli cause and his frustration with the British Government's position. England's refusal to cooperate with a 1947 plan to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, and the British
214:
volunteered to help Israel in the fight for independence. Levett was one of the few non-Jews, and his role as the primary pilot in the Balak airlift proved pivotal. The Avia fighters, dismantled and flown in pieces from the Czech base, were reassembled and painted in new colors when they arrived in
202:
The Balak airlift, operating under Israel's Air
Transport Command, lasted three months. Operating under cover of darkness, Levett transported tons of arms, ammunition and personnel, as well as the disassembled Avias. The airlift was instrumental in Israel's success in the war. The hazardous trips,
266:
didn't always go smoothly. The
Spitfires weighed less than four tons; the C-46 cargo planes Levett flew weighed more than 25 tons. Eventually Levett grew accustomed to the smaller aircraft, but it was a steep learning curve. The morning of Levett's first combat sortie on 28 December 1948, for
390:
Following the war, Levett left
Squadron 101, where he had flown over 20 combat missions and downed two Egyptian fighters, and instead took command of Squadron 106 of the Israeli Air Force, formerly a ragtag transport unit staffed by American volunteers. Levett transformed the squadron into a
250:
Being a non-Jew wasn't the only thing that made Levett unusual. Some of the fledgling nation's new pilots were strictly mercenaries, paid far more than volunteers like Levett. Levett was scornful of the motives of the mercenaries. "One
American fighter pilot," he wrote, "was getting 2,000
282:
Nor was Levett's inexperience his only obstacle. When he joined the
Israeli forces, the Israeli agents believed that the English gentile and former RAF pilot was likely a British spy. Levett's English passport made him especially suspect: most Israelis saw the English as opponents of the
254:
Before he began flying the hazardous sorties for 101 Squadron, Levett had kept secret from his
Israeli handlers the fact that he had never flown a single RAF combat mission in a fighter, although he had trained in them. His only operational experience was flying lumbering cargo planes.
322:
Levett turned out to be no spy. Decades later, in May 1998, he and several hundred Mahal volunteers were invited by Israel to be honored for their service at celebrations of the country's 50th anniversary. "Their expertise was critical," noted the
251:
dollars-a-month and a 500-dollar bonus for every enemy aircraft he shot down," Levett recalled in his memoir. "They did their job well, but I did not care for them. At the toss of a shekel they would have been on the other side."
267:
instance, found Levett and pilot Syd Cohen dining on boiled eggs and black coffee in the predawn hours; both pilots were nervous. They were dressed casually, without badges of rank. They listened to the sound of their
Spitfire
242:
aircraft, including a few former RAF fighter planes piloted by the enemy during a
January 1949 engagement. In that unlikely dogfight, Israeli pilots flying Nazi-designed Avias downed several English-made Spitfires flown by the
387:"Looking back, I have neither failed nor succeeded, the fate of most of us," Levett wrote in his memoir, "but I shall leave the world a better place than when I entered it because I helped found the State of Israel."
752:
357:
threat to remove its stabilizing forces from the region, compelled Levett to volunteer for the Israeli forces. Soon he felt comfortable in their ranks. He felt more at home walking down Ben-Gurion Street in
747:
353:. The modified bombers had no bomb racks. Instead, the few bombs they carried were pushed out the aircraft's belly by a human 'bomb-chucker' who was tied to the aircraft's frame with rope.
97:, Levett applied for a pilot slot and in November 1940 was sent to flight school. He spent the rest of the war training other pilots and flying transport planes, becoming a
732:
179:
during World War II. The scene at the tiny facility startled Levett and other volunteers: they were greeted by a jarring jumble of American transport aircraft and several
511:
499:
The details of these early volunteers operating from their base at Žatec were first revealed in Levett's memoir, initially published some 42 years later in Jerusalem.
391:
full-fledged Israeli Air Force unit. At his new post, Levett trained new native transport pilots. For his accomplishments, he was promoted to the rank of
330:
The operation in which Levett had taken part succeeded in supplying arms to the Israelis, but it was controversial and hazardous: The airlift violated a
707:
542:
101 Squadron, formed in 1948. It is also known as the First Squadron because it was the first fighter squadron of the newly created Israeli Air Force.
