MIRAGE IIICJ, No.159, 101st Tayeset, Hatzor Air Base, 1974. This aircraft went through several physical incarnations over time. In this way, it appeared after the one year-long repair, in 1974. Whether this aircraft obtained new ATAR 09C engine and newly designed tail is not confirmed by photos. Along with aircraft No. 58, this Shahak claimed the greatest number of kills, a total of 13. These are symbolized on the front of the air-craft. It was in this aircraft, at the time numbered ‘59’, that Yoram Agmon shot down a Syrian MiG-21 on July 14th, 1966, the first kill achieved on the type.
Martin Pospisil
This aircraft is one of two Mirage IIICJs credited with 13 kills. It was delivered in 1962 to the 101st Tayeset Ha’Krav Ha’Rishona (First Fighter Squadron). On December 14, 1966, flown by Yoram Agmon, the jet was the first to record a kill by a Mirage in the world. Further kills followed quite quickly, so that by 1970, there was a total of eleven. At the time, the plane still flew in a natural metal finish, as delivered by the manufacturer, and there were ten kill marks painted under the cockpit. The identification number was changed to ‘259’, where the ‘2’ identified service with the 101st Tayeset.
At the beginning of the seventies, the aircraft received the standard Israeli three-color scheme in use since 1967. This consisted of sand FS 33531, green FS 34227 and brown FS 30219, with light blue FS 35622 undersides. The last two kills came in 1973, one on September 13th, and the other on October 6th on the first day of the Yom Kippur War. On the next day, the plane was severely damaged in an aborted take-off by Israel Baharav, who was injured in the incident. At this time, the aircraft had twelve kill marks painted under the cockpit. While the pilot was able to return to duty on October 13th, the aircraft was damaged such that repairs took almost a full year. It was returned to service through 1974, but likely with an Atar 9C engine and with the identifier ‘159’ and black and yellow recognition triangles. These quick identifiers were applied on Israeli aircraft from October 14, 1973, when Israeli ground units were first attacked by Libyan Mirages operating out of Egypt.
Shortly after its return from repairs, it was converted to a photoreconnaissance version with a Mosel nose and components of the Nesher, and renumbered as ‘459’, with the ‘4’ signifying a recon bird. At the end of the seventies, it was re-converted to a fighter, and as ‘159’ assigned to 254th Tayeset Mercaz Ha’Medina (Middland Squadron). In 1982, it was sold to Argentina. In 2003, the aircraft was sold back to Israel for a symbolic sum, and is today displayed at the Aviation Museum at Hatzerim. The following can be concluded: the aircraft is depicted during the Yom Kippur War, which was theoretically possible, but unlikely in this guise. At the beginning of the war, the aircraft carried 12 kill marks and not six. The other problem concerns the recognition triangles, which, as noted, began to be applied on October 14th, 1973. The aircraft at that time was not airworthy due to the serious damage sustained on October 7th, 1973.
Sources: Shlomo Aloni: The June 1967 Six-Day War, Isradecal Publications 2008 Shlomo Aloni: Israeli Mirage and Nesher Aces, Osprey Publishing, 2004 Yoav Efrati: Colors and Markings of the IAF, Isradecal Publications 2005
