THE VAUTOUR IN THE IAF SERVICE : THE SIX DAYS WAR

JUNE 5, 1967 - THE FIRST WAVE
Introduction June 5, contd. June 6 June 7 Last Days


1.The firs wave missions for the Vautours were:

a) To Jamm Egyptian radars and "blind" their air-defence systems.
b) To attack, by 3 formations, Bany-Suef AB, Egypt (bombers base).
c) To attack, by one formation, Abu-Sweir AB, Egypt (bombers base).
e) To photo results of the "first wave" attacks.

2. The targets were the home bases of the TU-16 heavy bombers (Bany-Suef) and IL-28 bombers (Abu Sweir). Another TU-16 base, Cairo West, was to be attacked by a Mirage formation in the first wave.

3. Each formation consisted a two-seater, N or BR, as leader/navigator, and three (or two) A single-seaters.

4. The attacking aircraft were armed, for all airfields' attacks, with 8 x 70 kg. (Runway-Piercing) bombs, a quartet under each of the outer wings' multi-racks.

5. The first attack formations flew to their targets in a very low height, 100 feet above the ground or above the sea, in a speed of 450 knots (ca. 834 kmh.). The 3rd formation to attack Bani-Suef could fly, because the element of surprise had already passed, in a hi-lo-hi profile. Return from targets, all formations, was performed in heights nearly 40,000 feet.

6. In all sorties the Vautours carried the large 1,300 l' external fuel tanks besides full load of internal fuel and the two lower bombs-bay "suits" fuel.

7. The pattern of attack included 2 passes of bombing and 2-3 passes of strafing. The leading aircraft, (BR and N) photoed the attack results. Each attack lasted for 5-7 minutes on target.

8. Two routes to the targets were planned: a northern path, over the Med. Sea, and a southern path that crossed Sinai and the Red Sea.

9. The first wave of attack began between 06:55 (first take off of the Six Days War, from Tel-Noff, of the Vautour formation) and 07:45 (last take offs), time on targets was 07:45, but some formations continued up to 08:40, so landings lasted till ca. 09:45.

10. The general orders for the first wave, based on total radio silence, were: "Who that can take off - takes off". "Who that has some malfunction - returnes to base". "who that loses its formation - joins another formation by eye contact". "who that meets troubles during attack tries to land or eject as near as possible to our territory..." . Radio silence ended after the completion of the first attacks.

First Wave Sorties
Target /Mission Take Off Aircraft Landing Duration
Bani Suef 06:55 3* : 1N + 2A 08:50 1:55
Abu Sweir 07:17 4 : 1N + 3A 09:20 2:03
EW sortie 07:21 2 N 08:45 ; 09:29 1:24; 2:08
Bani Suef 07:25 4 : 1N + 3A 09:23 1:58
Bani Suef 07:57 3 : 1BR + 2A 09:47 1:50
PR - Sinai 08:30 1 BR 9:35 1:05

*) The forth. A, aborted take off

DETAILS:

    1. First Attack Sortie - Bani Suef
  • Take Off: 06:55 [ The first take off for ground attack mission ]
  • From: Tel-Noff
  • Target: Bany Suef ( 1st attack )
  • Crews and aircraft:
    1) Leading: [ M. Saar & A. Inbar ] N 62
    2) [ H. Bodinger ] A 09
    3) [Rafaeli], A
    4) [ G. Goren ] A 12 , aborted take off due to a technical failure, the canopy didn't lock ]. He took off after repair, at 08:20, to Ramat David.
  • Armament: 8 x 70 kg. RP bombs, each.
  • Lo-Lo-Hi flight profile.
  • Time on target: 07:45
  • The Attack:
    * The formation performed two bombing passes and three strafing passes.
    * Main runways damaged. Nine TU-16 destroyed.
    * SA-2 SAMs were launched but missed.
    * One Vautour {pilot - Bodinger} suffered a malfunction of the hydraulic system, but landed safely.
  • Return to Ramat David: 08:50 .
  • Sortie duration: 1 h. 55 min.

    2.ECM Mission
  • Take Off: 07:21
  • From: Ramat David
  • Mission: Jamming Egyptian radars, two paths: a) Northern Sinai and the Delta zone and b) Central Sinai and Canal Suez zone.
  • Crews and aircraft:
    a) Northern path [ Uri Margalit & Yoash Tsiddon as navigator ] N 66
    b) Central path [ Adam Tsivoni & Menachem Eini ] N 70
    Both aircraft were unarmed. { Iniatially escorted by two Mirages, which lost eye contact with the Vautours while climbing to jamming height}.
  • Load: two "Yabelet" pods, each.
  • Flew for more than 2 hours. The 2nd aircraft jammers didn't work properly. The mission was partially successful. Jamming was good during the stages of accessing the targets. Later the Egyptians succeeded to react, after the first strokes, by guns and SAMs. Both aircraft landed with almost empty fuel tanks.
  • Landings: "66" at ~ 08:45, duration 1:25 h. ; "70" at ~ 09:30, duration: 2:08 h.


