Arab Air Forces Post WWII

Customer Reviews:

Unique Reference on Arab Air Forces.......2003-04-22

For those interested in researching the military aspect of the Arab-Israeli conflict, finding information about the militaries of the Arab nations is very difficult. What little that is published is either published in the Arabic language or is so highly suspect (propaganda) that it is of negligible factual value. That's one of the factors that makes Charles Stafrace's book "Arab Air Forces" so uniquely valuable. It is not only written in the English language, but Mr. Stafrace has kept his political viewpoint to a minimum making it tremendously easier to read than comparable resources in Arabic or translated from Arabic.

The book itself is grouped to give short concise histories of the air arms of various Arab nations as well as speculative numbers and types of aircraft used during Arab Air Forces' histories. The book was published in 1994 so don't expect information any more current than 1994 (However, this does include Desert Storm). I emphasize that the histories are short (typically four to six pages for most Arab air forces and less for smaller air arms) so don't expect very many details. What information is available appears to be mired in fact rather than guesswork. Mr. Stafrace hasn't referenced or footnoted his work in any way whatsoever. There is no bibliography either. I would assume his information comes from public media sources although there's no way to be sure short of contacting Mr. Stafrace.

I imagine that the reference would be of most use to plastic kit modelers although I found it tremendously useful as someone who studies the Arab-Israeli conflict. I personally bought the text as a reference before painting some models of Arab aircraft. In that respect, this book has been very useful.

Histories and details of the following Arab Air Forces are included: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen (Current nation comprised of both South and North Yemen), Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen), and Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen).

Perhaps the book's most attractive selling point are the numerous color and photo plates as well as the generous number of black and white photos interspersed throughout the text. Photos of Arab aircraft that aren't from a gun reticule are hard to come by and Mr. Stafrace has provided plenty of quality photographs in his book.

My biggest criticism of the book comes from the passages in which Mr. Stafrace has injected his political opinion. It is clear that he is, at the very least, moderately pro-Arab in his political thought. The chapter detailing the Egyptian Air Force shows a clear bias against the Israelis. The chapter about the Iraqis also shows a bias against the Iranians. I recommend consulting other books for better information about aerial combat between the Egyptians and Israelis or between the Iranians and the Iraqis.

I highly recommend "Arab Air Forces" for those who desire to learn more about the Arab air forces.

Book Description

The MiG-21 provided the backbone of frontline Arab air combat strength for many years and remained the Arabs’ only real hope of challenging Israeli air supremacy. This book provides a detailed history of the MiG-21 in Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi service. It includes numerous photographs, most of which have not been seen outside the Arab world and a large proportion of which have never previously been published anywhere. The material is drawn from official sources and from the private collections and recollections of men who flew, or met, these aircraft in combat.

Customer Reviews:

The Cold War meets the Middle East Conflict........2004-04-25

There can be little to add to the excellent review above, except to re-iterate that this is an great book. It is refreshing to see this conflict described from the Arab view point. The book describes the role of Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi units in the conflicts with Isreal from 1967 to the 1980's. There is also a section covering the wars in the gulf. Much of the material in this book is new to most western readers and includes first hand accounts from Arab MiG pilots. It seems that the MiGs did rather better in combat than was the impression given by the Israeli information at the time. It is interesting to see how the cold war superpowers are involved on each side. An excellent book for anyone interested in MiG's or the Mid East conflict.

Flies into Virgin Territory.......2004-04-23

Since there is very little material available in English on the role of Arab air forces in the series of wars fought in the Mideast between 1967-1991, Osprey's "Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat" flies into virtually virgin territory. The strength of this volume is a wealth of specific detail on Arab pilots, units and combat actions that has been absent in most other works on the subject; anyone seriously interested in understanding the Mideast wars fought in this period needs this volume (and presumably the other volumes to follow in this series) to gain insight to the air component of those conflicts. David Nicolle and Tom Cooper have used their Mideast contacts to shed light on a heretofore-obscure subject.

