The Vautour Pages
THE VAUTOUR IN THE IAF SERVICE - SECTION 14: THE VAUTOURS' CREWMEN

1) A little more than 100 pilots and navigators served with the Vautour during its fourteen years of activity. The pilots spread over 6-7 "generations", most of them serve about two years in "regular service", and many continued as Vautour pilots within the arrangement of "emergency post" (E.P.), or as reservists ( participating in training and in operational activity once a week, or under immediate call).
2) The pilots' origin derived from two different "schools": jet fighters (at first - Meteor, but mainly Mystere and Ouragan) that were found adequate to operate fighter-bombers, and the entirely different habitat of night fighters (Meteor N.F. 13). These two groups merged into one, end of 1963, when all the Vautour force, now in Sqn. 110, became "attack" oriented. Later the Vautour pilots were chosen from the Ouragan OTU graduates.
3) The navigators were also, at first, of two different proficiencies: interceptor navigators / radar operators ( Sqn. 119 ) or - navigators and camerae operators of the "BR" variant (Sqn. 110). These groups also became one, in Sqn. 110. Although the navigators could equally function as "N" or "BR" crewmen, some remained experts in the photo-reccee role.

* It is interesting to note that in spite of the relatively modest number of crewmen, the amount of those who reached high ranks us really outstanding: 3 IAF commanders and many Generals and Colonels.

* The crews that trained and operated the Vautour during the years 1964 to the SDW, became the backbone of the modern multi-purpose Phantom. They fully implemented the team- work of a pilot and a navigator/system operator, which its roots can be identified in the Vautour heritage.

The list on this page was collected from many sources. The majority of the details was received from many Vautours crewmen.

[ the list is still incomplete and needs additions and corrections. ]


THE VAUTOUR AIR CREW LIST
Sqn. 110 - Pilots Sqn. 110 - Navigators Sqn. 119 - Pilots Sqn. 119 - Navigators

Abbreviations:
"the SDW" = The Six Days War.
[ SDW + ] participated in the Six Days War as a Vautour crewman
[ Res. ] - " - - " -" as reservist
[ EP ] - " - " - " as Emergency Post

{ the lists are in alphabetical order, each }


SQUADRON 110


* Note that crewmen who started their service in Sqn. 119, and continued to serve in Sqn. 110, are listed here under Sqn. 110 paragraph.