112:, where he learned about developments in the Middle East. When he read of attempts to found an Israeli state, he volunteered to join the Israeli
384:'s apophthegm that if he ever had to choose between cause and country," wrote Levett, "he hoped he would have the guts to choose the cause."
604:
American Veterans of Israel, Volunteers in Israel's War of Independence, United States & Canadian Volunteers, Winter 2001, sas.upenn.edu
727:
717:
191:
DC-4 and several smaller aircraft. "Even more astonishing, the ground staff wore baseball caps and were speaking with American accents."
722:
89:
that his mother once placed him in an orphanage for eighteen months so he wouldn't starve, Levett joined the RAF in 1939 at age 17 when
116:
unit, a group of 5,000-odd overseas volunteers in early 1948. The Mahal were established to assist what had been a largely underground
26:
742:
626:
48:
who volunteered for a covert mission to fly supplies including dismantled fighter planes into the fledgling state of Israel in its
152:, Czechoslovakia, where a group of mostly American Jewish volunteers had assembled a fleet of transport aircraft acquired in the
175:
border, the Czech base was a primitive facility with a small control tower, a few huts and a single concrete runway used by the
737:
368:
Some jarring contrasts from the conflict stayed with him. At the Žatec base, for instance, the Israeli-bound, German-designed
442:
518:
319:, 'I was told, 'We're quite convinced that you are a British spy, but we're going to take you to see what you're up to.'"
500:
474:
168:
approval, to Israel. The cargo included the disassembled fighter planes, bombs, firearms and even first aid equipment.
296:, "but Mr. Levett was particularly notable because he was British. To most Israelis at that time, the recently lapsed
101:. But he was subsequently court-martialled and dismissed from the RAF after taking unauthorized leave from his remote
588:
49:
712:
308:, and British Government policy was seen as anti-Zionist. Recruited in March 1948 by emissaries in Europe of the
271:
being readied for flight on the tarmac. Levett had such jitters that he filled an ashtray sitting at the table.
411:
Gordon Levett died in England in 2000 at age 79. Israeli and Jewish organizations worldwide mourned his death.
578:
Photo of Gordon Levett, Mahal C-46 crew during a refueling stop in Corsica, May 1948, mahal-idf-volunteers.org
555:
Weizman wrote the foreword to Gordon Levett's memoir recounting his days with the Mahal and 101Squadron.
219:
337:
Some flights by the neophyte fighter pilot Levett involved actual bombing raids using transport planes
215:
Israel. The fighters Levett transported became the backbone of the new Jewish state's first air force.
702:
697:
565:
327:, "in helping what was previously an underground Zionist force win the war against the Arab armies."
259:
145:
17:
552:
312:, the Jewish fighting force in Palestine, Mr. Levett was viewed with a healthy dose of suspicion."
297:
235:
231:
223:
164:. Levett's job was shuttling the Avias and an enormous cache of arms bought from the Czechs, with
657:
301:
292:
268:
238:), was instrumental in the war. During its first eight months, the fighter squadron shot down 20
69:
630:(acknowledges earlier Hebrew (Ma'arachoth, 1989) and French (Éditions Créaphis, 1992) editions)
622:
512:"Israel at Sixty: The Road to Independence, American Jewish Committee, Doug Lieb, www.ajc.org"
448:
438:
120:
force. After two meetings with Jewish agents in London, Levett was supplied with a ticket for
57:
30:
184:
60:, helping establish a permanent Israeli military and aiding in the founding of the state of
682:
342:
161:
157:
98:
53:
41:
677:
577:
331:
211:
188:
125:
113:
475:
The Jews of Bohemia and Moravia, Livia Rothkirchen, University of Nebraska Press, 2005
691:
564:
The pilots of 101 Squadron flew three different fighter planes: British-manufactured
381:
373:
180:
153:
603:
488:
274:
660:
263:
227:
194:
165:
137:
90:
45:
207:, skirted enemy groundfire and hostile fighter planes in making their deliveries.
