The Messerschmitt was the IAF's first true combat plane. The first planes were sold to Israel by Czechoslovakia in 1948. The first Messerschmitt landed at IAF Base Tel Nof in May of 1948, inside the belly of a DC-4.

The Spitfire had come to symbolize Britain's aerial victory in WW2. Israel's first Spitfires were patched together from scraps and pieces of Spitfires that the British had left behind. Additional Spitfires were brought to Israel in Operation 'Velveta' towards the end of the War of Independence.

The American Mustang was considered to be one of the best fighters of WW2, if not the best. The plane, which served for interception and ground attack, became the IAF's last piston engined fighter. The first four Mustangs arrived in Israel in July 1948 and were assembled for use.

The Meteor was Britain's first combat jet plane. The first pair of planes reached Israel in March of 1955. David Ben Gurion gave them the names 'Sufa' and 'Sa'ar'.

The Ouragan was the first fighter Israel bought from France. By the end of 1956 the IAF had about 30 Ouragans, which relieved the Meteors in patrol and interception-readiness duties.

The first 12 Mysteres arrived in Israel in April 1956, on the eve of the Sinai Campaign. On October 30th 1956 - the second day of the war - the French jets went into battle for the first time, and in a big way: they shot down a MiG-15 - the first MiG ever shot down in the Middle East. It was also the first aerial victory scored by the pilot, Lt. Yosef Tzuk, and by his Mystere.