Founded in 1948, the Israeli Air Force has seen involvement in some of the most dramatic and important conflicts of post-War history. In action during the Suez crisis and on call during the Gulf War, the Force continued to see active deployment right through to the 2006 Lebanon War and beyond into recent conflicts in Gaza. This is a timely release therefore, setting recent events in historical context, and illustrating these key operations with a range of impressive colour photographs, many of which have never been published before. As we approach the Sixty Fifth Anniversary of the founding of the Force, it seems fitting that a photographic record should be published.

Don McCarthy is an established and well-respected aviation historian and as such is particularly well placed to produce such a work. Controversial contemporary conflicts between Israel and Iran make the publication of this record particularly pertinent, illustrating the history of these on going disputes and the conflicts that prefigured them. Included are images of iconic relics such as the historic Mirage and Skyhawk, as well as photographs of modern craft such as F-15s and F-16s. This library of images work to paint an engaging history of the Force, a presence in the skies for sixty five years.