Book Review of
75 Years of the Israeli Air Force
Vol. 2: The Last Half Century, 1973-2023
Author: Bill Norton
Helion & Co. Ltd.
Middle East @ War Series No, 32
ISBN: 978-1-914059-00-1
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $29.95
Middle East @ War Series No, 32
ISBN: 978-1-914059-00-1
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $29.95
In May 2023, Israel will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding as a state, and also the 75th 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 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 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 in war, or combat short of war came, success was a measure of its weapon’s suitability, relevancy of training, and experience of personnel.
Vol. 2 of 75 Years of the Israeli Air Force documents the evolution of the Israeli Air Force from the aftermath of the 1973 war, through the events in Lebanon and up to the present day. 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 its 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 in which they were employed.
Written at a time of historical challenges for the Israeli Air and Space Force, and the Israeli Defense Forces as a whole, this is an exclusive , highly informative and richly illustrated source of reference.
The cover art shows a color photo of a F-15D in flight, over a color side profile of a Kfir-2.
The back cover art shows a color side profile of a Sikorsky S-65 helicopter and a Heron TF drone reconnaissance aircraft.
The book contains 82 black and white photos, 4 maps, a bibliography, acronyms and abbreviations, 4 chapters, 9 color photos, 2O color illustrations of Israeli Air Force squadrons and 12 color profiles of aircrafts.
The black and white photos show 52 different aircrafts.
The 9 color photos show: a Hughes 500MD helicopter, a Do-28, a SOCATA Trinidad, a Boeing 707, a AH-64D helicopter, Elenia Aeromacchi M-346’s, a Hermes 450S drone and an F-16L.
The 2O squadron badges in color include:
The 124th Sqdn., the 125th, the 131st, the 133rd, the 135th, the 140th, the 144th, the 147th, the 149th, the 160th, the 161st, the 166th, the 190th, the 192nd, the 193rd, the 200th, the 201st, the 210th, the 249th and the 253rd.
Also in the black and white photos is:
A photo of Prime Minister Menachem Begin with Major General David Ivry, a photo of Palmachin Air Base from the air, an aerial photo of an attack on a PLO building in Tunis, a photo of Major Gerneral Herzl Bodinger, a photo inside a control tower, a photo of Major General Ben Eliyehu, a photo of a flight simulator, a photo inside a UAV building, a photo of Israeli ground crewmen, a photo of General Staff Dani Halouty with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, a photo of Major General Elyizer Skhady with Lt. General Moshe Ya’alon, a photo of Major General Ida Nehushstan with U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsch and photos of Israeli pilots.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
William J. Norton is retired from a flight test engineering career that spanned 40 years, including 20 years as a U.S. Air Force officer.
This included serving as aircrew aboard test aircraft. He has held numerous positions in many organizations on dozens of aerospace programs, spanning all aircraft types. He has penned scores of technical papers, 17 books, and a multitude of magazine articles.
Bill holds a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and has taught technical courses at the college level. In addition, he is a civil pilot with numerous ratings, restored and operates a DHC-1 Chipmunk, and built a Rutan Long-EZ.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion & Co. Ltd. Books and all their titles can be seen on Casemate’s web-site at:
The maturation of what was once the Israel Defense Force/Air Force (IDF/AF), and since 2005 is the Israeli Air 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 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 in war, or combat short of war came, success was a measure of its weapon’s suitability, relevancy of training, and experience of personnel.
Vol. 2 of 75 Years of the Israeli Air Force documents the evolution of the Israeli Air Force from the aftermath of the 1973 war, through the events in Lebanon and up to the present day. 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 its 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 in which they were employed.
Written at a time of historical challenges for the Israeli Air and Space Force, and the Israeli Defense Forces as a whole, this is an exclusive , highly informative and richly illustrated source of reference.
The cover art shows a color photo of a F-15D in flight, over a color side profile of a Kfir-2.
The back cover art shows a color side profile of a Sikorsky S-65 helicopter and a Heron TF drone reconnaissance aircraft.
The book contains 82 black and white photos, 4 maps, a bibliography, acronyms and abbreviations, 4 chapters, 9 color photos, 2O color illustrations of Israeli Air Force squadrons and 12 color profiles of aircrafts.
The black and white photos show 52 different aircrafts.
The 9 color photos show: a Hughes 500MD helicopter, a Do-28, a SOCATA Trinidad, a Boeing 707, a AH-64D helicopter, Elenia Aeromacchi M-346’s, a Hermes 450S drone and an F-16L.
The 2O squadron badges in color include:
The 124th Sqdn., the 125th, the 131st, the 133rd, the 135th, the 140th, the 144th, the 147th, the 149th, the 160th, the 161st, the 166th, the 190th, the 192nd, the 193rd, the 200th, the 201st, the 210th, the 249th and the 253rd.
Also in the black and white photos is:
A photo of Prime Minister Menachem Begin with Major General David Ivry, a photo of Palmachin Air Base from the air, an aerial photo of an attack on a PLO building in Tunis, a photo of Major Gerneral Herzl Bodinger, a photo inside a control tower, a photo of Major General Ben Eliyehu, a photo of a flight simulator, a photo inside a UAV building, a photo of Israeli ground crewmen, a photo of General Staff Dani Halouty with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, a photo of Major General Elyizer Skhady with Lt. General Moshe Ya’alon, a photo of Major General Ida Nehushstan with U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsch and photos of Israeli pilots.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
William J. Norton is retired from a flight test engineering career that spanned 40 years, including 20 years as a U.S. Air Force officer.
This included serving as aircrew aboard test aircraft. He has held numerous positions in many organizations on dozens of aerospace programs, spanning all aircraft types. He has penned scores of technical papers, 17 books, and a multitude of magazine articles.
Bill holds a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and has taught technical courses at the college level. In addition, he is a civil pilot with numerous ratings, restored and operates a DHC-1 Chipmunk, and built a Rutan Long-EZ.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Helion & Co. Ltd. Books and all their titles can be seen on Casemate’s web-site at:
Highly recommended.