of cockpit instrumentation and electronic
systems as a result of a complex procurement
arrangement. As soon as the Transall C-160
came along, they regarded the Noratlases as
superluous and began selling them. The last
example was sold in 1972. These provided
the source for most of the aircraft acquired by
the smaller civil operators.ISRAEL
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) initially bought
three examples of the N2501IS in 1956,
but the deal was done with conditions. The
French Government would only allow Israel
to purchase 12 Dassault Ouragan ighters,
if it included three Noratlases as well. The
Israelis were not happy with the terms, but
had little alternative, as France was one of
very few countries willing to sell modern arms
to Israel and so a deal was agreed.
Israel soon realised the ability of the
Noratlas after it was used during the 1956
Suez crisis to resupply troop columns in Sinai.
Their aircraft were supplemented by French
Air Force Noratlases, prompting the purchase
of another three N2501ISs in 1959, and 16
N2501Ds from West Germany before the
Six-Day War in June 1967. Initially, delivered in
a natural metal scheme, they soon adopted
the blue and brown camoulage colours of
the day.
Allocated to the newly formed ‘Flying
Elephant’ Squadron at Tel Nof, the Noratlases
were primarily intended for cargo and
paratroop transport, although several wereput to more unconventional use as bombers
on long-range strikes into Egypt (Operation
Drought). It is also known that the IAF used
Noratlases for maritime reconnaissance at
the outset of the 1967 war. On June 5, 1967,
a dispersed Noratlas was destroyed on the
ground by Jordanian Hawker Hunters.
During the ighting in the Six-Day War,
countless supply missions were carried out
by the ‘Elephant’ squadron’s transporters
and when the Israeli Army captured Sharm
El Sheikh airield at the very southern tip of
Sinai, they were able to ferry supplies and
vital equipment to the front line.
They also participated in rescuing the
survivors of INS Eilat by dropping life boats
and rafts to sailors in the water. Eilat was
attacked by Egyptian missile boats and sank.
The rescue operation, which took place overtwo days, was one of the most daring and
successful of its kind in the history of the
Israel Defense Force. Out of the crew of 199
people, 47 died, and 91 soldiers were injured.
In 1967, the IAF moved from a blue and
brown camoulage to a three-tone scheme
of sage green, sand and dark brown. This
was also applied to the Noratlas leet, apart
from a few examples that were kept in a more
neutral natural inish with a white cockpit area
for overseas lying missions. The IAF phased
out the Noratlas in 1978, replacing it with the
C-130E Hercules.EUROPE
In 1970, the Hellenic Air Force (HAF)
received 50 surplus Noratlases from West
Germany as World War Two reparations and
part of a NATO assistance package. They
were based at Elefsis AFB near Athens, with
the 354th Tactical Airlift Squadron. Hellenic
Air Force 354 Sqn Noratlases were used
during Operation Niki, which airlifted the 1st
Greek Rangers Squadron from Crete (Souda)
to Cyprus (Nicosia) on the night of July 21/22,
1974, during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
In spite of their age and adverse lying
conditions, 12 of the 15 aircraft which
participated in Operation Niki (Victory in
Greek) landed at Nicosia International Airport
and the Rangers managed to keep the airport
in UN hands, fending off the Turkish brigade
that had attacked it.
The Greek Noratlases initially adopted
a grey/green camoulage, which later gave66 Aviation News incorporating Jets December 2018
SUEZ CRISIS DUTIES
The Noratlas gained fame during the Suez
Crisis of 1956, when French paratroopers
were dropped from them over the southern
part of Port Said and Port Fouad in Egypt.
The type was also used during this brief war
by Israel, as the main text describes.Above: The French Air Force received 208
Noratlas aircraft, almost half the entire
production run of 425. Peter R Foster
Below: Four former West German N2501Ds
were sold to the Niger Air Force in 1969.
Adrian M Balch Collection