PILOTS
  1. Agassi Yaakov
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Ferried one Vautour from France.
    Sqn. 110 Commander 1959 - 1963.
    With more than 1,000 flight hours with the Vautour and many operational sorties. Rank: Colonel.
  2. Alkalay Aminadav ("Ami")
    Pilot, Sqn. 110, after the SDW. Killed in a F-4E accident, 1979.
    Rank: Major, promoted to Lt. Col. after his death.
  3. Arazi Yosef ("Yosi")
    Pilot. Sqn 110. Rank: Colonel.
  4. Artsi Itschak ("Akki")
    Pilot. Sqn 110. (Wounded before the SDW, didn't participate as pilot).
    Artsi Itschak
    MIA December 1st, 1967, PR mission, Suez Canal, age 28. . Rank: Major
  5. Ash Shimon
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Ferried one Vautour from France.
    In Sqn. 110: 1957 - 1962.
    MIA Yom-Kippur war, 1973, Egypt (in a Skyhawk). Rank: Major.
  6. Avni Amos
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from 1961.
    killed in a Vautour A accident, January 25, 1962, age 22. Rank: Lt.
  7. Bahat (Bettmann) Eli ("Baba")
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110.
  8. Bodinger Hertzle
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, since November 1963. SDW + (E.P.).
    Holding the record of flight hours (1,030), and of operational sorties (265), with the Vautour.
    Rank: Major General, as IAF Commander 1992-1996.
  9. Brisk David
    Pilot, Sqn. 110, 1968 - 1970.
  10. Dror Gideon
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1962 - 1965. Rank: Major.
  11. Dvir Michael
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from October 1965. SDW + . Rank : Major.
  12. Einav ( Weiner) Oded
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Rank: Lt. Col.
  13. Eyal Menachem
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, before the SDW.
    KIA Yom-Kippur war (in a Skyhawk). Rank: Captain.
  14. Feldsho Yoel
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1968 - 1970. Rank: Brig. General.
  15. Fridman-Rom Avshalom ("Avsha")
    pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + .
    Killed in accident 1977, in a collision of two Phantoms. Rank: Captain.
  16. Fuchs Yehuda ("Little Fuchsie")
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. Rank : -
  17. Gafni Boaz
    Pilot. Sqn. 110.
    Killed in a training mission, with a Meteor T.7, 1966 (in Sqn. 110) . Rank: Captain .
  18. Gal (Bigelman) Yaakov
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + (Vice Sqn. Com. "B"). Rank: Colonel.
  19. Gat Itzchak
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. Rank: Brig. General.
  20. Gil Micha
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + .
  21. Golan (Glantz) Itschak
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW +
    POW, Iraq, H-3, June 7, 1967. Returned from Jordan June 26, 1967.
  22. Golan Yaron,
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. for a short time, 1964.
  23. Goldwasser (Gold) Moshe
    Pilot., Sqn. 110, after the SDW.
    KIA (killed after capture, POW), Suez Canal (in a Phantom, August 1970). Rank - Lt.
  24. Goren Giora
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from October 1965. SDW + . Rank: Brig. General.
  25. Goren Ran
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from 1963. SDW: + (Res.).
    Rank: Maj. General, as Head of the IDF-HQ Personnel Branch, 1989 - 1992.
  26. Hadar (Hitski) Gershon ("Ikki")
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110.
    killed in a Vautour air collision, July 21, 1959, age 27. Rank: Captain.
  27. Halutz Dan
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1968 - 1970.
    Maj. General, IAF Commander since April 2000.
  28. Har-el (Erlinger) Reuven
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Ferried two Vautours from France.
    In Sqn. 110 between end of 1957 till 1962. Rank: Lt. Col.
  29. Haviv (Hecht) Baruch ("Buki")
    Pilot. Sqn. 119, and from 1960 to 1962 in Sqn. 110.
  30. Ilan Daniel
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + . Rank: -
  31. Karmi Eitan
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from 1961 to 1963.
  32. Keren Shlomo
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + (Vice Sqn. Com. "A"),
    KIA June 7, 1967, Iraq, H-3, age 26.
    Rank: Captain, (promoted to Major after his death).
  33. Kimchi Avraham
    Pilot. Sqn. 110.
  34. Magen Gideon
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. SDW + (Res.). Rank: Major.
  35. Margalit Uri
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + (res.) Rank: Captain
  36. Marom (Marimes) Oded
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Rank: Colonel.
  37. Mor Eliyahu (Eli)
    Pilot. Sqn. 110.
    Killed in an air crash, "Arava" demonstration, as passenger, in Africa, the 70's.
  38. Nachman Ovadia
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 & 110. Conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110, August 1958.
    119 Sqn. Com. 1962 - 1963 and 110 Sqn. Com. 1963 - 1964
    SDW + (EP) . Rank: Major.
  39. Nir Itschak
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + (Op. officer).
  40. Ofer (Sodovitzer) Moshe
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. Rank: Major.
  41. Pepo Moshe ("Ziko") Pilot. Sqn. 110.
    killed in a Vautour B accident, March 27, 1961, age 23. Rank: Lt.
  42. Pesakh Shraga
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. Rank: Lt. Col.
  43. Poraz Maoz
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110.
    KIA Yom-Kippur War,1973 (as Skyhawk pilot). Rank: Major.
  44. Porat Naftali Pilot. Sqn. 110, after the SDW.
    KIA, Jordan, April 23, 1969, age 27. Rank: Major.
  45. Rafaeli Yaakov {"Kuf-Kaf"}
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + . Rank: Lt.
    Died of illness in - ?.
  46. Rodan (Rodnitzki) Avraham
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, after the SDW.
  47. Saar (Simigran) Moshe ("Simi")
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110.
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + (EP). Rank: Colonel.
  48. Sarig (Shpitzer) Yosef
    Pilot.
    110 Sqn. Com. 1964 - 1965
    Rank: Lt. Col.
  49. Shachar Yonatan
    Second conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Rank: Lt. Col.
  50. Shaked Mario (Mendle)
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1961, for a short period. KIA, Yom Kippur war, in a Skyhawk. Rank: Major.
  51. Somech Yehezkel
    The first Vautour pilot of Sqn. 110. Conversion to Vautours in France. 6 ferries.
    110 Sqn. Com. 1957 - 1959 . (also the Sqn. commander when operated Mosquitos).
    Flew the Vautour as Wing #1 Commander , before and during the SDW.
    Rank: Brig. General.
  52. Tal Yaakov
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + .
  53. Tamir Hagai
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1968 - 1970.
  54. Tavor (Tversky) Zeev
    First conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Ferried one Vautour from France.
    SDW + (Res.). rank: Major.
  55. Terner Yaakov
    pilot. 110 Sqn. Com. 1967 - 1969.
    With ca. 300 hours with the Vautour and ca. 160 operational sorties
    Rank: Brig. General.
  56. Vilan-Weiland Avraham
    Pilot. Sqn. 110. SDW + .
    POW, Syria, June 5, 1967. Returned July 17, 1967. Rank: Colonel.
  57. Yanai Yigal
    Pilot. Sqn. 110, 1962 - 1966. Rank -
  58. Yeshurun Mordechai
    Pilot. 110 Sqn Com. 1969 - 1972
    The last commander of the Vautours. Rank: Lt. Col.
    Died of illness, 1990.
  59. Zimon Shim-on
    Pilot. Sqn. 110 from 1962. SDW + . Rank :Lt. Col ? .
  60. Zohar (Simkin) Ben-Tzion
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 from 1959. later (1961?) in Sqn. 110.
    SDW + (res.) (decorated and credited for a Hunter Kill).
    Rank: Major. Killed as a crop-duster, civilian pilot, 1997.
  61. Zur Levy
    Pilot. 110 Sqn. Com. 1965 - 1967, including the SDW
    Rank: Colonel.
  62. Zur Ran ("Zoran")
    Pilot. SDW + . Last rank: Lt. Col.