    3. Attack Sortie - Abu Sweir
  • Take Off: 07:17 .
  • From: Ramat David
  • Target: Abu Sweir
  • Crews and aircraft:
    1) Leading [ Keren & Ben-Shua ], N 65
    2) [ R. Tzur ] A.
    3) [ BZ. Zohar] A 07
    2) [ M. Dvir ], A.
  • Armament: 8 x 70 kg. RP bombs, each.
  • Time on target: 08:25
  • Returned: ca. 09:20
  • Results:
    * At the time this formation arrived the target, all the TU-16 were already on fire, due to the former Mirage formation attack.
    * The fornation was intercepted by four Mig-21, one of the Migs launched an AA-2 missile but missed.
    * Zohar entered to battle with the Migs and enabled the other two to attack and complete bombing and strafing the runways. He himself even managed to perform a bombing pass, in spite of being involved in the air battle.
    *{ Zohar returned on the last drops of fuel and landed safely. He was decorated for his deeds in this attack. }
    * The formation also strafed a SA-2 battery.



The shadow of BR No. 31, photographing, at the end of the "first wave" attacks,
one of the bombed air bases in Sinai


    4. Attack Sortie - Bani Suef
  • Take Off: 07:25
  • From: Ramat David
  • Target: Bany Suef ( 2nd attack )
  • Crews and aircraft:
    1) Leading: [ Zur & Talmor ], N 67
    2) [ A. Vilan ], A.
    3) [ M. Gil ] A.
    4) [ D. Ilan ], A 18.
  • Armament: 8 x 70 kg. RP bombs, each.
  • Time on target: 07:55
  • Time of return: 09:23
  • The Attack:
    * The formation destroyed seven TU-16 in two bombing passes and three strafing passes.
    * SA-2 SAMs were fired but missed. The leading aircraft attacked one of the SA-2 batteries.


    5. Attack Sortie - Bani Suef
  • Take Off: 07:57
  • From: Ramat David
  • Target: Bany Suef - 3rd attack
  • Crews and aircraft:
    1) Leading [ Magen & Raz ], BR 33
    2) [ Y. Tal ], A
    3) [ R. Goren ], A 03
  • Armament: 8 x 70 kg. RP bombs each.
  • Flight frofile: hi-lo-hi (since the element of surprise already gone).
  • Time on target: ~ 09:05
  • Time of return: 09:47
  • Duration: 1:50
  • Results:
    * The formation didn't find TU-16 left to destroy.
    * Bombed and strafed the base installations.
    * The BR photographed the airfield before return.











    6. End of First Wave - PR sortie
  • Take off: 08:29, just after the attacking formations retured from their missions in Sinai.
  • Targets: The Egyptian airfields in Sinai, El-Arish -Bir-Gafgafa and Bir-Tamade.
  • Crew: [ O. Nachman & A. Los-Eyal ]
  • Aircraft: BR (No. 31), armed with two 500 kg. bombs. Unescorted.
  • Landed 09:34 ; duration - 1h + 5 min.













Summary - First Wave

1. Sqn. 110 fulfilled all its missions successfully, with no casualties.
2. Only one, out of 18 Vautours, aborted mission because of a technical fault.
3. Two main Egyptian bases were attacked by four formations, runways severly damaged and most of the TU-16 and the IL-28 destroyed.
4. The techniques developed for a very low flight and accurate bombing, were proved in battle.
5. The long range and the heavy armament of the Vautour enabled the IAF to strike distant targets and to hit a substantial quantity of Egyptian bombers.
6. The Vautour managed to survive A-A fire, SAM launches and even A-A battles.
7. EW and PR sorties were carried out with good results.

8. A rough estimate for the Vautours flight hours ( calculated for 17 aircraft, flight time as mentioned for each formation ) ~ 36 hours.

9. The Vautours dropped 112 Runway-Piercing bombs, a total of 7,840 kg.




The same photo sortie, two IL-28 and a Mil-8 destroyed on the tarmac. [ IAF magazine]





The Six Days War-Introduction June 5, contd.


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