Israel's 59th Independance Day

by Yoav Efrati

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  Israel Independance Day 2007 

1. S-199 Avia + Spitfire Mk.9e: 1/72 AML S-199 Avia in markings of the 101 squadron; D-121 credit with the downing of an REAF Spitfire. 1/72 Hasegawa Spitfire Mk.9e in 101 squadron markings; Spitfire no.14 is credited with downing an REAF Macci 205.

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2. P-51D Mustang + T-6 Texan: 1/72 Italeri P-51D is shown in late 1948 war markings of the 101 squadron. Mustang no.41 is credited with downing two enemy aircraft. 1/72 Academy T-6 Texan is shown in late 1948 war markings, when it was used by the IAF as a dive bomber.

3. Meteor FR.9 + Mosquito Mk.6: 1/72 Aeroclub Meteor Mk.9 is shown in First Jet squadron markings. In 1955, Meteor no.36 was credited with downing two Egyptian air force DH Vampires. 1/72 Tamiya Mosquito Mk.6 is shown in Knights of the North squadron markings. Both the Meteor and the Mosquito operated from Ramat David air base and both had high speed silver finish.

4. P-51D Mustang + T-6 Texan: 1/72 Italeri P-51D is shown in 1956 Suez war markings of the Flying Wing reserve pilot squadron. Mustang no.19 was amongst the first IAF planes to cross the Sinai in an effort to cut Egyptian Army telephone lines. It was downed in the sands of Suez. 1/72 Academy T-6 Texan is shown in 1956 Suez war markings, when it was used by the IAF as a flare dropper for B-17 bombers.

5. Ouragan + Mystere IV: 1/72 Heller Ouragan is shown in IAF Suez war markings along with 1/72 Matchbox Mystere IV. The Ouragan was the jet supplied to the IAF by France. The Mystere IV was delivered to the IAF only a short time prior to the October 1956 Suez War. IAF Mystere's accounted for seven REAF jets downed during the Suez War. The Ouragan carries kill markings acquired prior to the outbreak of the Suez War, while the Mystere acquired it's kill markings during the Suez War.

6. Ouragan + Super Mystere: 1/72 Airfix Super Mystere is shown in the markings of the Scorpion squadron. The Super Mystere was the IAF's first super sonic fighter plane with performance similar to that of the F-100 Super Saber. The Super Mystere was the IAF's primary interceptor from 1958 to April 1962 when it was replaced in the intercept roll by the Mirage IIIC. 1/72 Heller Ouragan is shown in the gaudy post Suez War markings of the Hornet squadron. The similarity in the shape of the Arab operated MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19 and the opposing IAF Ouragan, Mystere IV and Super Mystere led the IAF to add the gaudy markings shown on this pair.

7. AT-16 Harvard + Sikorski S-58 helicopter: 1/72 Academy T-6 Texan is shown converted to an AT-16 Harvard trainer shown in late 1950's trainer markings. Alongside the Harvard is Italeri's 1/72 H-34 helicopter painted in air ambulance markings.

8. Mirage IIIC + Mystere IV: 1/72 Matchbox Mystere IV is shown in high speed gloss brown and blue over gray scheme applied to IAF jets just prior to the outbreak of the June 5, 1967 Six Day war. Mystere IV no.52 of the Flying Wing squadron is credited in downing a Jordanian Hunter during an unplanned raid. 1/72 AML Mirage IIIC no.59 is the first airplane in the world to be credited with downing a MiG-21. Mirage no.59 is one of two IAF Mirage IIIC fighters to be credited in downing 13 enemy aircraft.

9. Ouragan + Mystere IV: 1/72 Heller Ouragan is shown in post-67 war colors alongside with 1/72 Matchbox Mystere IV. During the Suez War, Israel doubled its territory with the acquisition of the Sinai desert. Only days after the Six Day War, Egypt commenced with daily artillery bombardment of IDF outposts along the Suez Canal. To answer Egyptian bombardment along the cease fire lines, IAF attack planes were used as flying artillery. The topography of the Sinai no longer lent itself to the brown & blue top surface scheme used on IAF attack planes up to that date.

10. F-4E Phantom + A-4H Skyhawk: 1/72 Fujimi A-4 Skyhawk is shown in War of Attrition markings. In May 1970 A-4H no.03 of the Valley squadron was credited in downing two Syrian MiG-17's; one with Zuni rockets and the seconds using 30mm rounds of DEFA guns fitted to it at the time. 1/72 Revell F-4E is shown in Ahat squadron markings. Kornass no.08 was the first IAF Phantom to down an enemy fighter – an Egyptian air force MiG-21 using an AIM-9B version of the Sidewinder.

