Modi Alon
Encyclopedia
Mordechai "Modi" Alon was an Israeli fighter pilot who with the formation of the Israeli Air Force
in May 1948, assumed command of its first fighter squadron. Flying the Avia S-199
, Alon participated in the IAF's first combat sortie on May 29, 1948, and on June 3 scored the IAF's very first aerial victories, downing a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s over Tel-Aviv.
on January 17, 1921, to Yaacov and Naomi Kalibansky. The family moved around several times before finally settling in Tel-Aviv, where Alon attented the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium while secretly enlisting in the Haganah
. After graduating Alon went off to serve in Kibbutz Degania Alef and in 1938 was among the founding members of Hanita
.
, heeding calls by the Jewish Agency for the Jews of Palestine
to support the British war effort. Denied the chance to train as a fighter pilot, in November 1940 Alon attended the RAF's Wireless Operators course in Ismailia
, qualifying as a Ground Wireless Operator.
Persisting in RAF service, in August 1943 Alon was finally allowed to undertake RAF flight training. He begun his training in Rhodesia
on November 24, 1943, graduating on December 22, 1944. After several postings in Cairo
and Italy, in August 1945 Alon was posted to an RAF squadron flying P-51 Mustangs out of RAF Ramat David. Growing tensions between British mandatory authorities and the Yeshuv, however, prompted the RAF to transfer Alon once again. Torn between conflicting loyalties, Alon shortly thereafter quit the RAF. On January 31, 1946, he returned to Palestine, where he enrolled at the Technion, studying architecture.
, the Haganah's nascent air service operating a collection of light aircraft, and in March 1948 was assigned command of its Tel Aviv Squadron. Sherut Avir pilots were employed flying reconnaissance missions, supplied besieged and isolated settlements, escorted convoys and even occasionally participated in fighting. On March 27–28 Alon flew a number of bombing sorties in support of the beleaguered Nebi Daniel Convoy
which had attempted to break the siege of Gush Etzion
and was under attack by Arab irregulars. He also served as a liaison officer between the Sherut Avir and Jewish ground forces during April's Operation Nachshon
, aimed at breaking the siege of Jerusalem
.
With the end of the British Mandate for Palestine fast approaching, the Yeshuv sought to bolster its capabilities for the inevitable clash with Israel's Arab neighbors and their regular armies. It therefore secured the purchase of 25 Avia S-199
s, a Czechoslovak
derivative of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109
. Alon was in the first batch of Sherut Avir pilots sent to fly the new aircraft, and departed Sde Dov on May 6, 1948. He was soon flying the Avia at the Czechoslovak airfield at České Budějovice
. On May 15, however, Israel declared its indepedence and found itself under immediate attack, including aerial strikes undertaken by the relatively powerful Royal Egyptian Air Force. Although they had not undergone any sort of gunnery training on the new aircraft, the pilots demanded to return home. On May 20, therefore, Alon and fellow pilots boarded a Douglas C-54B for the return flight to Israel.
On May 29 the fledgling Israeli Air Force officially formed 101 Squadron, its first fighter squadron. Modi Alon was given command of the squadron, although Lou Lenart, a World War II
veteran of fighting in the Pacific, was to command it in the air. The squadron had received its first Avia on the night of May 20–21, 1948, and by May 29, four aircraft had been secretly assembled in a hangar at Ekron
. The IAF had intended to reveal the Israeli acquisition of fighter aircraft with an attack on the Egyptian air base at El-Arish, but the desperate situation on the southern front, with an Egyptian column heading towards Tel-Aviv, prompted the a change of plans. Without their engines having been run before or their guns fired, Lenart, Alon, Ezer Weizman
and Eddie Cohen took off late in the afternoon to attack Egyptian forces near Isdud, only about 10 miles away. Each dropped two bombs and strafed the enemy column. The aircraft inflicted only slight damage, losing one Avia S-199 and pilot (Cohen) to ground fire. Alon's aircraft was also damaged upon landing, but the sortie nevertheless bought Israeli forces enough time to halt the Egyptian advance.
