Book Review of
75 Years of the Israeli Air Force
Vol. 1: The First Quarter Century
Author: Bill Norton
Middle-East @ War Series No. 28
Helion & Co. Ltd.
ISBN: 978-1-913336-34-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-913336-34-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
HISTORY:
In May of 2023 Israel will celebrate the 76th anniversary of its founding as a state, and also the 75t anniversary of the establishment of its air force.
The maturation of what was once the Israel Defense force/Air Force (IDF/AF), and since 2005 is the Israeli Air-Space Force (IASF), is a fascinating study of a military force working to meet shifting obligations under multiple impediments while being repeatedly tested in combat.
Many factors over the seven and a half decades shaped its air fighting capability, not the least being the demands of the evolving battlefield, uncertain funding, available weapons, and quality of personnel. Tactics and doctrine were, in turn, shaped by government policies, international pressures, and confronting adversaries likewise evolving.
When the trials of war, or combat short of war came, success was a measure of its weapons suitability, relevancy of training, and experience of personnel.
This mini-series documents the evolution of the Israeli Air Force throughout its history by examination of all of these factors. It stands apart from many other books in performing this examination in a more dispassionate and critical manner, without the common hyperbole. A great deal of space is devoted to description of constant shifts in the equipment – especially aircraft and other weapons – and its organizational structure over time.
A summary of the geopolitical milieu in which Israel and its military institutions have dwelled over the 75 years helps to explain the material acquisition and tactical choices while placing in context the operations in which they were employed.
Written at a time of historical challenges for the Israeli Air and Space Force, and the Israel Defense Forces as a whole, this exclusive, highly informative and richly illustrated volume, the first in a three-volume mini-series, charts the Israeli Defense Force/Air Force from its inception until the close of the 1973 war.
Following on from Helion’s highly-successful Africa @ War Series, Middle-East @ War replicates the same format – concise, incisive text, rare images and high quality color artwork providing fresh accounts of both well-known and more esoteric aspects of conflict in this part of the world since 1945.
In May of 2023 Israel will celebrate the 76th anniversary of its founding as a state, and also the 75t anniversary of the establishment of its air force.
The maturation of what was once the Israel Defense force/Air Force (IDF/AF), and since 2005 is the Israeli Air-Space Force (IASF), is a fascinating study of a military force working to meet shifting obligations under multiple impediments while being repeatedly tested in combat.
Many factors over the seven and a half decades shaped its air fighting capability, not the least being the demands of the evolving battlefield, uncertain funding, available weapons, and quality of personnel. Tactics and doctrine were, in turn, shaped by government policies, international pressures, and confronting adversaries likewise evolving.
When the trials of war, or combat short of war came, success was a measure of its weapons suitability, relevancy of training, and experience of personnel.
This mini-series documents the evolution of the Israeli Air Force throughout its history by examination of all of these factors. It stands apart from many other books in performing this examination in a more dispassionate and critical manner, without the common hyperbole. A great deal of space is devoted to description of constant shifts in the equipment – especially aircraft and other weapons – and its organizational structure over time.
A summary of the geopolitical milieu in which Israel and its military institutions have dwelled over the 75 years helps to explain the material acquisition and tactical choices while placing in context the operations in which they were employed.
Written at a time of historical challenges for the Israeli Air and Space Force, and the Israel Defense Forces as a whole, this exclusive, highly informative and richly illustrated volume, the first in a three-volume mini-series, charts the Israeli Defense Force/Air Force from its inception until the close of the 1973 war.
Following on from Helion’s highly-successful Africa @ War Series, Middle-East @ War replicates the same format – concise, incisive text, rare images and high quality color artwork providing fresh accounts of both well-known and more esoteric aspects of conflict in this part of the world since 1945.
HE BOOK:
Helion & Co. Ltd. is based in the Uk.
This book is soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” Page format.
The front cover shows a color photo of a Phantom sitting on a runway, above a color profile illustration of a Spitfire.
The back cover shows another color side profile of a Phantom and one of a Skyhawk.
It contains 112 black and white photos and 6 color ones.
The color ones are of:
Vautour jet fighters
A “Mirage” IIIC.J
A Boeing B-377 with elements from a C-97 added.
The black and white photos of aircraft in the book show:
Helion & Co. Ltd. is based in the Uk.
This book is soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” Page format.
The front cover shows a color photo of a Phantom sitting on a runway, above a color profile illustration of a Spitfire.
The back cover shows another color side profile of a Phantom and one of a Skyhawk.
It contains 112 black and white photos and 6 color ones.
The color ones are of:
Vautour jet fighters
A “Mirage” IIIC.J
A Boeing B-377 with elements from a C-97 added.
The black and white photos of aircraft in the book show:
here are 20 color illustrations of Israeli Air Force squadron badges.
5 maps show 1 map of the middle east and 4 maps of Israeli Air Bases and Airfields in the years of: 1948/1949, 1956, 1967 and 1967/1973.
There are photos of the 1st to the 8th Commanders of the Air Force.
The book starts with ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS & the INTRODUCTION.