The first chapter, "The Arabs go Supersonic," covers the introduction of the Mig-19 and MiG-21 fighters into Arab (Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi) service in 1961-1966. While background on the early Arab MiGs is fairly short, it seems that the USSR dumped several hundred MiG fighters on the Arab air forces without providing all the necessary equipment or training to transform these aircraft into fully-functional combat assets (also beginning the Arab tendency to blame the Soviets for their own military short-comings). While the MiG-21 seemed like a major step forward for the Arab air forces, the authors note that "prior to the Six Day War, Egyptian MiG-21FLs did not have guns....the MiG-21FLs actually came to be seen as a disaster.." for the Egyptian Arab Force. Consequently, the early MiG-21s were armed with only two unreliable "Atoll" missiles, which put them at a disadvantage against the better-armed Israeli fighters. This introductory section also covers the 1967 Six Day War (the section is clearly from the Arab point of view, with no references to Nasser's numerous provocative acts that caused the war), in which the Egyptian and Syrian MiGs were mostly destroyed on the ground by some of the best-coordinated attacks in aviation history. The authors point out that the lack of Egyptian combat air patrols on the morning of 5 June 1967 remains a mystery, given the high level of tensions. In any event, only about 10-15% of the Egyptian MiGs survived the first strike, and readers will be interested to see that some Arab fighters did indeed get airborne. After a week of fighting, the Arabs had lost most of their MiGs while claiming about ten Israeli aircraft in air-air combat (about 6 by Egypt and 2 each by Syria and Iraq).

The second chapter, "Fighting Back," covers the War of Attrition in 1968-1970. This was a rough period for both the Arabs and Israelis, with frequent small-scale raids and clashes inflicting considerable loss on both sides. While the Soviets replaced the MiGs lost in the Six Day War, the models delivered were essentially the same as those exported before the war. This section is interesting because it details that the Arabs were able to start developing both the skills and the tactics to challenge Israeli air superiority at least some of the time. Egyptian MiG pilots like Samir Aziz Mikhail, Ahmad Nur el-Din and Ahmed Atef were able to score 2-3 victories each, thereby providing the Egyptian Air Force with a small nucleus of skilled veterans. A unique tactic developed by Egyptians was to ferry MiG-21s by night underneath Mi-6 heavy-lift helicopters to remote airstrips near the Suez Canal, then to ambush returning Israeli strike aircraft who were unaware of the deployment. Syria was also able to develop a small cadre of skilled veterans, including Captain Bassam Hamshu, who became the highest scoring Arab fighter pilot with seven 'kills' before he himself was shot down in 1982. In this period the Arab air forces were able to triple the number of trained jet pilots, but their technical edge slipped even further as the Israelis began to introduce better US-made aircraft like the F-4 "Phantom."

The third chapter covers the 1973 War. This is perhaps the best chapter in the volume, with a great many combat anecdotes on dogfights and bombing missions. The final two chapters cover the 1977 Egyptian-Libyan border war, the Israeli-Syrian fighting over Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq War and Desert Storm - all of which are quite interesting. Obviously, the MiG-21 fighter designed in the late 1950s performed more and more poorly in each succeeding war as it started going up against F-14s, F-15s and F-16s. The Soviets denied the Arabs improved MiGs and missiles until the 1980s, and never again provided the quantities to make a difference. The authors also provide an appendix on Arab air units (thank you!) and 16 pages of color plates. Unfortunately, there is no bibliography, no technical data on the MiGs, no summaries of Arab aerial victories claimed in any of the conflicts and no information provided on sources (just where did they get some of this info?). It is also apparent that the authors had to incorporate a certain amount of "Arab propaganda" into this volume (e.g. tired accusations that American "volunteer pilots" were actually flying Israeli aircraft - can't the Arabs ever accept that they have been bested by Israelis?) in order to gain access to these secretive organizations. It is not always clear if the authors have carefully scrutinized all aerial claims (notoriously exaggerated by pilots from all nations) or just accepted them at face value. Obviously, what is needed is an appendix that lists Arab claims day-by-day and an appendix that lists Israeli admitted losses day-by-day. Finally, there is essentially no attempt to "tie it all together" and produce a comprehensive picture of Arab air operations; rather, this volume mostly consists of interesting but unconnected fighter pilot yarns.

Outstanding, the best of it's kind.......2004-04-04

This is an absolutely superb book, and is easily the best book on Arab air combat ever written. Only Nicolle's own "Phoenix Over the Nile" can compete. The amount and quality of research -- particularly interviews with Egyptian and Syrian pilots -- is outstanding, and nearly all the photos appear for the first time in an English-language publication. The color plates are also excellent, though there are a few minor problems with translation of Arabic numbers, and one Egyptian plane from 1969 wears post-1972 national insignia. A map or two, and a bibliography would also have been useful additions. Overall though, this book is a gem, and even at twice the price would be a bargain. Let's hope there's enough public interest in the subject to warrant further volumes on Egyptian/Syrian MiG-15/17 units, etc.

