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Avia S-199

From Alfawiki
Avia
Company typeManufacturer
IndustryAerospace
Founded1919 in Czechoslovakia
Headquarters
Prague
,
Czechoslovakia
ProductsAircraft (including Avia S-199)


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The Avia S-199 is a propeller-driven fighter aircraft developed post-World War II in Czechoslovakia, based on the Messerschmitt Bf 109G airframe but powered by a Junkers Jumo 211F engine instead of the original and unavailable Daimler-Benz DB 605. It holds historical significance as the first fighter acquired by the Israeli Air Force and saw combat during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Manufactured in Czechoslovakia utilizing leftover components and blueprints from former Luftwaffe production lines, the aircraft was plagued by multiple issues and generally disliked by its pilots. Czechoslovak aviators referred to it as Mezek ("Mule"), while in Israel it was officially designated Sakeen (meaning "knife" in Hebrew). Commonly, however, it was simply called Messerschmitt or Messer—the latter translating to "knife" in both German and Yiddish.

Design and development

File:Daimler-Benz DB 605 airplane engine.jpg
Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine
File:Jumo 211F side.jpg
Junkers Jumo 211F engine

Following the war, Avia resumed production of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 under the designation Avia S-99 at two manufacturing plants within Czechoslovakia. One facility, known as závod Avia (Avia Plant) from 1946 to 1948 and later as závod Avia-Jiřího Dimitrova (Avia-George Dimitroff Plant) between 1948 and 1949, was located in Čakovice near Prague and operated as part of the postwar conglomerate Automobilové závody, n.p. [Automotive Works, National Corporation]. The other factory, called závod Vysočany (Vysočany Plant) from 1948 to 1949, situated in Prague, belonged to Letecké závody, n.p. [Aviation Works, National Corporation]. Production soon faced challenges due to a shortage of the original Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines after many were destroyed in an explosion at a warehouse in Krásné Březno.

Without access to the DB 605 powerplants, the S-199 retained the Bf 109G airframe but incorporated the Junkers Jumo 211F engine along with its associated propeller—both originally installed on the Heinkel He 111 bomber. This substitution resulted in unsatisfactory performance and introduced problematic handling characteristics. The Jumo engine combined with its large paddle-bladed propeller generated significant torque that complicated aircraft control. Coupled with the narrow-track undercarriage typical of the Bf 109 design, this made takeoffs and landings particularly perilous.

The original Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine allowed for a central cannon mounted to fire through the propeller spinner (known as Motorkanone in German). Since the Jumo 211 lacked this feature, the S-199 employed a modified armament setup derived from the Rüstsatz VI kit. This consisted of mounting a single MG 151 cannon under each wing; however, this arrangement further degraded overall performance. Additionally, a critical hazard arose from malfunctioning synchronization gear for the cowl-mounted MG 131 machine guns. This defect caused some Israeli pilots to inadvertently shoot off their own propellers during combat.

Despite these limitations, approximately 550 S-199 units were produced, including trainer variants designated CS-199 (armed) and C-210 (unarmed). The aircraft's maiden flight occurred in March 1947 with production concluding by 1949. The final examples remained operational within Czechoslovakia's National Security Guard until their retirement in 1957.

Israeli service

File:Avia S-199 in June 1948 (Israeli Air Force).png
Avia S-199 operated by Israel, 1948

Despite an arms embargo imposed on Israel, Israeli representatives successfully negotiated with the Czechoslovak government to acquire Avia S-199 aircraft. A total of twenty-five units were purchased, with all but two eventually delivered. Each fully outfitted plane was priced at $190,000.[1] The initial shipment of four planes arrived on 20 May 1948, just six days following Israel's declaration of independence and five days after Egypt initiated hostilities in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. These four aircraft formed the core of Israel's first fighter squadron and were quickly assembled for combat. Their inaugural mission took place on 29 May during Operation Pleshet, targeting Egyptian forces positioned between Isdud and the Ad Halom bridge, located south of Tel Aviv. Shortly thereafter, on 3 June, operating from Herzliya Airport[2], the aircraft achieved the Israeli Air Force’s first aerial kills when pilot Modi Alon downed two Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47 transports that had recently bombed Tel Aviv.[3][4]

The Avia S-199 proved to be unreliable and underperformed in combat situations. Additionally, frequent maintenance issues restricted operational availability to no more than five aircraft at any given time. Nevertheless, Israeli pilots flying S-199s did manage to secure combat successes against adversaries, including engagements with Spitfires, which were also flown by the Egyptian Air Force.[5][6] By late October, most Avias had been retired from active duty due to their limited reliability; only six remained operational at that time. The S-199 continued to fly occasional missions until mid-December.

Variants

File:Avia CS-199 (UC-26) (Czech version of Messerschmitt Bf 109G-12 pic2.JPG
Avia CS-199; Prague Aviation Museum, Kbely
Avia S-99
A postwar-produced version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10, manufactured in Czechoslovakia, known within Avia as the C.10; a total of 21 units were built.
Avia CS-99
A trainer model derived from the Avia S-99 and based on the Bf 109G-12, also designated by Avia as C.10; 23 examples were completed.
Avia S-199
The primary production model of the Avia S-99 equipped with the Junkers Jumo 211F engine. Its factory code was C.210, with 559 aircraft produced.
Avia CS-199
A two-seat trainer variant converted from the Avia S-199.
Avia D-199
A reconnaissance adaptation.

Operators

File:Avia S-199 (Czech version Messerschmitt Bf 109G) (UF 25) pic3.JPG
Avia S-199 bearing Czechoslovak insignia.
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Surviving aircraft

Czech Republic
  • UC-26 – CS-199 - exhibited as a static display at the Kbely Aviation Museum in Kbely, Prague. It carries the serial number 565.[7]
  • UF-25 – S-199 - also presented at the Prague Aviation Museum located in Kbely, Prague, with serial number 178.[7]
Israel

Specifications (S-199)

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See also

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References

  1. ↑ Ilan, Amitzur (1996). The Origin of the Arab-Israeli Arms Race. Arms, Embargo, Military Power and Decision in the 1948 Palestine War, New York University Press, p. 169
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PAM

External links

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