Last revised: July 27 2001
The Israel Defence Force/Air Force has been involved in six wars (1948 War of Independence, 1956 Sinai War, 1967 Six Day War, 1970 War of Attrition, 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1982 Invasion of Southern Lebanon) along with many years of skirmishing. In general, the details of IDF/AF operations and personalities have been shrouded in official secrecy. However, this veil has been partly lifted in the last ten years and details have begun to emerge. There are now a number of authoritative histories of the Mid East aerial conflict available. These include:
Spitfires Over Israel, a history of the air conflict in the 1948-49 Israeli War of Independence, by Brian Cull, Shlomo Aloni and David Nicolle, Grubb Street, 1994.
Wings Over Suez, a history of the air operations during the Sinai and Suez Wars of 1956, by Brian Cull, David Nicolle and Shlomo Aloni, Grubb Street, 1996.
Israel's Best Defense, an insider's history of the IDF/AF by Eliezer "Cheetah" Cohen, Orion Books, 1993.
No Margin For Error, another history of the IDF/AF by Ehud Yonay, Pantheon Books, 1993.
Israeli Fighter Aces, an account of the air force's top pilots, by Peter Mersky, Speciality Press, 1997.
Phoenix Over the Nile, a history of the Egyptian Air Force, by Lon Nordeen and David Nicolle, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996.
G-Suit: Combat Reports From Israel's Air War, a collection of IDF/AF pilots' accounts of aerial actions, by Merav Halperin and Aharon Lapidot, Sphere Books, Ltd, 1990.
Fighters Over Israel, a slightly dated, but still useful history, by Lon Nordeen, Orion Books, 1990.
Air Warfare in the Missile Age, a general history with good coverage of the mideast conflict, by Lon Nordeen, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996.
The Fighting Israeli Air Force, an early history of the IDF/AF, by Stanley Ulanoff and David Eshel, Arco Pulishing, Inc., 1985.
From these and other sources, the following lists have been prepared. One list covers all air-to-air victories claimed by the IDF/AF that pass historical scrutiny (there have been some that didn't) and the other is an accounting of air-to-air victories scored by individual pilots. The former list is believed to be fairly accurate and complete, but there are no guarentees. The latter list is believed to be complete up to June 5, 1967, the beginning of the Six Day War. After this point, there are many missing attributions and a lot of sketchy detail.
The companion page to this one lists all IDF/AF air combat victory claims that can be attributed to indvidual pilots.
I welcome any further information that people might have available. Additionally, I would welcome any information on air-to-air victory claims made by pilots in the Arab air forces. I can be e-mailed at: dave@lednicer.com.
Date Aircraft Number Kill Country
03-Jun-48 Avia S 199 2 C-47 Egypt
08-Jun-48 Avia S 199 1 Spitfire Egypt
10-Jul-48 Avia S 199 1 AT-6 Syria
18-Jul-48 Avia S 199 1 Spitfire Egypt
23-Sep-48 Avia S 199 1 Rapide Jordan
16-Oct-48 Avia S 199 1 Spitfire Egypt
19-Oct-48 Beaufighter 1 Fury Egypt
21-Oct-48 Spitfire IX 1 Spitfire Egypt
04-Nov-48 Spitfire IX 1 C-47 Egypt
17-Nov-48 Spitfire IX 0.5 Spitfire Egypt
P-51D 0.5 Spitfire Egypt
20-Nov-48 P-51D 1 Mosquito Britain
22-Dec-48 Spitfire IX 1 MC.205V Egypt
28-Dec-48 Spitfire IX 2 MC.205V Egypt
Spitfire IX 1 Spitfire Egypt
30-Dec-48 Spitfire IX 2 MC.205V Egypt
31-Dec-48 Spitfire IX 1 MC.205V Egypt
Spitfire IX 1 Spitfire Egypt
05-Jan-49 Spitfire IX 1 MC.205V Egypt
P-51D 1 MC.205V Egypt
07-Jan-49 Spitfire IX 3 Spitfire Britain
P-51D 2 MC.205V Egypt
Spitfire IX 1 Tempest Britain
29-Aug-55 Meteor F.8 1 Vampire Egypt
02-Sep-55 Meteor F.8 2 Vampire Egypt
12-Apr-56 Ouragan 1 Vampire Egypt
29-Oct-56 Meteor NF.13 1 IL-14 Egypt
30-Oct-56 Mystere IVA 1 MiG-15 Egypt
31-Oct-56 Mystere IVA 4 Vampire Egypt
Mystere IVA 2 MiG-15 Egypt
20-Dec-58 Mystere IVA 1 MiG-17 Egypt
28-Apr-61 Super Mystere B2 1 MiG-17 Egypt
14-Jul-66 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
15-Aug-66 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
13-Nov-66 Mirage IIICJ 1 Hunter Jordan
