Built in 1938

Taylorcrafts VQ-PAJ, VQ-PAI and VQ-PAH, shipped from New York to Palestine in 1938, still all three training Jewish pilots in 1947. Photo by: Zoltan Kluger / National Photo Collection of Israel

One of three Taylorcrafts bought in New York in 1938 and shipped to Palestine for use by PFS at Lydda (Lod, now Ben Gurion Airport). Registration was read from other pictures. Aircraft eventually served in Israeli air force. Photo from: Library of Congress

Fascinating overview of a graduation ceremony at Lydda (now Ben Gurion Airport) for the first Jewish pilots trained by PFS. The airliners are DH.89 Dragon Rapide SU-ABQ, HP.42 G-AAUE, AW.15 Atalanta G-ABTJ and VQ-PAF, a Fokker F.XVIII, ex PH-AIQ and OK-AIQ. The old Fokker was to be used by Hevra Avirit (Commercial Aviation Company) to transport fish from Aqaba, but written of on 13 January 1939, before the photo date, after a bad landing following a display flight. Photo from: Library of Congress