A MiG-21 operated by the Israel Air Force? This aircraft has a story to tell: Reputed to have defected (ex Iraqi AF) this MiG spent some time in the U.S.A. for evaluation before it returned to Israel. The serial '007' has been allocated by someone with a sense of humour. It has recently been repainted keeping the James Bond serial number.

435 was delivered new to Israel in May 1976 under the Peace "Bata IV" Foreign Military Sales Program (US FY # 75-0536). The civilian registration 4X-FBT was sometimes applied for international trips. However, this was most certainly not the case when it took part in a clandestine operation called "Kadur Ra'am" in hebrew (Thunderbolt) on July 4, 1976, a bare two month after being delivered. On that day, an israeli "delegation" of four C-130's and an undisclosed number of IDF special forces paid a surprise visit to Entebbe, Uganda and rescued some 100 Jews held hostage by terrorists.

Arkia's DC-3/C-47's helped keeping Israel's southernmost city - Eilat - connected to the rest of the country in the late 1950's / early 1960's. However, the airframe shown here never carried the registration 4X-AES, which did exist though but had c/n 11923 (USAAF FY 42-92154 > RAF FL562 > HB-ATO > NC74136 > OO-AFB > to Israel DF) and then to Arkia between April 2, 1957 and June 26, 1966. The history of the airframe shown here is best described at http://www.dc-3.co.za/dc-3-individual-aircraft-history/cn-6223.html . "4X-AES" has since been moved a few miles north to the new Eilat Airport LLER.

This dual seat F-15B was delivered to Israel second hand in 1992. Ex USAF serial / FY 73-0113. It was among a batch of 25 used F-15A's (20 planes) and F-15B's (5 planes) basically given to Israel for free, as a reward for Israel's restraint to keep itself out of the 1991 Gulf War, despite being attacked by Iraqi Scud misslies. "113" carries the emblem of the 133th Squadron based at Tel Nof AB and was part of the 2017 Blue Flag exercise. Apparently it was named 'Zeev Boded' in Hebrew, meaning 'Lone Wolf' in English.

'Defender helicopter during the air force display.' Preserved in the Hatzerim museum. Photo by: Moshe Milner / National Photo Collection of Israel

President Obama visited Israel. Marines squadron HMX-1 had twelve VH-3 and eight VH-60 VVIP helicopters as of 2015. The air-transportable VH-60's head room isn't great and this is why you still see the old VH-3 on the White House south lawn. Photo from: National Photo Collection of Israel

This airframe was the last F-16B out of eight ordered under the FMS "Peace Marble I" Program, which also consisted of 67 single seat F-16A's. 017 is US FY 78-0362.

ALG Aeroleasing, operating for Crossair.

Arkia operated two One-Elevens in the late 1970s. 4X-BAR to G-BEKA and Dan-Air adopted the colour scheme with the blue and red reversed! Photo very similar to one in the National Photo Collection of Israel, by Moshe Milner.

Arkia briefly tried a helicopter service, taking rich tourists from the airport to their hotels. This location is only described as 'Tel Aviv'. 4X-BAC to Israeli air force in May 1961, but crashed a few months later. Photo by: Fritz Cohen / National Photo Collection of Israel

Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Eilat's new airport which opened in 2019. Photo by: Kobi Gideon / National Photo Collection of Israel

US FY 78-0342, originally destined for Iran, this airframe was "diverted" to Israel under the Foreign Military Sales program "Peace Marble I" in early 1980. It first went to 110 Squadron in Ramat David, then to 253 Squadron in Ramon and ended up with 116 Squadron in Nevatim. It achieved one kill and was one of eight F-16A's participating in the historic June 7, 1981 raid on Iraq's nuclear reactor "Osirak". The raid was coded "Operation Opera" and 243 was flown by the late Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut who lost his life in the 2003 Columbia disaster.

Loading demonstration with the first flying prototype of the Arava. The aircraft crashed on 19 November 1970 during its 92nd flight as the wings came off. Photo by: Moshe Milner / National Photo Collection of Israel

US FY number 86-1606, delivered to Israel under the FMS program "Peace Marble II". Acted as aggressor / red force during Blue Flag 2019 and as such was temporary on loan from Squadron 117 to Israel's Aggressor Squadron 115.

Later 4X-AJX. Photo by: Fritz Cohen / National Photo Collection of Israel

VH-ARD at Haifa after being delivered to the fledgling Israeli air force. It had been acquired in Italy on 28 May 1948, in exchange for DC-3 I-TROS which became VH-BNH. The DC-5 was being used for migrant charters when the exchange took place, and with the Israelis it was later used as a makeshift bomber. Photo by: -Lieutenant D.A.S. MacKay / Flight

First del to Hazelton Airlines in Australia as VH-MJH, later as G-KBAC with BAC - Gill Airways. Then as S7-PAL with Air Seychelles before being bought by israeli charter company Ayeet Aviation in April 2010. Still wears the basic Air Seychelles livery in this picture.

This airframe was only 6 month old when this picture was taken on approach to the old airport at Eilat. Israir was founded in 1989 as Kanfei HaEmek (Valley Wings) and in 1996 changed to its current name Israir Airlines. The airline concentrates on the domestic tourism sector but also has a few international destinations in it's program, the latest being Dubai after a peace agreement was reached with the UAE.

Opening of Sde Nov airport. Aviation initiatives in British Mandatory Palestine came from the side of Jewish immigrants. In 1937, Palestine Airways began to fly between the port of Haifa and Lydda, now Tel Aviv - Ben Gurion, but road travel between Tel Aviv and Lydda was unsafe and thus a landing ground close to the city was sought. SDV closed in 2019. Photo from: Library of Congress

Supporting a visit by US president George W Bush. Photo by: Amos Ben Gershom / National Photo Collection of Israel