Arab-Israeli Air Wars 1947-1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft 23)

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Arab-Israeli Air Wars
Review on Arab-Israeli Air Wars 1947-1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft 23)
One-sided and mis-titled
the maps are absolutely fake!
one sided but good

Arab-Israeli Air Wars 1947-1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft 23)
Shlomo Aloni
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1841762946
Release Date: 2001-02-25

Book Description

When the UN called for the end of the British mandate and the partition of Palestine into two independent states, the RAF found itself under attack from both sides. Tracing the development of hostilities in the Middle East, this book covers the period from the establishment of the first proper Israeli Air Force in 1948 to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Israel's War of Independence against its Arab neighbours, the inevitable 'round two', the Suez Crisis of 1956, the Six Day War of 1967, the Yom Kippur wars of 1973 and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 are all detailed in this fascinating chronicle of war in the Middle East.

Customer Reviews:

Arab-Israeli Air Wars.......2007-01-12

An excellent review of the actual air-war. It is a pity that it wasn't printed in larger type. The additional charge would have been well worth it. I don't believe there is another book with as good information.
Robert X. Leeds

Review on Arab-Israeli Air Wars 1947-1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft 23).......2006-11-06

This covers exactly what it's title describes. The author takes an indepth look at the conflicts surrounding Israel's creation and up to the early 1980's. A must have for any IAF/IDF or military aviation enthusiast.

One-sided and mis-titled.......2004-11-28

As other reviewers have pointed out, this book presents the Israeli side only. There are only two pictures of Arab aircraft and in both cases they are shown being shot down. I felt duped by buying this book (it was shrink wrapped in the store), so I wrote to Osprey about how bad it was. They were sympathetic to my dislike of the book.

the maps are absolutely fake!.......2003-10-20

though the book is interesting, it's obvius that is biased far beyond the truth. there are certain things that must be respected if someone wants to talk about history. sadly, the author didn't do that, and presents maps of the partition of Palestine wich are not only inaccurate, but fake and aimed to change the past. that way, he crossed the line that makes the diference betwen history and propaganda.

one sided but good.......2002-07-28

I admit my experience with Osprey aviation titles is slim. This volume is entitled " Arab-Israeli "; in reality it deals with the Israeli side. That being said, it is a worthwhile book. The anecdotal quotes are illuminating. Lush sideviews are included for most of the aircraft mentioned. If, however, you are looking for coverage of the Arab air forces, I would highly recommend the Squadron title " Arab Air Forces " by Charles Stafrace. This title covers the development of Arab air power from their earliest appearences and also has great artwork. Put these two titles together and you will get a much more balanced picture of Middle Eastern air campaigns.

Two Minutes Over Baghdad: Revised and updated edition

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The chronicle of a daring air strike

Two Minutes Over Baghdad: Revised and updated edition
Uri Bar-Joseph
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Raid on the Sun: Inside Israel's Secret Campaign that Denied Saddam the Bomb

ASIN: 0714654221

Book Description

On 7th June 1981 a group of F-16 fighter-bombers from the Israeli Air Force bombed the newly completed French-built Iraqi nuclear reactor at Tuwaitha, south-east of Baghdad. The F-16s dived in low and dropped 2000lb iron bombs and 900lb HE bombs on the main reactor building destroying the reactor, yet leaving only one casualty. Up above six F-15 fighters flew "top cover" while on the border of Iraq CH-53 Air Rescue helicopters were ready to retrieve any pilots who were shot down. The Iraqi air defences around the reactor were formidable with SA-6 (Gainful), SA-2 and SA-3 anti-aircraft missiles and ZSU-57-2 and ZSU-23-4 radar guided anti-aircraft guns and MIG-21 and MIG-23MF fighter interceptors based at a nearby airfield.
What was more remarkable was that the Israeli strike team had to fly over several Arab countries to reach Iraq and fly within range of Saudi and US AWACs planes which were fully capable of spotting them hundreds of miles to the north.
Fully updated with new, formerly classified information, this work includes new photographs taken during the mission and from US spy satellites showing the damage to the reactor. For the first time the names of the pilots are revealed, one of them was Israel's first astronaut who was sadly killed in the Space Shuttle crash in February 2003.
Media opinion, which was very hostile back in 1982, has over time come round to the idea that this was correct and timely action by Israel.

