Netz 107
Netz 107 is a General Dynamics F-16A block 10 Fighting Falcon of the Israeli Air Force, tail number 107. Netz 107 participated in Operation Opera, bombing the Osiraq nuclear reactor, and was later credited with 6.5 enemy aircraft kills, a world record number of kills for an F-16.[1]
| Netz 107 | |
|---|---|
| Netz 107 on display during Israel Independence Day | |
| Type | General Dynamics F-16A block 10 Fighting Falcon (Netz) |
| Serial | 107 |
| First flight | 1980 |
| Owners and operators | Israeli Air Force / IDF/AF |
| In service | 2 July 1980 |
| Last flight | 2015 |
| Preserved at | Preserved on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum. |
Operational service
The first F-16A/B Netz fighters arrived in Israel during 1980 and were issued to 117 Squadron (Israel) of the Israeli Air Force. Netz 107 was the first F-16 to touch Israeli soil when it landed on 2 July 1980 at Ramat David Airbase.
On 7 June 1981 Netz 107 took part in Operation Opera, piloted by Amos Yadlin, and was the second F-16 to strike the Osiraq nuclear reactor after wing leader Zeev Raz.
Netz 107 scored its first aerial kill on 21 April 1982 when pilot Zeev Raz shot down a Syrian Air Force MiG-23. During Operation Peace for Galilee it shot down 6 more Syrian aircraft. On 9 June 1982, Eliezer Shkedi shot down two MiG-23s, although one was shared with another pilot. On Friday 11 June 1982 pilot Eytan Stibbe shot down four Syrian aircraft.
Several years later Netz 107 was re-allocated to 253 Squadron (Israel) along with other F-16A/Bs. In 2015 it was retired from service and put on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum.
Kills
| Date | Pilot | Weapon | Shot down aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 June 1981 | Amos Yadlin | Mark 84 Bomb | Iraqi Osirak Nuclear reactor |
| 21 April 1982 | Zeev Raz | AIM-9 Sidewinder | Syrian MiG-23 |
| 9 June 1982 | Eliezer Shkedi | AIM-9 Sidewinder | Syrian MiG-23 (shared kill) |
| 9 June 1982 | Eliezer Shkedi | AIM-9 Sidewinder | Syrian MiG-23 |
| 11 June 1982 | Eytan Stibbe | AIM-9 Sidewinder | Syrian MiG-23 |
| 11 June 1982 | Eytan Stibbe | AIM-9 Sidewinder | Syrian Sukhoi Su-22 |
| 11 June 1982 | Eytan Stibbe | M61A1 Vulcan gun | Syrian Sukhoi Su-22 |
| 11 June 1982 | Eytan Stibbe | missile | Syrian Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopter |
References
External links
- אלוף ההפלות: זהו איתן סטיבה – האסטרונאוט הישראלי October 2020 (Hebrew)
- IAF F-16s kill tallies in F-16.net
- Record-breaking F-16 Falcon to be retired from IDF service, ynet, 11 February 2015
- xnir photography, IAF F-16 Netz 107 photo gallery in Flickr
- , ידיעות אחרונות, 9 February 2015 (Hebrew)
- איתן סטיבה מתאר הפלת 2 מטוסי סוחוי-22, מטוס מיג 23 ומסוק גאזל ב-11.6.1982 20 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, באתר "מרקיע שחקים" (Hebrew)
- IAF F-16 Netz 107, photos in Flickr