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Originally Posted by claidemore Israeli airforce lost nearly all of their 109s to accidents of one sort or another. Some to low level flying accidents, some to takeoff and landing.
I wonder if that 5% figure comes from the Czech airforce use after WWII? |
Please remember the Israely air force did not use a single 109 but modified czech variants named Avia S-199. These aircraft used a Jumo 211 engine and a different prop, both were still in storage from He 111 production. The 211 engine made ground behaviour even worse with engine and prop generating large amounts of torque. This was especially dangerous if power was given too fast with the aircraft still taxying very slow and the tail down, the control surfaces had very little effect in this situation and this was one of the main reasons for ground loops.
I don't know whether the isreaelis got some Avia S-99, too. These were more or less Bf 109 G-14 (or was it G-10?) of postwar czech production.