Customer Reviews:

The chronicle of a daring air strike .......2007-09-11

This book is really useful today, since all indicators show that an Israeli air strike against Iran seems to be just a matter of time. During the 1970s Israel faced the same problem of national extinction (or so it assumed) at the hands of a hated enemy, when Saddam's regime made great efforts to construct nuclear reactors (with French help) and probably to develop nuclear weapons. The Israelis reacted with a campaign of preventive assasinations and diplomatic pressure worldwide which didn't bear fruit, thus they had to resort to a well planned air strike by their newest fighters, the F-16s. The book focuses more on the political than the military matters (for which it loses one star in my opinion) and shows how Tel Aviv took the decision to unlease its fighters and why it chose the specific time to do so, taking into account pure political considerations regarding the opposition parties in Israel and the need for a decive action before a possible change of government. There are some very good black and white photos and also some maps. For the aviation fans I would recommend also the older book "Bullseye One Reactor" which is excellent in covering the military aspects of the raid, although it does't give any name of the Israeli pilots who executed it (this book does reveal the names and the faces of the protagonists).

Foxbats over Dimona: The Soviets' Nuclear Gamble in the Six-Day War

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A New Perspective on the 1967 War
Interesting controversial and perhaps true
A New View of the Cold War in the Mideast
Foxbats over Dimona
Good book with a new of thorough rewrite to make it readable for the lay reader.

Foxbats over Dimona: The Soviets' Nuclear Gamble in the Six-Day War
Isabella Ginor , and Gideon Remez
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300123175

Book Description

Isabella Ginor and Gideon Remez’s groundbreaking history of the Six-Day War in 1967 radically changes our understanding of that conflict, casting it as a crucial arena of Cold War intrigue that has shaped the Middle East to this day. The authors, award-winning Israeli journalists and historians, have investigated newly available documents and testimonies from the former Soviet Union, cross-checked them against Israeli and Western sources, and arrived at fresh and startling conclusions.

Contrary to previous interpretations, Ginor and Remez’s book shows that the Six-Day War was the result of a joint Soviet-Arab gambit to provoke Israel into a preemptive attack. The authors reveal how the Soviets received a secret Israeli message indicating that Israel, despite its official ambiguity, was about to acquire nuclear weapons. Determined to destroy Israel’s nuclear program before it could produce an atomic bomb, the Soviets then began preparing for war--well before Moscow accused Israel of offensive intent, the overt trigger of the crisis.

Ginor and Remez’s startling account details how the Soviet-Arab onslaught was to be unleashed once Israel had been drawn into action and was branded as the aggressor. The Soviets had submarine-based nuclear missiles poised for use against Israel in case it already possessed and tried to use an atomic device, and the USSR prepared and actually began a marine landing on Israel’s shores backed by strategic bombers and fighter squadrons. They sent their most advanced, still-secret aircraft, the MiG-25 Foxbat, on provocative sorties over Israel’s Dimona nuclear complex to prepare the planned attack on it, and to scare Israel into making the first strike. It was only the unpredicted devastation of Israel’s response that narrowly thwarted the Soviet design.

Customer Reviews:

A New Perspective on the 1967 War.......2007-09-07

This book, exhaustively researched over many years by the authors, carefully elucidates the heretofor unknown but seminal role of the Soviet Union in the genesis of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

In brief, the author's hypothesis is that the USSR, by a campaign of incitement and disinformation (such as informing Syria of the non-existant massing of Israeli troops on the Northern Frontier) fomented an incidiary situation with the deliberate attempt to start an Arab-Israeli war. Why? The USSR was constitutionally opposed to the possession of nuclear weapons by the Israelis. US and Soviet intelligence services estimated that completion of a deliverable nuclear device by Israel was immenent. Soviet overflights of the Dimona reactor (using the MiG-25 "Foxbat") were part of a coordinated plan for a combined sea (amphibious), air and land campaign integrating Soviet armed forces with those of it's Arab allies to demolish the reactor and ultimately to destroy the Israeli State.