29-Nov-66 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-19 Egypt
07-Apr-67 Mirage IIICJ 6 MiG-21 Syria
05-Jun-67 Mirage IIICJ 17 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-19 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-17 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 Hunter Jordan
Super Mystere B2 2 MiG-21 Syria
Super Mystere B2 1 MiG-17 Egypt
Super Mystere B2 2 Il-14 Egypt
Mystere IVA 1 MiG-17 Syria
Mystere IVA 2 Hunter Jordan
Ouragan 1 MiG-17 Egypt
06-Jun-67 Mirage IIICJ 4 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-19 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 4 Su-7 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 Hunter Iraq
Mirage IIICJ 1 Tu-16 Iraq
Mirage IIICJ 1 Hunter Lebanon
Vautour IIA 1 Hunter Iraq
07-Jun-67 Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-19 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-17 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 Il-28 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 Hunter Iraq
08-Jun-67 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-19 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 Il-28 Egypt
09-Jun-67 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
04-Jul-67 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Egypt
07-Jul-67 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
08-Jul-67 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
11-Jul-67 Mirage IIICJ 1 Su-7 Egypt
15-Jul-67 Mirage IIICJ 4 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
1 Su-7 Egypt
10-Oct-67 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
12-Dec-68 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Egypt
24-Dec-68 2 MiG-17 Syria
12-Feb-69 2 MiG-17 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
24-Feb-69 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Syria
03-Mar-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
08-Mar-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
15-Mar-69 1 MiG-21 Egypt
14-Apr-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
05-May-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
20-May-69 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
21-May-69 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Egypt
29-May-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
24-Jun-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
26-Jun-69 Mirage IIICJ 4 MiG-21 Egypt
02-Jul-69 Mirage IIICJ 4 MiG-21 Egypt
07-Jul-69 2 MiG-17 Egypt
08-Jul-69 Mirage IIICJ 7 MiG-21 Syria
20-Jul-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
1 Su-7 Egypt
22-Jul-69 1 MiG-21 Egypt
24-Jul-69 Mirage IIICJ 4 Su-7 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
11-Sep-69 Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 Su-7 Egypt
06-Oct-69 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
11-Oct-69 2 MiG-21 Syria
11-Nov-69 F-4E 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
27-Nov-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
2 MiG-17 Syria
1 MiG-21 Syria
11-Dec-69 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Syria
04-Jan-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
08-Jan-70 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Syria
09-Jan-70 2 Su-7 Egypt
08-Feb-70 F-4E 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
09-Feb-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
26-Feb-70 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Egypt
06-Mar-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
F-4E 2 MiG-21 Egypt
16-Mar-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
25-Mar-70 Mirage IIICJ 4 MiG-21 Egypt
27-Mar-70 Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-21 Egypt
02-Apr-70 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Syria
21-Apr-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Egypt
25-Apr-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 Il-28 Egypt
F-4E 1 Il-28 Egypt
12-May-70 A-4 2 MiG-17 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Syria
14-May-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
15-May-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
16-May-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
