FP_2015_05_

French and

American imports

Using the Mirage III as the basis,

IAI re-engineered the delta to create

the foreplane-equipped, General

Electric J79-engined Kfir (Lion

Cub). Two Kfirs are preserved at the

base. One is held by 105 Squadron

and the other, C2 869, is in the

‘museum’ collection.

Alongside the Kfir C2 are two

American fighters. A very early

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk marked as

‘01’ whose correct identity is yet

to be revealed and McDonnell

F-4E Phantom 202. The latter

is a former USAF 4th Tactical

Fighter Wing example, one of

the batch that was hurriedly

delivered in 1974 under the

Peace Echo V programme as

attrition replacements from the

Yom Kippur war.

Finally, displayed in a nose-down

crash attitude is a Mikoyan-

Gurevich MiG-15bis Fagot.

Reportedly captured from the

Egyptian Air Force, it certainly

carries that air arm’s

markings.

Hidden HeritageHeritage

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

May 2015 FLYPAST 101

“Within the station, hidden from view from the perimeter, is a small collection

covering a broad spectrum of Israel’s combat jets”

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