Haapalah

In November, 1947, Sherut Avir was founded, two weeks prior to the passing of the 1947 UN Partition Plan dividing Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state.
The Haganah leaders recognized the need for an air service if a Jewish State was established.
By May, 1948, Sherut Avir had only 25 aircraft, most of which had come from Aviron, the first Jewish airline in Palestine established in 1936.
Aviron itself was not part of the Haganah, they had worked closely together in liaison, reconnaissance, and medical missions.
Sherut Avir set up headquarters on Tel Aviv's Montefiore Street and began its air operations just outside at Sde Dov Airport.
Sherut Avir faced a lack of trained airmen and ground crew., since only a handful of mechanics, engineers, pilots, RAF servicemen, and Histadrut personnel filled the initial ranks.