| Avia S-199 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Description | ||
| Role | Fighter | |
| Crew | one, pilot | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 8.94 m | 29' 4" |
| Wingspan | 9.92 m | 32' 6" |
| Height | 2.59 m | 8' 6" |
| Wing area | 16.2 m² | 174 ft² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 2,650 kg | 5.842 lb |
| Loaded | ||
| Maximum take-off | 3,740 kg | 8,245 lb |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Junkers Jumo 211F | |
| Power | 880 kW | 1200 hp |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 590 km/h | 368 mph |
| Combat range | 850 km | 530 miles |
| Ferry range | ||
| Service ceiling | 8,686 m | 28,500 ft |
| Rate of Climb | 660 m/min | 2,165 ft/min |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 2x MG 131 machine guns 2x MG 151/20 cannons | |
| Bombs | 1x 250kg (550 lb) or 4x 70kg (155 lb) | |
The Avia S-199 was a fighter aircraft built in Czechoslovakia after World War II using parts and plans left over from Luftwaffe aircraft production that had taken place in the country during the war. While a very problematic aircraft, unpopular with its pilots, it achieved fame as the first fighter obtained by the Israeli Air Force for use during the War of Independence. Czechoslovakian pilots nicknamed it Mezek ("Mule"), whilst in Israel it was known as the Sakeen ("knife").
Avia had started building Messerschmitt Me 109Gss straight after the war as the Avia S-99, but soon ran out of the 109's Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The S-199 continued to use the Me 109G airframe but with none of the original engines available, the engine (Junkers Jumo 211) and propeller from the Heinkel He 111 bomber were used instead. The result of this compromise was an aircraft with extremely poor handling qualities. The substitute engine lacked the responsiveness of the Daimler-Benz unit, was heavier, and the torque created by the massive paddle-bladed propeller made control very difficult. This latter flaw, combined with the 109's narrow-track undercarriage also made landings and take-offs extremely hazardous. A final hidden danger lay in the synchronization gear which did not seem to work properly, leading a few Israeli aircraft to shoot off their own propellers.
Some 550 S-199s were built, including a number of conversion trainers designated CS-199 (armed) and C-210 (unarmed). The first flight took place in March 1947, and production ended in 1949. The last examples were withdrawn from Czechoslovakian service (with their National Security Guard) in 1957.
Israeli Service
Israeli agents negotiated the purchase of Avia S-199s from the Czechoslovakian government in defiance of an arms embargo that Israel faced at the time. Twenty-five aircraft were obtained, and all but two were eventually delivered. The first examples arrived on May 20 1948, six days after Israel's declaration of independence, and five days after the commencement of hostilities by Egypt. They were assembled and sent into combat for the first time on May 29, attacking the Egyptian army just outside Tel Aviv. In combat, the type proved unreliable and performed poorly. Furthermore, maintenance problems meant that no more than five were typically airworthy at any one time. The Avias were withdrawn from service by the end of October, at which time, only six remained operational. An example is preserved at the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hazterim.