MD 454 Mystere IV Kadesh operation 1956
In 1955 Egypt signed on a very large weapon deal with the Czech republic. The deal was including 200 jets of about 150 mig 15 bis and 30 IL -28 bombers and even small number of mig 17's.
Israel needed an answer to this threat and it was the French Mystere IVa which was the right plane at the right time. At the beginning of 1956 Israeli pilots and ground crews came to France to learn the new fighter. After that the planes were transferred by flight to Israel with a stop in south Italy for refueling. The first 4 mysters arrived at Hatzur base and dived over the spectators below at supersonic speed - this was the first sonic bang in Israel !
Soon many bangs were heard in Israel. Some 60 were bought and two squadrons were formed.
At the end of October 1956 Operation Kadesh started and Israel in a brilliant move occupied
the Sinai peninsula from the Egyptian army in less then a week ! Israel was coordinated with Great Britain and France that started Operation Mooskatier at the same time to capture Suez canal from the Egyptians.
The Israeli pilots gave close air support to the ground forces and while the Ouragan proved
very effective against ground targets the Mystere IV had some 8 victories against Egyptian planes including 3 mig 15 , one mig 17 and 4 vampires.
The Mystere IV was crowned by the name " the fighter of Kadesh " - rightly.
Yair
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