This year Israel celebrates its 60th year of independence. For
this year's feature I decided to present photos of my personally favorite –
the F-16 Fighting Falcon, in the multitude of markings carried by the Israeli
Air Force.
The first F-16's landed in Israel on July 2nd, 1980 one
of which was tail number 107 that went on to become the world's record
holder for the number of air to air kills credited to the F-16. In five
consecutive Peace Marble acquisitions, the IAF acquired 362 F-16 Fighting
Falcons of the F-16A/B/C/D versions in block 5, 10, 15, 30, 40 and 52
configurations that are currently the backbone of the IAF. |
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Hasegawa F-16A no.107 |
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Hasegawa F-16A no.112
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IAF F-16's are credited with downing 52.5 kills, two of which were
explosive filled GPS guided UAV's launched at Israel during the summer 2006
Second Lebanon War. The first world kill for the F-16 goes to First Jet sq F-16A
no.112 that downed a Syrian Mil-8 helicopter on April 28, 1981. Credit for the
first world kill of a MiG-21 by an F-16 goes to F-16A no.219 flown by Knights of
the North squadron commander Amir Nachomi who also holds the world's record for
an F-16 pilot at 7 kills. By far the most successful F-16 is tail number 107
that when in service with the First Jet squadron, it downed 6.5 kills (the other
.5 is shared with F-16A no.129) during the 1982 Lebanon War carrying the Hebrew
name Sufa on its vertical fin. In the year 1999 when in service with the Negev
squadron, it also acquired an Iraqi nuclear power-plant bombing mission marking
that it wears today flying for the Flying Wing squadron.
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Hasegawa F-16A no.777
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Hasegawa F-16A no.777
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On April 24, 2008 I had the pleasure
of visiting the IAF museum and on display was F-16A no.107 alongside one of the
latest F-16i (block 52 F-16D) Sufa aircraft no.865 operated by the Orange Tail
squadron. This impressive pair along with the new F-16 kits due out on the
market this year provided me with the incentive to present before you a
selection of F-16 operated by the IAF.
Yoav
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Revell + Hasegawa -F-16D block 40 no.656
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Revell + Hasegawa -F-16D block 40 no.656 |
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Revell F-16C block30
no.364
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Revell F-16C block30
no.364 |
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Revell-F-16C b40 no.547 + Revell-Hasegawa F-16D b40 no.656 |
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Revell IsraCast F-16i no.451
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Revell IsraCast F-16i no.451 |
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Revell-F-16C block 40no.547
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Revell-F-16C block 40no.547 |
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Revell-F-16C b40 no.547 +
Revell-Hasegawa F-16D b40 no.656 |
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