There are 15 color side profiles of Israeli aircrafts. They include:
A Auster Air Observation Post (AOP) aircraft
A ex-Czech Avia S-199
A P-51D Mustang
A Piper Cub
A C-47 “Dakota” transport
A TR. Mk. 33 “Mosquito”
A “Meteor” F. Mk. 6
A “Mystere” IVA
A Sikorsky S-58s helicopter
A Fouga “Magister” CM 170
A Dornier DO-270
A “Vautour” jet bomber
A AC-97 aerial tanker
A “Skyhawk” A-4H
A “Phantom” F-4E
The black and white photos of Israeli aircraft include:
Before the IAF with the Israeli Aero Club
Taylorcraft
R.W.D. 8
R.W.D. 13
Tiger Moth
With the IAF
Auster AOP Mk. III
Fairchild Argus
Noorduyn Norseman
Dragon Rapide
Beech Bonanza
DC-5
Norecrin
DeHavilland Dragon
Curtis Commando
Avia S-199
B-17
Dakota
Spitfire
Piper Cub
Stearman Kaydet
Avro Anson
Mosquito FB-6
Meteor F.8
Ouragan
Mystere IVA
Mosquito PR-16
Meteor NF-13
C-47
Noratlas “Flying Boxcar”
Super Cub
P-51 Mustang
Super Mystere B.2
Super Mystere IIB
Super Mystere IVA
Vautour IIN
Hawk surface-to-air missiles
Mirage IIIC
Mirage IIIC.J
Shafrir small infrared-guided air-to-air missiles
Do-7
Do-27
Pilatus Turbo-Porter
Boeing Stratocruiser
Sikorsky S-58 Helicopter
Cessna 180
Mig-21-F-13
Magister Jet Trainer
Bell 47 helicopter
S-58 piston-powered helicopter
A-4 Skyhawk
A-4E Skyhawk
A-4N Skyhawk
Phantom
C-130
B-377
F-4E
Ryan Firebee drones
Northrop Chukar I target
Cessna U206 Stationair
Super Frelon helicopter
Alouette heiicopter
Boeing 377
RF-4E Phantom
TA-4H
S-65/CH053 helicopter
C-97
QRC-490 mass-quantity flare/chaff dispensers
Contrast-tracking Maverick missiles
Super Frelon helicopter
U-206
Sa’ar jet fighter
Nesher jet fighter
C-131A
French Alouette II helicopter
American Jetranger helicopter
This book will be of interest to aircraft modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
5 maps show 1 map of the middle east and 4 maps of Israeli Air Bases and Airfields in the years of: 1948/1949, 1956, 1967 and 1967/1973.
There are photos of the 1st to the 8th Commanders of the Air Force.
The book starts with ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS & the INTRODUCTION.
There are 15 color side profiles of Israeli aircrafts. They include:
A Auster Air Observation Post (AOP) aircraft
A ex-Czech Avia S-199
A P-51D Mustang
A Piper Cub
A C-47 “Dakota” transport
A TR. Mk. 33 “Mosquito”
A “Meteor” F. Mk. 6
A “Mystere” IVA
A Sikorsky S-58s helicopter
A Fouga “Magister” CM 170
A Dornier DO-270
A “Vautour” jet bomber
A AC-97 aerial tanker
A “Skyhawk” A-4H
A “Phantom” F-4E
The black and white photos of Israeli aircraft include:
Before the IAF with the Israeli Aero Club
Taylorcraft
R.W.D. 8
R.W.D. 13
Tiger Moth
With the IAF
Auster AOP Mk. III
Fairchild Argus
Noorduyn Norseman
Dragon Rapide
Beech Bonanza
DC-5
Norecrin
DeHavilland Dragon
Curtis Commando
Avia S-199
B-17
Dakota
Spitfire
Piper Cub
Stearman Kaydet
Avro Anson
Mosquito FB-6
Meteor F.8
Ouragan
Mystere IVA
Mosquito PR-16
Meteor NF-13
C-47
Noratlas “Flying Boxcar”
Super Cub
P-51 Mustang
Super Mystere B.2
Super Mystere IIB
Super Mystere IVA
Vautour IIN
Hawk surface-to-air missiles
Mirage IIIC
Mirage IIIC.J
Shafrir small infrared-guided air-to-air missiles
Do-7
Do-27
Pilatus Turbo-Porter
Boeing Stratocruiser
Sikorsky S-58 Helicopter
Cessna 180
Mig-21-F-13
Magister Jet Trainer
Bell 47 helicopter
S-58 piston-powered helicopter
A-4 Skyhawk
A-4E Skyhawk
A-4N Skyhawk
Phantom
C-130
B-377
F-4E
Ryan Firebee drones
Northrop Chukar I target
Cessna U206 Stationair
Super Frelon helicopter
Alouette heiicopter
Boeing 377
RF-4E Phantom
TA-4H
S-65/CH053 helicopter
C-97
QRC-490 mass-quantity flare/chaff dispensers
Contrast-tracking Maverick missiles
Super Frelon helicopter
U-206
Sa’ar jet fighter
Nesher jet fighter
C-131A
French Alouette II helicopter
American Jetranger helicopter
This book will be of interest to aircraft modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Highly recommended.