This 1964 built C-130E was hastily delivered to Israel 2nd hand during the Yom Kippur war in October of 1973. It previously served with the USAF's Military Airlift Command as 63-7774. It was pictured here at the - now closed - air base Lod, back then part of Tel Aviv's international Ben Gurion airport. All of Israel's military transport planes, namely the C-130 and B707 fleet did relocate to Nevatim AB near Beersheba around August of 2008, just a few weeks after this picture was taken. Being an old E version, this airframe has most likely be stored by now.

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.

Nörvenich AB is usually closed on Sundays, but to allow the Israeli AF to rotate / exchange some 60 personnel between the two exercises Blue Wings 2020 and MAGDAYS 20-3, an exception was made on August 23, 2020. Consequently, this "Shimson" arriving from it's homebase Nevatim near Beersheba was the only movement on that cloudy day.

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.

Maritime Patrol version. Test reg 4X-CJC in 1971. To the IDF/AF as 4X-JYF in 1973. Back to 4X-CJC in 1976 then to 4X-JYR/929. Withdrawn from use by 2017.

69 Sqn F-15I recovers under threatening skies following a Red Flag 02-4 mission

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

Seen as part of the Hercules meet at the International Air Tattoo in 1979

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.

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.

345 is a Block 30 Fighting Falcon delivered new to Israel under the Peace Marble II program in 1987. It was assigned to Sqn 117 "First Jet" based at Ramat David AB in northern Israel. By the end of September 2020, 117 Squadron has ceased operating the F-16's. Current plans see the squadron to become the 3rd F-35 unit by 2021.

An F-35I Adir takes to the sky at NAS JRB Fort Worth for a test flight.

'Flying above an IDF base in the south as part of the Air Force Day program.' Photo by: Yaakov Saar / National Photo Collection of Israel

Originally delivered to Israel in 1978 under the Peace Fox 1 program, this Eagle/Baz has since been brought up to the F-15C standard, among the modifications being added is the fuel conformal tank, visible just behind the air intake. "678" carries the emblem of the 133th Squadron usually based at Tel Nof AB but is seen here at Ovda during Blue Flag 2017.

This Israeli Skytrain carries a serial on the rear fuselage, just right of the roundel. Unfortunately it is partly hidden behind a taped cloth, and the remaining numbers are very hard to read. Close examination of the original photo appears to show a "4" to the left of the cover cloth, and "28" to the right of it. Only one Israeli C-47 is known to match this, namely 4X-528 which was reported in the UK in 1954/1955 on delivery to Israel. This photo may have been taken during that delivery flight. No c/n is known for this 4X-528, and all in all the identification of the aircraft in this photo remains highly uncertain.