Israeli air force iai nesher 19711985 by ra anan weiss. Four israeli aircraft stopped a huge arab army in 1948. Army air force, and then in 1948 for israel s desperate fouraircraft air force in its war against five arab armies. Interest in the iaf has always been high and seldom are its aircrew and aircraft out of the worlds headlines. The most famous face in the new documentary above and beyond belongs to performer paul reubens. Operation opera, operation orchard, operation rimon 20, operation mole cricket 19, 1973 syrian general staff headquarters raid, operation raviv, list of aircraft of the israeli air force, operation boxer, operation focus, operation priha, 2009. The story of the israeli air force from the war of independence to the bekaa valley hardcover november 14, 1990. Operation kadesh was the israeli part in the anglofrench attack and this title chronicles israeli air force operations along the timeline of operation kadesh from day 1 on 29 october 1956 until day 11 on 8 november 1956 in thus far unmatched depth and detail.
By the start of 1970, however, the israeli air force had established complete aerial superiority over the front lines along the suez canal, and the launching of operation priha in january laid bare egypts inability to counter israeli supremacy not only along. The best book ever written about the israeli army israel. Founded in 1948, the israeli air force has seen involvement in some of the most dramatic and important conflicts of. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order 1toz. But the israeli air force could pit only two hundred aircraft, almost all french models the united states wouldnt sell aircraft to. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. Around noon on january 7, 1949, two patrolling israeli air force iaf pilots in supermarine spitfires spotted a column of black smoke rising from the al. The story of 69 squadron from the b17 flying fortress and pby catalina, via the f4 phantom to the f15i thunder, israeli air force 69 squadron, the hammers, have always been the longrange, heavy bombing element of israeli air power.
Seated beside his mother, he remembers his dad, milton rubenfeld, a stunt pilot who flew for the royal air force and the u. Yet, just six year later, israeli confidence in air power was shattered. In 1948, a group of world war ii pilots volunteered to fight for israel in the war of independence. The book also says that on the eve of the first gulf war, saddam was planning to use his air force to launch a chemical weapons attack on israel. There are a total of 25 individual aircraft entries in the active israeli air force iaf aircraft 2020 category in the military factory. When, during an interview with the sun in april 2004, vice president cheney was asked whether he thought that iraqi weapons of mass destruction had been moved to syria, mr. This book covers all the high points of the iaf starting with israel s war for independence. Eagle in the sky was my first wilbur smith book and it was one of the few instances where i couldnt put it down.
He is the israeli correspondent of the magazine air forces monthly uk and a regular contributor to journals such as avion revue spain, air enthusiast, air international and scale aviation modelling uk. Also the unique methods the israelis used to get aircraft to israel due to arms embargos is so interesting that i can hardly put the book down. Israeli air force f15 fighter jets flying in the uk at. On the front lines of the six day war contains a remarkable account of the israeli air force s firstever mission in 1948, in which four planes. Although many books have been published in the past about the israeli air force, most either suffered from a lack of insider sources and relied on propaganda or they were camouflage and markings photo books for modellers and lacked depth. The birth of the israeli air force playmount productions. Ground forces, israel naval force in, includes commandos, israel air force iaf, includes air defense. Israeli air force operations in the 1948 war by shlomo aloni, 9781910294116, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The history of the israel air force begins in may 1948, shortly after the formation of the state of. Israel s war of independence was punctuated by wild aerial engagements that underscored the conflicts confusing nature. No margin for error, another history of the idfaf by ehud yonay, pantheon books, 1993. In 1967 the israeli air force iaf was heralded as the saviour of the nation, playing the leading role in the six day war.
The real strength of this book is its account of the earliest days of the israeli air force. Their first series, aircraft of the israeli air force aimed to give a complete pictorial history of a specific aircraft type or subtype in iaf service. In the front line of israeli air strikes, whether in egypt, syria, or in the future, perhaps iran, the history of the 69th squadron resonates with the war torn memories of the past half century. Israeli airforce by ball, 97809539040, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Israeli air force launches huge attack on mezzeh airbase. Following israel s declaration of independence on may 14, its prestate national institutions transformed into the agencies of a state, and on may 26, 1948, the israeli air force was formed. Israeli author shlomo aloni is a lifelong student of middle east air warfare in general and of the israeli air force in particular. Beginning with a small collection of light aircraft, the force soon transformed into a. List of aircraft of the israeli air force wikipedia. The history of the israel air force begins in may 1948, shortly after the formation of the state of israel. The israeli air force unleashed a powerful attack over southwestern and western damascus this evening, hitting a number of sites belonging to the syrian military. A few days later, on june 3, the type scored the israeli air force s first aerial victories when modi alon shot down a pair of royal egyptian air force c47s which had just bombed tel aviv. This one came to me a few years ago when i was introduced to a 92yearold exu.
Previous books have failed to satisfy, either being sensationalist and low on factual content, or lacking in fundamental research. The iaf was rendered ineffectual in the 1973 october war by egyptian and syrian surfaceto air. We are aware of 10 similar reference publications related to dassault mirage iii. The story of the israeli air force from the war of. As he was telling me about his actions in the 1948 war in israel, describing what it was like to fly a. Israel s best defense, an insiders history of the idfaf by eliezer cheetah cohen, orion books, 1993. Before the television era, israeli writers would write what the americans call nonfiction novels, documentary dramas. First published in 1976, on eagles wings is an autobiographical account of the military career of ezer weizman, one of the first pilots to fly combat missions for israel in 1948, rising through numerous promotions to commander of the israeli air force and deputy chief of the general staff. This is actually my second time reading it i first read it nearly 30 years ago during my navy flight training. Reading it again after many years, i still have no doubt that the tanks of tammuz is the best book ever about the israel defense forces and the countrys wars. However it was an american, gideon lichtman who became the first israeli air force. Israeli fighter aces, an account of the air force s top pilots, by peter mersky, speciality press, 1997. An illustrated history the writing of this book, the first indepth and fully detailed research about the early years of the chel haavir from the lightplane days to the supersonic fighters received roughly ten years later is the culmination of a long research period by the author. Israel has one of the worlds most advanced and lethal air forces.
Israel defence forces the six day war by mordechai baron, mideast wars. As members of machal volunteers from abroad this ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of israel at the very moment of its birth. The israeli air force sent a detachment of iaf f15 baz fighter jets, to take part in the annual cobra warrior exercise at raf waddington uk, many. Israeli air force operations in the 1948 war book depository. A fascinating read on the creation and development of the israeli air force iaf. According to a source in damascus, the israeli air force hit the mezzeh airbase, jamraya, sahnaya, and daraya. Alonis coauthor for this book, zvi avidror was himself a member of the 69th. Isradecal has published a number of books focussing on israeli military aircraft and their markings. Egypt had launched the war of attrition in the hope of wearing down israel s hold on territories captured during the 1967 sixday war. The first full story of the israeli air force by eliezer cohen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Never before has there been a book published on the aircraft, units and exploits of the israel air force in such depth.
Where merskys book truly stands out, however, is in its vivid, firsthand accounts from israeli fighter pilots. But there are a lot of weaknesses once you get to the 1970s and beyond theres a lot that i wanted to know more about that is barely mentioned. When israel flew nazi planes heritagedaily archaeology. Learning from lebanon and getting it right in gaza by benjamin s. In november 1947, however, when the united nations general assembly voted to partition historical palestine into a. This widereaching, actionpacked novel covers plenty of ground in its story of an israeli fighter pilot who suffers a terrible accident and the girlfriend who sticks with him through thick and thin. Schiffer publishing the israeli air force 1947 1960.
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