While Soviet involvement was never a secret, the conventional line is that the USSR exercised a "restraining" role vis-a-vis it's Arab allies (the short-lived "United Arab Republic" and, to a lesser extent, Jordan). The authors of this book convincingly demonstrate that the Soviets took a diametrically opposite approach: instigating the conflict, promising military, logistical and diplomatic support and encouraging aggression.

As is well known, the proximate causes of the conflict were the removal of the United Nations Observer force from the Sinai, closure of the Strait leading to Eilat (violating UN "freedom of the sea" resolutions and international law) and, not incidentally, a massive influx of Soviet arms and advisors. This and other aspects have been dealt with by many other authors (beginning with the Churchills and, more recently, by Michael Oren in "Six Days of War"). This book concentrates on the Soviet role and, as a result, assumes some background knowledge of the conflict.

Perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of the book is the explanation of the Israeli attack on the US "spy ship" the "Liberty". This action was attributed by the authors to confusion by Israeli radar monitoring: by their explanation, Israeli equipment detected a rapidly moving (~28 knots) ship which they assumed to be a Soviet war vessel. This ship was in relatively close proximity to the "Liberty". As the entire US Sixth Fleet had, in response to Soviet and Arab allegations of US participation in military actions with the Israelis, withdrawn by hundreds of miles from the vicinity with the sole exception of the "Liberty", the potential for a mistake was high. Some conspiracy theorists allege that the ship was deliberately attacked by the Israelis to thwart US interference in further military actions: the authors show that there were National Security Agency linguists abord, but they were all experts in Russian and Arabic; none spoke Hebrew. Given this finding, the conspiracy angle becomes less enticing. The attack appears to have occurred for this reason and (albeit hard for some to accept) a stupid blunder by the Israelis and by the Americans, as well.

The book was difficult to read: it is written as a factual exposition and has none of the novelistic style that entices a casual reader. There are exhaustive references and a mountain of minute detail, all of which support the author's premises, but do little to ease the burden of the reader.

In summary, this is a fine journalistic work and provides a firm basis for further research. Ultimate clarification will depend upon release of still-classified documents from US and Russian archives. Some elements may never be confirmed, as the USSR Politburo often cloaked important decisions in propaganda and sometimes did not record them at all. Nonetheless, the book is convincing and worth attention from any student of the Middle East and it's apparently incessant wars.

Interesting controversial and perhaps true .......2007-08-03

The major idea of this book is that the Six- Day War did not break out as many believe simply as part of an Arab plan to destroy Israel. It did not break out as many others believe because of mistakes made by both Egyptians and Israelis in reading the intentions of their enemies. Rather the idea here is that there was a Soviet- Egyptian plan to induce Israel to make a first strike- and that this in turn would be countered by a joint Soviet- Arab counter-attack, which most importantly would destroy the Israeli nuclear reactor at Dimona. The book claims that the astounding and surprising success of the Israeli airforce in destroying the airforces of the Arabs on the ground obviated the plan.
The authors provide much source material for their well- written story. Whether their thesis is correct or not is however not at all finally clear. The Soviets in general in their foreign operations had a very cautious and conservative side. Something about this plan does not sound like them.
Nonetheless this is a welcome read to the growing literature on the Six- Day War. I would only complement this book with Michael Oren's book on the Six- Day War which has a very different conception of the Soviet role.

A New View of the Cold War in the Mideast.......2007-07-05

This is bound to be a controversial book, but its careful documentation indicates that it should be taken seriously. The authors contend that the Soviet Union, far from taking a conservative role in the Six Day War, helped to plan and trigger it, up to the point of committing Soviet nuclear forces against Israel. The Egyptian blockade of the Strait of Tiran, according to this view, was planned to provoke Israel into a preemptive strike that, because of American reluctance to support a first strike, would have precluded the US from defending Israel against a combined Arab-Soviet attack. Only the overwhelming success of the Israeli attack thwarted the plan. The book's careful documentation makes it somewhat dry reading, but it is valuable not only for understanding the role played by the Soviets in the Middle East during the Cold War, but that they were not a conservative power but an aggressive one throughtout the Cold War period. Some aspects of the book are provocative and call for further research and documentation, however, such as a claim that the Soviets committed major forces to support Arab operations during the 1973 war and the war of attrition that preceded it, and that a Soviet ship participated in the North Korean attack on the USS Pueblo in 1968. If sustained, these charges would indicate that the Cold War was significantly hotter than most people now appear to believe.