172:
664:
369:
362:
141:
94:
435:
Flying under two flags : an ex-RAF pilot in Israel's War of Independence
452:
176:
25:
377:
358:
346:
338:
171:
Located on an out-of-the-way road in a rural area some 20 miles from the
149:
619:
Flying Under Two Flags: An Ex-RAF Pilot in Israel's War of Independence
309:
284:
117:
65:
653:
198:
Bombed-out synagogue in Žatec, Czechoslovakia, site of Operation Balak
148:
with a bomber engine and gunpods) fighter aircraft from their base in
109:
86:
61:
205:
Flying Under Two Flags: An RAF Pilot in Israel's War of Independence
405:
350:
244:
193:
121:
105:
base, and so after the war was unable to find work as an aviator.
102:
24:
341:
into bombers. The modified transports made bombing runs from the
305:
278:
Avia 199 fighter planes flown by Squadron 101, Israeli Air Force
239:
56:. Later Levett joined the first squadron of the newly created
334:
embargo on arms shipments to the Middle Eastern combatants.
68:
pilot in the Israeli Air Force, where he rose to the rank of
644:, Alex Yofe, Lawrence Nyveen, White Crow Publications, 2007
634:"'Fun Stuff' in '48: British Gentile in Israel Air Force,"
647:
465:
Mahal is a Hebrew acronym meaning 'volunteers from abroad'
589:'Fun Stuff' in '48: British Gentile in Israel Air Force,
108:
Levett went to work in a Jewish-owned diaper laundry in
753:
Israeli military personnel of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War
650:, the history of Squadron 101 of the Israeli Air Force
258:
His early attempts at flying the nimble British-made
748:
Royal Air Force personnel who were court-martialled
642:Avia S-199 in Israeli Air Force Service: 1948–1950
568:; American-made P-51 Mustangs; and the Avia S-199.
484:
482:
395:(lieutenant colonel) in the Israeli Air Force.
361:, Levett said later, than he did strolling in
8:
230:(later commander of the Israeli Air Force,
733:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
273:
420:
315:"'In my last interview," Levett told
218:Following the airlift, Levett joined
7:
428:
426:
424:
654:http://101squadron.com/101/101.html
621:, Gordon Levett, Frank Cass, 1994,
290:"Not only was he not a Jew," said
203:recounted by Levett in his memoir
160:airbase in an operation codenamed
14:
656:Combat record of Gordon Levett:
437:. Frank Cass. pp. 3, 7–10.
64:. Levett was the only English
1:
638:, Joel Greenberg, 10 May 1998
708:1948 Arab–Israeli War pilots
140:, began ferrying dismantled
124:. From there he was sent to
728:Israeli Air Force personnel
718:British emigrants to Israel
210:Some 5,000 foreigners from
183:109 fighters, six or seven
769:
723:British Christian Zionists
132:With the Israeli Air Force
85:Born into such poverty in
15:
136:The Mahal pilots, mostly
40:(1921–2000) was a former
743:Royal Air Force officers
372:were festooned with the
29:Lt. Col. Gordon Levett,
16:Not to be confused with
648:http://101squadron.com/
433:Levett, Gordon (1994).