Lou Lenart left the squadron in early July, leaving Alon in sole command. In the early evening of July 18 Alon scored his third victory, when a formation of three Avias returning from a ground attack mission encountered a pair of REAF Spitfire Mk. VCs. Alon maneuvered behind one of the Spitfires to down Wing Commander Said Afifi al-Janzuri.
In late September 1948 Alon participated in Operation Velvetta
, ferrying Czechoslovak Spitfires to Israel. Alon and fellow pilot Boris Senior burned too much of their fuel during one leg of the flight and were forced to land in Maritsa, Rhodes
. The aircraft were impounded but both men released.
to attack Egyptian forces operating in the vicinity of Isdud, not far from where both had participated in the squadron's combat debut in May. Returning to base, Alon had trouble lowering the plane's landing gear and consequently began flying violent maneuvers to try and force the wheels to lower. The Avia's engine started streaming white smoke and the aircraft began losing altitude before hitting the ground and bursting into flames, instantly killing Alon. He was survived by his wife, Mina, three months pregnant at the time. Alon's daughter, Michal, would later serve her mandatory IDF service with 101 Squadron.
On October 25, soon after Alon's death, the airfield at St. Jean
, home to the IAF Flight Academy, was renamed "Camp Alon" in his honor. When the academy moved to Kfar Sirkin
(former RAF Petah Tiqva) in 1949, so did the name. The Tel Aviv neighborhood of Ramat HaTayasim , established during the 1950s, was named after three fallen pilots renowned for their defense of the city – Modi Alon, Matityahu Sukenik and Aharon David Sprinzak. The latter two were killed on June 4, 1948, attacking an Egyptian flotilla off the Tel Aviv coast while flying a Fairchild Argus. A memorial to the three stands in a local public garden.
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
in May 1948, assumed command of its first fighter squadron. Flying the Avia S-199
Avia S-199
|-See also:-External links: *** with more pictures and further information...
, Alon participated in the IAF's first combat sortie on May 29, 1948, and on June 3 scored the IAF's very first aerial victories, downing a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s over Tel-Aviv.
Biography
Mordechai Alon was born in SafedSafed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
on January 17, 1921, to Yaacov and Naomi Kalibansky. The family moved around several times before finally settling in Tel-Aviv, where Alon attented the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium while secretly enlisting in the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
. After graduating Alon went off to serve in Kibbutz Degania Alef and in 1938 was among the founding members of Hanita
Hanita
Hanita is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Galilee approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Nahariya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 500....
.
RAF service
In 1940 Alon enlisted in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, heeding calls by the Jewish Agency for the Jews of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
to support the British war effort. Denied the chance to train as a fighter pilot, in November 1940 Alon attended the RAF's Wireless Operators course in Ismailia
Ismaïlia
-Notable natives:*Osman Ahmed Osman, a famous and influential Egyptian engineer, contractor, entrepreneur, and politician, was born in this town on 6 April 1917....
, qualifying as a Ground Wireless Operator.
Persisting in RAF service, in August 1943 Alon was finally allowed to undertake RAF flight training. He begun his training in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
on November 24, 1943, graduating on December 22, 1944. After several postings in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Italy, in August 1945 Alon was posted to an RAF squadron flying P-51 Mustangs out of RAF Ramat David. Growing tensions between British mandatory authorities and the Yeshuv, however, prompted the RAF to transfer Alon once again. Torn between conflicting loyalties, Alon shortly thereafter quit the RAF. On January 31, 1946, he returned to Palestine, where he enrolled at the Technion, studying architecture.