Foxbats over Dimona.......2007-06-27

This is an excellently researched book which poses some interesing new hypotheses concerning the Six Day War. It's not as readable as Oren's Six Day War, but worth the time if you want more background on the war and Soviet involvement in it.

Good book with a new of thorough rewrite to make it readable for the lay reader........2007-06-18

The basic premise of the book is very interesting. That having been said I found the book difficult to read for the following reasons--
1. It seems to be a set of articles strung together in chronological order as a book. That in itself is not bad; however, there is no real cohesion or flow from one chapter/article to the next.
2. The book is set in an academic readership lever and not directed to the general public which makes it difficult for a person not immersed in the material to really comprehend. Good readability requires that a book be "dumbed down" for lay readers;
3. Because the book is a connection of articles--rather than a book of its own right, a most important chapter is missing between chapter 13 and 14--what happened on June 5 and the 6-day war(i.e., the wiping out of the UAR airforce, etc.) and how did that force the change in Soviet policy. We have to rely on our own memories of 1967 instead of having it put there to put the whole book in context. Again, this is probably a result of the book being on a higher academic level and a string of articles in which the reader is "presumed" to know everything;
4. On a more picky level, I find that endnotes which are common in academic matters should be replaced with footnotes. Footnotes do not detract from the book and would help the lay person immensely.
In addition, I find the font/set-up makes reading difficult.
5. All that criticism having been said, I find the book very interesting but difficult to slog through.

No Trophy No Sword: An American Volunteer in the Israeli Air Force During the 1948 War of Independence

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Dedication and bravery at its best

No Trophy No Sword: An American Volunteer in the Israeli Air Force During the 1948 War of Independence
Harold Livingston
Manufacturer: Edition Q
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1883695031

Customer Reviews:

Dedication and bravery at its best.......1999-02-18

Mr. Livingston does a superb job of describing the dedication and bravery of these Americans who sacrificed their careers, families and most of all their lives in the quest for Israel's freedom. The majority of these volunteers had already served in the U.S. Armed Forces in defeating the Nazi, but the former didn't adapt the "let someone else fight this war" attitude, instead, they stepped up when called upon.

The author keeps the readers interest in tact with very accurate details of events, individuals and the different government sources involved (with the later often to the detriment of the mission.) The author adds the reality of differing philosophies when it came time to place Israel's future in front of individual contributions. Especially interesting was learning how these volunteers undertook missions that offered little or no safety precautions for them in case of an air crash, or what to expect from foreign, and sometimes their own governments during these operations.

There is much to learn from this book, mostly new information, and some already known, such as the Truman Administration being intimidated and manipulated by the Soviet Union in the former Palestine as it was throughout Eastern Europe during this era.

When the reader finishes this book they will be amazed by how much was accomplished by these individuals and the Israeli forces in such a short period of time.

Customer Reviews:

A Spellbinding, Pilot's Eye View of an Historic Air Raid.......2001-12-17

Here is the pilot's story, the tension, the adrenaline rush in all its detail, behind the 1981 air raid that eliminated Saddam Hussein's first nuclear weapons plant. Few books will bring you closer to the action of Middle East air warfare than this. Dan McKinnon's telling of this story is unparalleled, and his book adds an abundance of diagrams and maps to flesh out the picture.
For those reader's interested in filling in the story of the political maneuvering leading up to the raid, I can recommend Shlomo Nakdimon's "First Strike". For those readers interested in reading more accounts of the Israeli air force in action, I can recommend Peter Mersky's "Israeli Fighter Aces" for a collection of first hand accounts, or Ehud Yonai's "No Margin for Error" for a complete history of the Cheyl HaAvir.
Dan McKinnon's work still stands out, however, as among the most spellbinding of stories. I would rate it as a must-read for any student of either Israeli military history, or of air warfare in general.