NAVIGATORS
  1. Bar-Nir (Rabiner) Giora
    Navigator, Sqn. 119 till 1960, and Sqn. 110, 1960 - 1962. Rank: Lt. Col.
  2. Ben-Shua Shabtai
    Navigator. Sqn. 110, from 1967. SDW +. Rank: Colonel.
    Killed in an air crash, Equador, 1988, while posted as Military Attache.
  3. David Yair
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW. Rank: Lt. Col.
  4. Eini Menachem
    Navigator. Sqn. 119 from April 1959. later: Sqn. 110 as E.P. SDW + . Rank: Brig. General.
  5. Eshet (Kamintzky) Amos
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW.
  6. Eyal (Los) Achikar
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. Conversion to Vautour B in France.
    SDW + (EP). Rank: Lt. Col.
  7. Har-Nevo Zvi
    Navigator. Sqn. 110.
  8. Inbar-Meltzer Alexander ("Elik")
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. SDW + (E.P.).
    KIA June 7, 1967, Iraq, H-3, in his 100th operational sortie, 28 years old. Rank: Captain.
  9. Kislev Shmuel
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. Conversion to Vautour B in France. Rank: Brig. Gen.
  10. Levi (Aharon) Shaul
    Navigator. Sqn. 110, after the SDW.
    KIA, Yom Kippur War (as Phantom navigator, Syria). Rank - Major.
  11. Levin Shmuel
    Navigator. Sqn. 119 till January 1962. Later - reservist in Sqn. 110.
    Killed as range officer, during active reserve service,in 1977. Rank: Captain.
  12. Raz Elchanan
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. SDW + .
    MIA, December 1st, 1967, PR mission, Suez Canal front, age 24. Rank: Lt.
  13. Ronen Efraim
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. Last rank: Colonel
  14. Shmueli Yaakov
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW. Rank - Colonel.
  15. Talmor (Fleetman) Uri
    Navigator. Sqn. 110. Conversion to Vautour B in France.
    SDW + (E.P.). Rank: Brig. General. Died of illness, 1986.
  16. Tovel Eli
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW. Rank - Colonel.
  17. Vitmann Danni
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW. Rank - Colonel.
  18. Zeevi Zeev
    Navigator, Sqn. 110, after the SDW, for a short period.

Sqn. 110 - Pilots Sqn. 110 - Navigators Sqn. 119 - Pilots Sqn. 119 - Navigators

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SQUADRON 119

 * NOTE: Crewmen that served in sqn. 119 only.

PILOTS
  1. Aharon Ezra
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 (till 1962). Conversion to Vautour in France. 3 Vautour ferries.
    470 flight hours with the Vautour, 4 operationl sorties. Rank: Major.
  2. Amiran (Ammar) Shlomo ("Soli")
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 from 1958. Conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110. Rank: Major.
  3. Koren (Kleiner) Hagai
    pilot. Sqn. 119 from April 1959 (to 1961?).
  4. Livne Me-ir ("Meir-ke")
    Pilot, Sqn. 119 (1958-1961). Conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110.
    Killed in a traffic accident, as pedestrian, 1994. Rank: Colonel.
  5. Palter Gur-Arie ("Guri")
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 from April 1959 till 1963. Rank: Lt. Col.
  6. Sharon (Shwartz) Ze-ev
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 (1959 - 1963).
  7. Tsiddon-Chatto Yoash
    - Pilot. Sqn. 119. Conversion to Vautours in France.
    - Founder of the Jet All-Weather layout (1955)
    - First 119 Sqn. Com. 1956 - Meteors N.F. 13.
    - Considered "The Father" of the Vautour in the IAF.
    - Seven Vautour ferries (1957 - 1959).
    - Sqn. Commander till 1959 (Meteor N.F. 13 and Vautour IIN ).
    - SDW + (Res.).
    - Rank: Colonel.
  8. Tzivoni Adam
    - Pilot. Sqn. 119 from September 1958.
    - Conversion to Vautour in Sqn. 110, August 1958.
    - Vice Commander (1958-1959) and 119 Sqn. Com. August 1959 - August 1962
    - In Sqn. 110 as E.P from 1962 onwards.
    - SDW + (EP).
    - With a total of some 800 flight hours with the Vautour, and 35 operational sorties.
    - Probably with the greatest number of EW sorties between 1966 to 1970.
    - Rank - Colonel.
  9. Yoeli Giora
    Pilot. Sqn. 119, November 1961 - 1963. Rank: Colonel.
  10. Zik Yaakov
    Pilot. Sqn. 119 November 1961 - 1963.
    Killed in a Cessna ( agricultural/rain enhancing) crash, 1971 or 1972.