03-Jun-70 Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 Egypt
25-Jun-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
26-Jun-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Syria
10-Jul-70 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Egypt
2 MiG-21 Egypt
27-Jul-70 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
30-Jul-70 F-4E 2 MiG-21 USSR
Mirage IIICJ 3 MiG-21 USSR
11-Sep-71 1 Su-7 Egypt
13-Jun-72 Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Egypt
Aug-72 4 Syria
09-Sep-72 Mirage IIICJ 2 Su-7 Syria
F-4E 1 Su-7 Syria
09-Nov-72 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
1 MiG-21 Syria
21-Nov-72 Mirage IIICJ 5 MiG-21 Syria
F-4E 1 MiG-21 Syria
09-Dec-72 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-21 Syria
02-Jan-73 1 MiG-21 Syria
08-Jan-73 6 MiG-21 Syria
15-Feb-73 1 MiG-21 Egypt
21-Feb-73 F-4E 1 Boeing 727 Libya
13-Sep-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 9 MiG-21 Syria
Nesher 2 MiG-21 Syria
F-4E 2 MiG-21 Syria
06-Oct-73 F-4E 7 MiG-17 Egypt
F-4E 2 MiG-21 Egypt
F-4E 7 Mi-8 Egypt
F-4E 1 Su-7 Egypt
27 Egypt
5 Syria
Nesher 4 Su-7 Egypt
Nesher 2 Mi-8 Egypt
07-Oct-73 F-4E 1 Mi-8 Egypt
F-4E 2 MiG-21 Egypt
F-4E 4 MiG-21 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-21 Syria
Mirage IIICJ 1 Su-7 Syria
08-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ 1 MiG-17 Syria
Nesher 1 MiG-21 Syria
Nesher 1 MiG Egypt
Nesher 1 MiG-21 Egypt
Nesher 3 Su-7 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 3 Hunter Iraq
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 3 MiG-17 Egypt
09-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 6 MiG Syria
10-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 8 MiG Syria
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 7 Su-7 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 3 Hunter Iraq
F-4E 3 MiG-21 Egypt
12-Oct-73 F-4E 9 Syria
14-Oct-73 F-4E 4 MiG-21 Egypt
Nesher 4 MiG-21 Egypt
15-Oct-73 F-4E 1 MiG-21 Egypt
16-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 1 MiG Syria
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 8 MiG-17 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 3 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 1 Su-7 Egypt
17-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 5 MiG-21 Egypt
18-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 23 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 2 MiG-17 Egypt
19-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 1 Mi-8 Egypt
18 Egypt
20-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 2 Su-7 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 2 Su-20 Egypt
21-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 5 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 4 Mirage V Libya
22-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 7 MiG-21 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 3 Egypt
Mirage IIICJ 1 L-29 Egypt
23-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 5 MiG-21 Egypt
F-4E 4 MiG-21 Egypt
24-Oct-73 Mirage IIICJ/Nesher 14 Egypt
10/73 123 Syria
1 Egypt
1 Helicopters
06-Dec-73 F-4E 1 MiG-21 Egypt
19-Apr-74 2 MiG-21 Syria
29-Apr-74 4 MiG-21 Syria
27-Jun-79 F-15 4 MiG-21 Syria
Kfir C2 1 MiG-21 Syria
19-Sep-79 F-15 4 MiG-21 Syria
24-Sep-79 F-15 4 MiG-21 Syria
24-Aug-80 F-15 1 MiG-21 Syria
31-Dec-80 F-15 2 MiG-21 Syria
13-Feb-81 F-15 1 MiG-25 Syria
28-Apr-81 F-16 2 Mi-8 Syria
14-Jul-81 F-16 1 MiG-21 Syria
29-Jul-81 F-15 1 MiG-25 Syria
21-Apr-82 F-16 2 MiG-23 Syria
25-May-82 F-15 2 MiG Syria
26-May-82 F-16 2 MiG-21 Syria
07-Jun-82 F-15 1 MiG-23 Syria
08-Jun-82 F-15 1 MiG Syria
F-15 2 MiG-21 Syria
F-15 1 MiG-23 Syria
F-16 3 MiG-23 Syria
09-Jun-82 F-15 1 MiG Syria
F-15 7 MiG-21 Syria
F-15 4 MiG-23 Syria
F-16 16 Syria
10-Jun-82 F-15 5 MiG-21 Syria
F-15 2 MiG-23 Syria
F-15 1 SA342 Syria
F-16 18 Syria
2 Helicopters Syria
F-4E 1 MiG-21 Syria
11-Jun-82 F-15 4 MiG-21 Syria
F-15 2 MiG-23 Syria
F-16 12 Syria
25-Jun-82 F-15 2 MiG-23 Syria
31-Aug-82 F-15 1 MiG-25 Syria
1982 RF-4E(S) 1 MiG Iraq
20-Nov-85 F-15D 2 MiG-23 Syria
87-88 F-15 1 MiG-23 Syria
24-May-01 AH-64A 1 C-172 Lebanon
Total 796
Official Total 686