Historic perspective with a bang!.......2000-06-13

I had the pleasure of meeting the author on a flight I was piloting from San Diego to New York. The enthusiasum he has for life shows through in this book. The political intrigue and historic perspective lay the groundwork for a heartpumping account of Israel's air strike on Iraq's nuclear reactor outside Baghdad in 1981. Those who have flown tactical aircraft will detect the author's expertise as a former Navy pilot, and everyone else will be treated to a riviting account of what those IAF pilots accomplished. This was life or death flying for the pilots, and in view of events to follow in the Gulf War, life or death for many others too. Bravo Zulu, Dan.

the Israeli air attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor.......1998-05-22

PLEASE LOOK THROUGH, I'M NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER

BULLSEYE - ONE REACTOR tells the story about the Iraqi attempt to develop the first Arab nuclear bomb. At first, the Israeli government tried to intense political pressure to that countries, who supported Iraq with nuclear equipment and know-how. As the Israeli Primeminister Begin saw, that his warnings didn't have any effect, he took into consideration of making a surprise air attack to destroy the Iraqi reactor. But Begin and his small group of advisors had to solve many problems like: when is the last chance to destroy the reactor befort it is 'hot', what kind of aircraft is best for the 2.000 km (1.200 miles) flight to Baghdad and back home, what is the best way to fly hidden from the radars, how can the Israeli airforce brake through the shield of AAA (Anti Aircraft Armament) batteries and SAM (Surface to air missile) sites, and how can they avoid an Iraqi air attack.

As the last political attempt of Israel failed to stop the making of the Iraqi nuclear reactor, Israel carried out its air attack with F-15 and F-16 aircraft successfully on June 7, 1981 without any losses.

Book Description

Discusses effects Arab-Israeli peace would have on U.S. forces in the Gulf.

Customer Reviews:

A case study on Arab-Israeli Peace and its implications.......2002-05-02

The security of the Persian Gulf remains a vital national security concern for the United States. Vital, as over 30% of oil imports are sent from the region. A disturbance in the supply caused by internal or external conflict may diminish the economic growth of not only the U.S but will have ramification worldwide. Post Desert Storm the political landscape of the region has changed dramatically. With the Soviet Union disintegrated, the U.S remains the sole power to dictate its term. This new reality has forced nations in the region to accommodate the change in this reality. A significant shift in policies occurred by both Syria and Jordan, which were once supported by Soviet Union and later moved from confrontation to compromise in the relations with U.S. This change occurred after it became evident that Russia could no longer support them financially and militarily. Call it direct or indirect but peace in (how shallow a form) came about after Soviet Union was dismantled. Till the mid 1990's significant dialogue and energy was placed by both Israel and the Arab nations.

In this study the authors have identified the region of conflict in the Gulf, and the access available to the forces from friendly countries. The authors do comparative analysis on military forces, bases and equipment between all the countries. There were two facts mentioned in this study, which I do not concur with, which are:

1. Security and Intelligence sharing between Arabs and Israel.
2. Iranian Opportunism.

I disagree with first on the mere premise that there exists much mistrust between the two nations. The present example is relations between Israel and Egypt. Having made peace in the late 70's the relation has not progressed; it is at best a mere recognition and a non-war pact. True peace cannot be achieved in my perception till the Palestinian cause for a homeland is not addressed and their rights of independence are not respected. In the second case Iranian Opportunism in the region remains a very unlikely scenario. The Iranians like all the people in the region have witnessed the devastation brought onto Iraq after if began its incursion into Kuwait. Besides at present Iran remain both militarily and financially very weak. In the late 1990 the Iran government decided against an attack on Afghanistan (under Taliban) after it was evident that the latter had murdered its diplomat.

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The Origins of Israel's Air Force

Great book from a modern day hero.

Captivating account of air battles in the 1940s

New Heavens: My Life as a Fighter Pilot and a Founder of the Israel Air Force (Potomac Books' Aviation Classics series)
Boris Senior
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1574886797

Book Description

Although Boris Senior may not be well known outside Israel, he played an important, even vital, part in the formation of the Israel Air Force (IAF) and in the 1948 War of Independence. Those who are familiar with his efforts and dedication have an abiding respect and appreciation for this transplanted South African who nearly died when shot down on a mission in 1945 for the Royal Air Force.

Leaving the RAF after World War II, Senior dedicated himself to the formation of the state of Israel by joining the Irgun to fight British control of Palestine. Originally undertaking surreptitious operations to undermine the governing authority in Palestine, the onset of the 1948 War of Independence had him back in combat, this time against Israelâ€™s Arab neighbors. He flew combat sorties in such widely differing aircraft as the Spitfire and, of all things, a Beechcraft Bonanza, a general-aviation type. Senior used his own money to buy supplies and aircraft, personally under-taking multiple dangerous missions to fly new acquisitions to Israel. His tireless work to form an air defense system for the newly formed State of Israel laid the groundwork for the modern-day Israel Air Force.

