Israeli Air Force Museum

Israeli Air Force Museum
IAI Kfir on display at the museum
Map
Established1977
LocationHatzerim Airbase, Negev desert, Israel
TypeAviation museum

The Israeli Air Force Museum is located at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev desert in Israel.

The museum was established in 1977 and has been open to the public since 1991. The museum displays a variety of Israeli Air Force and foreign aircraft, as well as anti aircraft arms. Soldiers from the Israeli Air Force serve as the museum staff.

Boeing Stearman of the Israeli Air Force Museum, March 2007. It was destroyed in a ground fire in 2015

Exhibits

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The museum houses hundreds of models of fighter aircraft that served in the Israeli Air Force as well as actual fighter jets that have been retired from service or captured by Israel. Some of these aircraft, such as the Spitfire "Black Spit" of Ezer Weizman and the yellow Harvard aircraft, are maintained in flying condition and even participate in various air shows. The museum includes historic aircraft such as the Mirage 3 Shahak 159 with 13 kills, the MiG-21 that was smuggled from Iraq in Operation Diamond, the Lavi built by Israel Aerospace Industries, an F-15 Baz with 4 kills, and an F-16 Netz 107 with 6.5 kills. There is also an exhibit of fighter jet parts explaining their uses, an anti-aircraft weapons display, a photography exhibition, and an exhibition titled "Pull to Life" about the 669 Tactical Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit.

During Passover and Independence Day, the Air Force displays active aircraft at the museum, such as the F-15I Ra'am, F-16I Sufa, and AH-64 Apache, and presents special flyovers and activities for children.

History

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The cornerstone for the museum was laid on July 16, 1985, mainly due to the efforts of Brigadier General (Res.) Yaakov Turner. The museum was opened to the public on June 20, 1991.

In February 2015, the silver Boeing-Stearman aircraft was completely destroyed due to poor maintenance. The aircraft had been in flying condition and participated in air shows for years, often flown by Yaakov Turner.

On November 6, 2016, the Ministry of Defense's Engineering and Construction Department and the Air Force announced an architecture competition to design the new Air Force Museum in Hatzerim, which, according to the Ministry of Defense, "will serve as a heritage center for the Air Force and a showcase for the Israeli aviation world."[1][2] The competition was won by the Haifa-based architecture firm "Schwartz Besnosoff."

In February 2022, it was decided to scrap 20 aircraft that were on display at the museum, including the Boeing 707 that served as a flying command post during Operation Entebbe.

Aircraft on display

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Israeli air force aircraft

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Foreign Types

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Former Syrian MiG-23 at the IAF Museum

Partial remains

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Tail of Egyptian Su-7 shot down October 6, 1973

Anti Aircraft Weapons

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Anti Aircraft Artillery

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Missiles and AA systems

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Other Vehicles

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References

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  1. ^ "Open Architecture Competition for Air Force Museum Design". Ministry of Defense. November 6, 2016.
  2. ^ "The Showcase of the Air Force". Israeli Air Force. November 22, 2016.
  3. ^ Griffin, David J. (2006). Hawker Hunter 1951 to 2007. Lulu.com. p. 273. ISBN 9781430305934.
  4. ^ "Mi-24D 4010 : Mil Mi-24D". www.armedconflicts.com. 31 December 2006. Retrieved 2021-06-18.

Bibliography

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  • Warnes, Alan (March–April 1999). "Hatzerim Album: Spitfires and Meteors at the Israeli Defence Force Museum". Air Enthusiast (80): 76–77. ISSN 0143-5450.
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