McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (Kurnass)

Kurnass 2000 - The One Squadron

Phantom Milestones

September 5th 1969 First four IAF Phantoms land at Hazor AFB.

October 9th 1969 First operational sortie - combat air patrol near Sharm-Al-Sheik. F-4s flown by Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy & Yitzhak Pir/Eyal Ahikar.

October 22nd 1969 First ground attack mission - Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy & Yoram Agmon/David Yair attack an SA-2 battery at Abu-Sweir.

November 11th 1969 First aerial victory - a pair of Phantoms engage 4 MiG-21s over Egypt. Ehud Hankin/Eyal Ahikar down a MiG with an AIM-9.

November 17th 1969 First Phantom Ejection - Ehud Hankin/Shaul Levy eject from Phantom hit by AAA upon return from strike against Jordanian target.

January 1st 1970 Beginning of deep penetration strikes against Egypt.

July 18th 1970 While on attack against a SAM battery, Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy are hit by a SAM. Hetz, the 201st squadron commander, is killed, Einy parachutes into captivity.

July 30th 1970 4 Phantoms and 8 Mirages engage 20 MiG-21s flown by Russian pilots. 5 MiGs downed, 2 are Phantom kills.

October 9th 1973 On the fourth day of the Yom-Kippur War, Phantoms strike the Syrian HQ in Damascus. Mission leader, Arnon Lavushin, is awarded the Medal of Valor.

June 9th 1982 Phantoms participate in the destruction of the Syrians SAMs in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley.

June 9th 1982 While on patrol with F-15 Eagles, a Phantom downs a Syrian MiG-21, last Phantom victory to date.

July 30th 1986 First flight of Phantom with right J79 engine replaced by PW-1120.

October 16th 1986 Technical fault during attack on Lebanese target forces Phantom crew to eject. Pilot is rescued by hanging on to a Cobra's landing skid, weapons system officer Ron Arad is taken hostage.

July 15th 1987 First flight of the Kurnass 2000.

April 9th 1989 IAF accepts Kurnass 2000 and the type is declared operational.

More about the Phantom II in Israeli service:
July 30th, 1970 - Israel Vs USSR - Egyptian MiGs piloted by Russian pilots attempt to intercept Israeli Mirages and Phantoms.
October 9th, 1973 - The attack on the Syrian General Command
June 9th, 1982 - A long saught revenge - Disabling the Syrian SAMs in the Bekka Valley.

Specification: McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
Type: two seat multi-role strike fighter.
Powerplant: two General Electric J79-GE-17A afterburning turbojets.
Performance: max speed - mach 2.25 at 40,000 ft, rate of climb - 49,800 ft per minute, service ceiling - 62,250 ft, unrefuelled combat radius - 958 km.
Weights: empty - 13397 kg, maximum takeoff - 27964 kg.
Dimensions: span - 11.71 m, length - 19.20 m, height - 5.03 m.
Armament: one 20 mm rotary-barrel cannon with up to 7257 kg of disposable stores on 4 underwing and 1 underfuselage hardpoints and 4 underfuselage weapon stations.

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September 5th 1969	First four IAF Phantoms land at Hazor AFB.
October 9th 1969	First operational sortie - combat air patrol near Sharm-Al-Sheik. F-4s flown by Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy & Yitzhak Pir/Eyal Ahikar.
October 22nd 1969	First ground attack mission - Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy & Yoram Agmon/David Yair attack an SA-2 battery at Abu-Sweir.
November 11th 1969	First aerial victory - a pair of Phantoms engage 4 MiG-21s over Egypt. Ehud Hankin/Eyal Ahikar down a MiG with an AIM-9.
November 17th 1969	First Phantom Ejection - Ehud Hankin/Shaul Levy eject from Phantom hit by AAA upon return from strike against Jordanian target.
January 1st 1970	Beginning of deep penetration strikes against Egypt.
July 18th 1970	While on attack against a SAM battery, Shmuel Hetz/Menahem Einy are hit by a SAM. Hetz, the 201st squadron commander, is killed, Einy parachutes into captivity.
July 30th 1970	4 Phantoms and 8 Mirages engage 20 MiG-21s flown by Russian pilots. 5 MiGs downed, 2 are Phantom kills.
October 9th 1973	On the fourth day of the Yom-Kippur War, Phantoms strike the Syrian HQ in Damascus. Mission leader, Arnon Lavushin, is awarded the Medal of Valor.
June 9th 1982	Phantoms participate in the destruction of the Syrians SAMs in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley.
June 9th 1982	While on patrol with F-15 Eagles, a Phantom downs a Syrian MiG-21, last Phantom victory to date.
July 30th 1986	First flight of Phantom with right J79 engine replaced by PW-1120.
October 16th 1986	Technical fault during attack on Lebanese target forces Phantom crew to eject. Pilot is rescued by hanging on to a Cobra's landing skid, weapons system officer Ron Arad is taken hostage.
July 15th 1987	First flight of the Kurnass 2000.
April 9th 1989	IAF accepts Kurnass 2000 and the type is declared operational.