Air Enthusiast 1998-03
S.Aloni - In a Class of its Own (3)
Silhouette of an IDF/AF Vautour IIBR at low level over an EAF air base in June 1967. Two Il-14 transports and an Mi-6 helicopter lie destroyed.
Vautour IIA s/n 25 at Bedek, the forerunner of IAI. Note the C-46D Commando and the PBY Catalina in the background. This Vautour was lost in an aerial collision in July 1959 - Captain Gershon Hitzki was killed.
Vautour IIA s/n 20 takes-off from Ramat-David. In this aircraft the IDF/AF CO between 1992 and 1996, Maj Gen Hertzel Bodinger, almost lost his life in 1964.
A Vautour caught in a perfect firing solution as viewed via the gunsight of an IDF/AF105 Squadron Super Mystere B2.
A 110 Squadron formation of two pre-Six Day War camouflaged Vautours (including s/n 05) with two (s/ns 21 and 67) in the post-Six Day War camouflage scheme. Note that only s/n 67 has an individual name, ‘Tsiklon’ (Cyclone), painted on the nose.
The IDF/AF Vautour conversion team in France. Major Yoash ‘Chatto’ Tsiddon is standing fifth from the left
Pilots from 119 Squadron attended a Vautour conversion course with 110 Squadron. Gori Palter - on the ladder of s/n 03 - graduated
The end of s/n 61 ‘Arpad’ (Vampire) came when it caught fire on the ground.
Vautour IIN s/n 69 in flight with the 119 Squadron badge painted on its fin. As French Air Force s/n 330 this aircraft conducted weapon tests at Cazaux in 1958 before it was ferried to Israel in July 1958 by Ya’acov Agassi and Itshak Erez.
Major Daniel ‘Danny’ Shapira, the IDF/AF test pilot who conducted the initial evaluation of the Vautour, in front of French Air Force s/n 20 - possibly prior to its ferrying to Israel circa November-December 1957, although this example was not one of the seven Vautours with ‘Danny’ ferried to Israel.
A 119 Squadron Vautour IIN parked in a hangar amid a munitions display. Note the cannon shells forming ‘119’.
Line-up of 119 Squadron IINs, including s/ns 64, 65 and 67, January 1960.