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H

atzor Air Base, near

Ashkelon, home to a pair of

Israel Defense Force fighter

units, has its origins in 1942 as RAF

Qastina. Today it reverberates to the

sound of F-16C and ’D Fighting

Falcons of 101 and 105 Squadrons.

Within the station, hidden from

view from the perimeter, is a

small collection covering a broad

spectrum of Israel’s combat jets.

Dramatically mounted on a

plinth is one of only three examples

of the Dassault Mirage IIICJ

surviving in Israel.

Known to the IDF as the ‘Shachak’

(Heavens) this one, serial number

44, was overstressed in a landing

accident at Hatzor on April 25,

1981.

Dassault jets played a vital role in

the history of the IDF, and Hatzor is

home to 060, the only Mystère B2

in original condition. (Another B2

is preserved at the Air

Force Museum at Hatzerim but

this is an Israel Aerospace Industries

[IAI] upgraded ‘Sa’ar’ [Tempest]

version with a Pratt & Whitey J52

engine and Israeli avionics.)

Another two Dassault machines

are on show at Hatzor: Ouragan 70,

which was once marked as ‘04’ and

Mystère IVA 80. Both types are

prolific within Israel – seven

of the former and 22

of the latter

extant.

Hidden Heritage

Peter R Foster reports from an Israeli frontline air base that has an impressive collection of retired combat jets

PRESERVATION HATZOR AIR BASE

Above

Bombed-up F-4E Phantom 202.

Right to left

Shark’s mouth painted Ouragan 70.

IAI Kfi r 869, the much-developed Mirage derivative.

A MiG-15 in ‘crashed’ pose at Egyptian Air Force

colours.

100 FLYPAST May 2015

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