ang ▁of ▁ 1 0 1 ▁Squadron ▁flow n ▁by ▁a ▁former ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁pilot ▁sho ots ▁down ▁a ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁Mos qu ito ▁PR . 3 4 ▁phot ographic ▁reconna issance ▁aircraft ▁on ▁a ▁mission ▁to ▁photograph ▁Isra eli ▁air fields , ▁killing ▁the ▁Mos qu ito ' s ▁two - man ▁crew . ▁The ▁Isra eli ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁Must angs ▁surpr ises ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁prompt s ▁them ▁to ▁susp end ▁Mos qu ito ▁reconna issance ▁fl ights ▁over ▁Palest ine . ▁ ▁November ▁ 3 0 ▁– ▁The ▁U . S . ▁J oint ▁Int elligence ▁Committee ▁reports ▁that ▁as ▁of ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Air ▁Force ▁has ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁and ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁aircraft ▁and ▁could ▁deploy ▁an ▁additional ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁combat ▁aircraft ▁by ▁six ▁months ▁after ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁a ▁war . ▁It ▁forec asts ▁that ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁will ▁have ▁a ▁growing ▁number ▁of ▁atomic ▁bomb s ▁after ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁with ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁available ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁or ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁and ▁that ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Air ▁Force ▁will ▁be ▁capable ▁of ▁attack ing ▁the ▁contin ental ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Canada . ▁ ▁December ▁ ▁Mor de ch ai ▁H od ▁sm ugg les ▁a ▁Super marine ▁Sp it fire