11. F-4E Phantom + Mirage V "Nesher": 1/72 Hasegawa F-4E is shown in post-1973 war markings of the Ahat squadron. F-4E no.609 was the Phantom with the highest number of kills in the world, seven. In 1974 this airplane was lost in a training mission. Heller Mirage IIIe/V is shown in Nesher no.18 markings of the First Fighter Squadron. IAF Mirage and SAAR version of the Super Mystere were painted with large yellow and black markings once Libyan Mirage V's were spotted attacking IDF forces crossing the Suez Canal. Nesher no.18 was one of two IAF Neshers credited in downing a Libyan Mirage V during the Yom Kippur war. The yellow and black markings were retained until the advent of Compass Ghost Gray color scheme introduced with the arrival of the F-15 Eagle.

12. Mirage + Kfir: 1/72 AML Mirage IIIC recon is shown in mid-1970's colors alongside 1/72 Hasegawa Kfir C2. The Kfir and recon versions of the Mirage IIIC were operated by the First Fighter squadron during the Mid 1970's until Kfir C2's replaced the Mirage in the tactical recon roll.

13. F-4E + A-4F: 1/72 Hasegawa F-4E is shown in 1982 Hammer squadron markings. All F-4E's received as attrition replacements during the 1973-War were transferred to the Hammer squadron. The Phantoms of this squadron were unique in being able to launch optically guided Maverick missiles; which were put to use in destroying Syrian missile batteries advanced into the Bekka Valley during the 1982 Lebanon War. 1/72 Fujimi A-4 is shown built as an A-4F Skyhawk in Battering Ram squadron markings. The Battering Ram's used the  A-4F's capabilities to launch AGM-45 Shrike radar homing missiles.  

14. Kfir C2 + F-15A: 1/72 Academy F-15A is shown built as a 1982 vintage "Baz". On February 13, 1981 Baz no.672 became the first F-15 Eagle to down a MiG-25. Baz no.672 received the nickname "Tornado" later that year. Prior to the arrival of the F-16A Fighting Falcon in July 1980, the IAI manufactured Kfir filled the low end of the high-low fighter concept. First Fighter squadron Kfir C2 no.874 was the only IAF Kfir to be credited with an air to air kill; a kill which it attained on June 27, 1979 in downing a Syrian MiG-21MF.

15. A-4H + F-16A: 1/72 Hasegawa F-16A shown depicts "Netz" no.112 of the First Jet squadron in 1982 Lebanon War markings. On April 28, 1981 the IAF's youngest F-16 pilot became the first pilot to down an enemy aircraft using the F-16, a Syrian MiL-8 assault helicopter using the aircraft's 20mm Vulcan canon. 1/72 Fujimi A-4 is shown depicted as A-4H no.272 of the Flying Tiger squadron in 1982 Lebanon War markings. The ship kill dates back to the war of attrition when it was credited in sinking an Egyptian mine layer. The Flying Tigers are still using the A-4 Skyhawk in the advanced pilot training role.

16. Bell 212 "Anafa" + Sikorski UH-60A "Yanshuf": 1/72 Italeri UH-1N is shown in Southern Assault helicopter squadron f.s.30145 brown while 1/72 Hasegawa UH-60A is shown in the Northern Assault helicopter squadron f.s.34031 green markings. Between August 1994 and May 1998, during the first Intifada, and April 1996 Grapes of Wrath the Anafa and Yanshuf operated together in both squadrons in transporting troops into the battle field and back, at times to the closest hospital.

17. Hasegawa Kfir + Hasegawa F-16A: Kfir C7 is shown in Arava squadron F-16 colors and squadron markings used between 1983 and 1994. Between August 1994 and January 1995 the IAF received fifty surplus US National Guard F-16A's. These F-16A/B Netz airframes retained their original US Gray scheme during 1996 Grapes of Wrath operation and enabled the IAF to retire their Kfir from service.

18. Hasegawa 1/72 AH-1S + AMT 1/72 AH-64A: In October 12, 2000 the Palestinians initiated Intifada Al Aqsa with the first two victims being two reserve soldiers who were abducted to a Ramala jail and lynched by their captures. Hours later Cobras of the first Cobra squadron destroyed the jail using TOW missiles and Apache helicopters destroyed PLA MiL-8 helicopters.

19. Revell 1/72 F-16C + Revell 1/72 F-16B / IsraCast F-16i conversion: On the morning of July 12, 2006 Iranian backed Hezbollah troops infiltrated the international border fence between Lebanon and Israel, ambushed an Israeli Hummer patrol killing three reserve soldiers and abducting two others into Lebanese territory. An IDF Merkava-2 tank in pursuit of the abductors ran over an explosive charge that penetrated its belly armor, killing its four crew members. What followed were 33 days that were to be known as the Second Lebanon War. The Second Lebanon War was the F-16i Sufa's first combat début and the F-16C Barak's first kill; where two hostile bomb laden Ababil UAV's were downed.

Yoav

Photos and text © by Yoav Efrati