Sherut Avir and birth of the Israeli Air Force
With the adoption of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in November 1947, fighting erupted and Alon discontinued his studies. He enlisted with the Sherut AvirSherut Avir
The Sherut Avir was the air force of the Haganah and the forerunner of the Israeli Air Force.-Founding:The Sherut Avir was founded in November 1947, just two weeks prior to the passing of the 1947 UN Partition Plan which proposed the division of Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state.It was at...
, the Haganah's nascent air service operating a collection of light aircraft, and in March 1948 was assigned command of its Tel Aviv Squadron. Sherut Avir pilots were employed flying reconnaissance missions, supplied besieged and isolated settlements, escorted convoys and even occasionally participated in fighting. On March 27–28 Alon flew a number of bombing sorties in support of the beleaguered Nebi Daniel Convoy
Gush Etzion Convoy
From November 1947 the roads to the four kibbutzim of Gush Etzion , south of Jerusalem were blockaded by militias from neighbouring villages. The Haganah used a strategy of armed convoys to get supplies to the outposts. The initial convoys to the bloc used open pickup trucks , since the British...
which had attempted to break the siege of Gush Etzion
Gush Etzion
Gush Etzion is a cluster of Israeli settlements located in the Judaean Mountains directly south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank, Palestinian territories. The core group includes four agricultural villages that were founded in 1940-1947 on property purchased in the 1920s and 1930s, and ...
and was under attack by Arab irregulars. He also served as a liaison officer between the Sherut Avir and Jewish ground forces during April's Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon was an Jewish military operation during the 1948 war. Lasting from 5–20 April 1948, its objective was to break the Siege of Jerusalem by opening the Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem road blockaded by Palestinian Arabs and to supply food and weapons to the isolated Jewish community of...
, aimed at breaking the siege of Jerusalem
Siege of Jerusalem (1948)
The Battle for Jerusalem occurred from 30 November 1947 to 11 June 1948 when Jewish and Arab population of Mandatory Palestine and later Israeli and Jordanian armies fought for the control of the city....
.
With the end of the British Mandate for Palestine fast approaching, the Yeshuv sought to bolster its capabilities for the inevitable clash with Israel's Arab neighbors and their regular armies. It therefore secured the purchase of 25 Avia S-199
Avia S-199
|-See also:-External links: *** with more pictures and further information...
s, a Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
derivative of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
. Alon was in the first batch of Sherut Avir pilots sent to fly the new aircraft, and departed Sde Dov on May 6, 1948. He was soon flying the Avia at the Czechoslovak airfield at České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
. On May 15, however, Israel declared its indepedence and found itself under immediate attack, including aerial strikes undertaken by the relatively powerful Royal Egyptian Air Force. Although they had not undergone any sort of gunnery training on the new aircraft, the pilots demanded to return home. On May 20, therefore, Alon and fellow pilots boarded a Douglas C-54B for the return flight to Israel.
On May 29 the fledgling Israeli Air Force officially formed 101 Squadron, its first fighter squadron. Modi Alon was given command of the squadron, although Lou Lenart, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran of fighting in the Pacific, was to command it in the air. The squadron had received its first Avia on the night of May 20–21, 1948, and by May 29, four aircraft had been secretly assembled in a hangar at Ekron
Tel Nof Airbase
Tel Nof Israeli Air Force , also known as Air Force Base 8, is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force. Tel Nof is located near Rehovot, Israel.-History:...
. The IAF had intended to reveal the Israeli acquisition of fighter aircraft with an attack on the Egyptian air base at El-Arish, but the desperate situation on the southern front, with an Egyptian column heading towards Tel-Aviv, prompted the a change of plans. Without their engines having been run before or their guns fired, Lenart, Alon, Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman
' was the seventh President of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli Air Force and Minister of Defense.-Biography:...
and Eddie Cohen took off late in the afternoon to attack Egyptian forces near Isdud, only about 10 miles away. Each dropped two bombs and strafed the enemy column. The aircraft inflicted only slight damage, losing one Avia S-199 and pilot (Cohen) to ground fire. Alon's aircraft was also damaged upon landing, but the sortie nevertheless bought Israeli forces enough time to halt the Egyptian advance.