304:had been decidedly pro-
93:broke out. Initially a
738:Royal Air Force airmen
279:
222:in November 1948. The
199:
34:
277:
197:
50:1948 Arab–Israeli War
28:
18:Joseph Gordon-Levitt
236:President of Israel
232:Minister of Defense
636:The New York Times
591:The New York Times
524:on 23 October 2008
317:The New York Times
293:The New York Times
280:
262:and American-made
200:
146:Messerschmitt-109G
70:lieutenant colonel
35:
631:
553:Israeli President
226:, which included
189:Douglas Skymaster
58:Israeli Air Force
31:Israeli Air Force
760:
713:English aviators
629:
606:
601:
595:
586:
580:
575:
569:
562:
556:
549:
543:
540:
534:
533:
531:
529:
523:
517:. Archived from
516:
508:
502:
497:
491:
486:
477:
472:
466:
463:
457:
456:
430:
185:Curtiss Commando
768:
767:
763:
762:
761:
759:
758:
757:
688:
687:
683:George Beurling
674:
615:
613:Further reading
610:
609:
602:
598:
587:
583:
576:
572:
563:
559:
550:
546:
541:
537:
527:
525:
521:
514:
510:
509:
505:
498:
494:
489:101squadron.com
487:
480:
473:
469:
464:
460:
445:
432:
431:
422:
417:
401:
343:Sinai Peninsula
298:British mandate
162:Operation Balak
134:
99:squadron leader
83:
78:
54:Operation Balak
42:Royal Air Force
21:
12:
11:
5:
766:
764:
756:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
690:
689:
686:
685:
680:
678:Mahal (Israel)
673:
670:
669:
668:
651:
645:
639:
632:
614:
611:
608:
607:
596:
581:
570:
557:
544:
535:
503:
492:
478:
467:
458:
443:
419:
418:
416:
413:
404:to Israel for
400:
397:
332:United Nations
133:
130:
126:Czechoslovakia
82:
79:
77:
74:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
765:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
695:
693:
684:
681:
679:
676:
675:
671:
666:
663:and probable
662:
659:
655:
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
633:
628:
627:0-7146-4102-2
624:
620:
617:
616:
612:
605:
600:
597:
594:
593:, 10 May 1998
592:
585:
582:
579:
574:
571:
567:
561:
558:
554:
548:
545:
539:
536:
520:
513:
507:
504:
501:
496:
493:
490:
485:
483:
479:
476:
471:
468:
462:
459:
454:
450:
446:
440:
436:
429:
427:
425:
421:
414:
412:
409:
407:
398:
396:
394:
388:
385:
383:
382:E. M. Forster
379:
375:
374:Star of David
371:
366:
364:
360:
354:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
328:
326:
320:
318:
313:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
294:
288:
286:
276:
272:
270:
265:
261:
256:
252:
248:
246:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
216:
213:
208:
206:
196:
192:
190:
186:
182:
181:Messerschmitt
178:
174:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
154:United States
151:
147:
143:
139:
131:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
106:
104:
100:
96:
95:groundcrewman
92:
88:
80:
75:
73:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
38:Gordon Levett
32:
27:
23:
19:
661:Macchi C.205
641:
635:
618:
599:
590:
584:
573:
560:
551:Years later
547:
538:
526:. Retrieved
519:the original
506:
495:
470:
461:
434:
410:
402:
392:
389:
386:
367:
355:
336:
329:
324:
321:
316:
314:
291:
289:
281:
257:
253:
249:
228:Ezer Weizman
220:Squadron 101
217:
209:
204:
201:
170:
144:(a modified
138:English Jews
135:
107:
91:World War II
84:
46:World War II
37:
36:
22:
703:2000 deaths
698:1921 births
376:instead of
339:jury rigged
173:East German
142:Avia S-199s
52:as part of
692:Categories
665:Avia S-199
528:15 October
444:0714641022
415:References
408:Airline.
399:Later life
363:Piccadilly
81:Background
566:Spitfires
393:Sgan Aluf
378:swastikas
302:Palestine
260:Spitfires
245:Egyptians
187:C-46s, a
177:Luftwaffe
76:Biography
44:pilot in
672:See also
667:aircraft
453:31310743
359:Tel Aviv
347:Damascus
264:Mustangs
224:squadron
310:Haganah
287:cause.
285:Zionist
269:Merlins
118:Zionist
66:gentile
625:
451:
441:
166:Soviet
110:London
87:London
62:Israel
33:, 1948
522:(PDF)
515:(PDF)
406:El Al
370:Avias
351:Syria
325:Times
212:Mahal
158:Ekron
156:, to
150:Žatec
122:Paris
114:Mahal
103:Burma
658:REAF
623:ISBN
530:2008
449:OCLC
439:ISBN
306:Arab
240:Arab
234:and
345:to
300:in
694::
481:^
447:.
423:^
365:.
349:,
247:.
128:.
72:.
532:.
455:.
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
