Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 59 : Israeli Mirage III and Nesher Aces

Israeli delta fighters pilots have been credited with almost 300 kills between 1966 and 1974, and dozens of them became aces. The Israeli aerial kill exchange rate and overall air-to-air performance was phenomenal. Although the Israeli pilots were flying Mach 2 fighters, they lacked any modern radar equipment and their MiG-21 flying opponents should have had a performance edge over them. This book details their most significant engagements, many of which were essentially World War 2 style dogfights fought with jet aircraft. Because neither side had the combat edge to disengage at will most engagements were a life and death struggle and the introduction of air-to-air missiles and the Israeli Nesher was to prove decisive in this theatre. Text by Shlomo Aloni with illustrations by Mark Styling.

Contents

• Mach One Warfare
• Six Day War
• Attrition
• The Soviets Intervene
• Yom Kippur War
• Epilogue
• Appendices
• Colour Plate Commentary
• Index