NAVIGATORS
  1. Ashkenazy Binyamin ("Benny")
    Navigator, Sqn. 119.
  2. Bar-Shalom Yigal
    Navigator. Sqn. 119 from April 1959. In Sqn. 110 after the SDW as E.P. Rank: Colonel.
  3. Brosh Elyashiv ("Shivi")
    Navigator. Sqn. 119. Conversion to Vautour N in France.
  4. Dayan Charlie
    Navigator. Sqn. 119 from April 1959.
  5. Erez Itschak ("Itche")
    Navigator. Sqn. 119. Conversion to Vautour N in France. Rank: Major.
  6. Erez Oded
    Navigator, Sqn. 119 (till 1961) and Sqn. 110 (as E.P).
    Commander of the Meteor N.F.13 flight, Sqn. 119 (1957-1961)
    SDW + ( E.P. beginning June 7th ). Rank: Brig. General.
  7. Gal-on ("Julian") Elisha
    Navigator. Sqn. 119 from April 1959. In Sqn. 110 after the SDW. Rank: Lt. Col.
  8. Ofer Uri
    Navigator. Sqn. 119.
  9. Porat Yehuda
    Navigator. Sqn. 119.
  10. Pundak Menachem
    Navigator. Sqn 119. Rank: Captain.
    Killed in a Nord training mission, April 1964, as navigators' course commander.
  11. Ramati Micha
    Navigator. Sqn. 119. Rank: Colonel.
  12. Tsfadia Avraham
    Navigator. Sqn. 119. Rank: Lt. Col.

[ So far a total of 102 recorded, 72 pilots and 30 navigators. ]

    Technical Officers - Sqn. 110
  • Nurik Har-el 1957 - 1959.
    * Commander of the technical squadron, Wing 1, in the SDW and after.
    * Last rank - Colonel
  • Mordechai ("Motke") Alkalay 1959 - 1960.
  • Nurik Har-el (for a second period) 1960 - 1961.
  • Avraham Kidon (Kazernovsky) 1961 - 1965
  • Avraham Zahar (Weiss) 1965 - 1967
  • Nathan Segal 1967 - 1969 (During the SDW }. Last rank - Colonel.
  • Rachamim (Rami) Levi 1969 - 1972
  • Senior technicians:
    Yosef Levin
    Shlomo Kahana ("B" detachment)
    Technical Officers - Sqn. 119
  • Ariel Bar-Lev (Markovich)


Sqn. 110 - Pilots Sqn. 110 - Navigators Sqn. 119 - Pilots Sqn. 119 - Navigators


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"Members Of Honour" :
Maj. Gen. Binyamin Peled - evaluated the Vautour, 1956.
Col. Dani Shapira - evaluated, tested and transferred vautours.
Brig. Gen. Menachem Bar - flew the Vautour as Wing #1 Commander , before the Six Days War.

[ Crewmen Gallery ]

Sources:
Vautour crewmen that sent many additions and corrections: [ O. Erez, H. Bodinger, R. Goren, E. Brosh, A. Tzivoni, G. Bar-Nir,O. Nachman, E. Aharon, Y. Agassi, Y. Terner, M. Ofer, Y. Shachar ]
And also [ Aloni ] [ Y.Ts book ] [ idf-hst3 ] [ idf-corps-af ] [ Amos Dor ] [ Avi Myasnikov ]


[ Pictures: M.O.D - "Izkor" on-line database, http://www.izkor.mod.gov.il/ ]

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IN MEMORY OF THE AIR CREW KILLED IN ACTION
OR IN ACCIDENTS,
WHILE FLYING THE VAUTOUR
יהי זכרם ברוך
(BE THEIR MEMORY BLESSED)


[ to read the Hebrew writing - you have to switch to "Hebrew-Windows" encoding ]

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INVENTORIES 1957-1972 IAF VAUTOURS CONTENTS PAGE SUMMARY



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This page was last updated: November 6, 2002.