Through all his experiences, Senior has maintained an abiding understanding of the overall situation that still bedevils the Middle East, particularly Israel and its neighbors. Now, as a senior citizen, his fondest wish is to see the resolution of the age-old problems that result in so many Israelis and Arabs dying in attacks and counterattacks, more than fifty years after he helped launch the IAF.

Customer Reviews:

The Origins of Israel's Air Force.......2007-10-01

Judith Friedman Rosen, from CUNY's Graduate Center, tells us that Israel's air force and its advanced aero-technology helped define the country in recent decades, but in the years immediately prior to the country's birth and during its struggle for independence (1946-48), things were rather different. The emerging country was threatened by enemies from within and on all its proposed borders. Fledgling military forces smuggled in contraband armaments, breaking a British-imposed ban. Despite such efforts, the future looked bleak. Only air assaults could secure the national Jewish homeland, but there were no airplanes and no pilots.

Into this situation entered Senior, an experienced World War II fighter pilot for the British Royal Air Force with a Zionist orientation. His autobiography engagingly recounts how a young man from a well-to-do South African family, along with other overseas volunteers acquired a mix of aircraft, learned to pilot them, smuggled them to Palestine, and engaged in battle. Senior recalls his World War II sorties, his flying experiences, and a close brush with death. These events prepared him for the challenges he would face as a fighter pilot for the Yishuv (Jewish settlements in pre-state Israel) and as a builder and founder of what would become the Israel air force.

Senior recounts how his ragtag air force secured victory by personally purchasing aircraft and sneaking them across international borders, and how they risked their lives on unfamiliar and untested equipment. He reminds us of the ingenuity, determination, and resolve that he and the fighters had for the creation of Israel. He emphasizes that the U.S. government was not a friend of the fledgling nation, curtailing the pilots' ability to transfer airplanes to Palestine. In contrast, the Russians rescued the endangered Jewish fighting forces from destruction by permitting "Czechs to assist us (training in and procuring Messerschmitts)." In addition, "Russian diplomatic and political support in the United Nations during that period were instrumental in helping Israel survive." This directly contributed to the success of the war in the air, which, through the efforts of the Mahal overseas volunteers, brought final victory to the nation and led to Senior's ability to initiate and build the Israeli air force.

Great book from a modern day hero........2005-07-06

Boris Senior is a hero of democracy and this is his story.

Makes for great reading.

Captivating account of air battles in the 1940s.......2005-07-05

This book tells, first hand, of Boris Senior's experiences fighting both for and against the Royal Air Force. He tells of his growing up in South Africa and joining the air force there after World War Two broke out and France was defeated. And of his flying missions in Italy in World War Two as a South African member of the RAF. After luckily surviving this, he went on to become a member of the Irgun and then the Haganah (switching in large part because the Irgun had no air force). He became one of the first pilots in Israel's air force.

As Senior relates, the Israeli air force did not get off to an auspicious start. On May 15, 1948, when hostilities began, the entire Israeli air fleet was arranged in neatly parked rows on either side of the Sde Dov airport. They were hit by four waves of Egyptian Spitfires (two of the waves struck before most Israelis knew what hit them). Thus, the Israeli air force was badly damaged in the first hours of the war. Nevertheless, the Israelis rebounded from this terrible day. Perhaps its most glorious time came at the end of the war, on January 7, 1949, when the Israeli pilots shot down five RAF planes without any losses of their own.

I highly recommend this interesting book.

ARAB-US RELATIONS - Jan 9 - US Confirms Air Strikes In Somalia Conflict.: An article from: APS Diplomat Recorder

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ARAB-US RELATIONS - Jan 9 - US Confirms Air Strikes In Somalia Conflict.: An article from: APS Diplomat Recorder
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat Recorder, published by Thomson Gale on January 13, 2007. The length of the article is 488 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ARAB-US RELATIONS - Jan 9 - US Confirms Air Strikes In Somalia Conflict.
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: APS Diplomat Recorder (Newsletter)
Date: January 13, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 66 Issue: 2

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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