First kills
Only one Avia S-199 (probably D-106) was servicable on June 3, 1948, when a pair of Egyptian C-47s and their two Spitfire escorts returned for their 16th bombing of Tel Aviv. Dozens of civilians had been killed in previous raids, and flying the IAF's sole combat aircraft, Alon engaged the four Egyptian aircraft. Swinging out to sea to get the sun behind him, Alon evaded the Spitfires and then pursued and shot down both bombers, scoring the first aerial victories of the Israeli Air Force. The event took place in sight of the astonished populace which was not aware of the existence of an Israeli fighter arm. The air force held a press conference which Alon attended, and its headquarters was subsequently flooded with gifts, flowers and alcohol for the pilot despite the wartime scarcity of such luxuries. Although Tel Aviv would yet witness raids by Egyptian fighter aircraft, no bombers were ever to appear over the city again.Lou Lenart left the squadron in early July, leaving Alon in sole command. In the early evening of July 18 Alon scored his third victory, when a formation of three Avias returning from a ground attack mission encountered a pair of REAF Spitfire Mk. VCs. Alon maneuvered behind one of the Spitfires to down Wing Commander Said Afifi al-Janzuri.
In late September 1948 Alon participated in Operation Velvetta
Operation Velvetta
Operation Velvetta was the name of an Israeli mission in 1948...
, ferrying Czechoslovak Spitfires to Israel. Alon and fellow pilot Boris Senior burned too much of their fuel during one leg of the flight and were forced to land in Maritsa, Rhodes
Maritsa, Rhodes
Maritsa is a village situated on west coast of the island of Rhodes, Greece, about 17 km far from the capital, between Kremasti and Psinthos. It's a part of the Municipality of Petaloudes. This village is renowned for its traditional taverns and active nightlife all year round...
. The aircraft were impounded but both men released.
Death
At 16:58 On October 16, 1948, Alon and Ezer Weizman took off from HerzliyaHerzliya airport
Herzliya Airport is an airport located in the city of Herzliya in central Israel.The airport is mainly used by flight schools and for general aviation. It has no terminal. In early 2008, a new safety system was installed at the airfield. Plans by the Israel Airports Authority and civil aviation...
to attack Egyptian forces operating in the vicinity of Isdud, not far from where both had participated in the squadron's combat debut in May. Returning to base, Alon had trouble lowering the plane's landing gear and consequently began flying violent maneuvers to try and force the wheels to lower. The Avia's engine started streaming white smoke and the aircraft began losing altitude before hitting the ground and bursting into flames, instantly killing Alon. He was survived by his wife, Mina, three months pregnant at the time. Alon's daughter, Michal, would later serve her mandatory IDF service with 101 Squadron.
On October 25, soon after Alon's death, the airfield at St. Jean
RAF St Jean
RAF St Jean is a former military airfield in Israel, which is located approximately 4 km east-northeast of Acre and 100 km north-northeast of Tel Aviv....
, home to the IAF Flight Academy, was renamed "Camp Alon" in his honor. When the academy moved to Kfar Sirkin
Kfar Sirkin
Kfar Sirkin or Kefar Syrkin is a moshav in Israel within the municipal jurisdiction of the Drom HaSharon Regional Council near the city of Petah Tikva. Founded in 1933, it was named after the famous Zionist Nachman Syrkin....
(former RAF Petah Tiqva) in 1949, so did the name. The Tel Aviv neighborhood of Ramat HaTayasim , established during the 1950s, was named after three fallen pilots renowned for their defense of the city – Modi Alon, Matityahu Sukenik and Aharon David Sprinzak. The latter two were killed on June 4, 1948, attacking an Egyptian flotilla off the Tel Aviv coast while flying a Fairchild Argus. A memorial to the three stands in a local public garden.