The Story of the Israeli Air Force

The story begins back in the 1940's, where the first force of airplanes had formed. It was called the Air Support force. It only consisted of a dozen or so old, tired World War II warplanes. There were no fighters at all - cargo planes were the only ones availible to the Hagana, the jewish defence force. However, some of them were fitted with pylons for small bombs and the pilots also carried small hand bombs and rifles. Every airplane availible was dedicated for transporting commanders of the Hagana or supporting in battles against the arabs.

The Hagana managed to buy a squadron of Avia S-199 fighters before the decleration of independence. These planes were Messershmidt Bf-109 converted by Avia in Europe. When the war of independence started, these planes, with gifted pilots, defended the israeli cities from attacks by Egyptian bombers. New equipment began to arrive - Supermarine Spitfires, Boeing B-17s, and even North American P-51 Mustangs from America.

Israel received its first jet fighter - the Gloster Meteor. The Israeli Air Force was founded. Until the Six Day War, in 1967, the IAF received many airplanes, among the Dassault Mirrage III - Israel's first Mach-2 capable fighter. The Mirrage III got its good reputation in service of the IAF.

The IAF got its first life-to-death battle in the Yom Kippur war, 1973. Israel was surprised by a massive attack in the middle of the jewish most sacred day - Yom Kippur. F-4 Phantoms arrived from the United States and helped the straggle.

The last war to date was the Lebanon war in 1982. The IAF easily won air battles with hi-tech fighters like McDonnel Douglas F-15 Eagle and General Dynamics F-16 Falcon.

Today, Israel has acquired its best fighter yet - the F-15 I Strike Eagle. The IAF is the most powerful air force in the middle east, and it guards Israel from her Arab enemies. There were even three airplanes developed by Israel, and two have even entered service.