The predecessor of the Israeli Air Force actually predates the modern state of Israel. The Sherut Avir, or Air Wing, was formed on 10 November, 1947 and was comprised of Palestinian Jews, most of whom had served in the RAF. With the formation of Israel on 14 May, 1948, the IAF became a recognized military force, albeit a toothless one. When Tel Aviv was bombed on 15 May by Egyptian Spitfires, the IAF could do little. Israel was struggling to arm itself for the War for Independence, but aircraft were hard to come by. A trickle of Czech-built Messerschmitt 109s were being convoyed in, as were Spitfires from France. The first IAF kill came on 3 June, 1948, when two Egyptian Dakota bombers were shot down.
One of the more amazing encounters for the IAF during the early days came in January, 1949. By now, the Israeli ground forces had turned the tide of the War for Independence, and Arab forces were in full retreat. In Operation Horev, the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) was attempting to encircle an Egyptian army retreating through the Sinai. It was at this point that the British government intervened and warned Israeli forces to withdraw. To emphasize the point, the RAF began patrols throughout the region. A confrontation was inevitable, and it came on January 7, with RAF Spitfires dogfighting IAF Spits. In the first of many lopsided Israeli victories, the British lost 5 aircraft and the Israelis none.
Even a brief on IAF operations down the years reads like fiction. Instead of fiction, though, it is the operational history of a highly motivated, highly professional fighting force that has pulled off some of the more notable feats in aviation history.
*Six Day War, Operation Moked. In a preemptive strike, the IAF simultaneously took on the air forces of Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq. Three hundred, ninety one enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground, with a further 60 shot down in air-to-air combat. Israel lost 46 aircraft and 24 pilots.
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