Military Model Scene

Title: 75 Years of the Israeli Air Force
Author: Bill Norton
Publisher: Helion & Company
ISBN: 978-1-913336-34-9

Number 28 in the Middle East @ War series, subtitled Volume 1: The First Quarter Century, 1948-1973. Arguably the most interesting part of the story, well to my mind anyway, this period of the story covers the 3 most significant and important part of the history of the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
After an Introduction that sets the scene, we go through the part where after WW2, the UK chooses to leave the area that was then a protectorate. It left an area where there was increasing immigration by Jewish people from across Europe, following the horrors and displacement so many suffered during WW2. That however brought them into conflict with the Arab people who were already in the region. That led to the War of Independence of 1948, when the young Jewish nation had to create some form of air force, starting from scratch. Time moved on and in 1967 there was the Six-Day War, leading to further conflict in 1973 with the Yom Kippur War. It is that which completes this first part of the IAF story. There are plenty of maps, data tables, archive photos and a centre section with colour maps and photos along with some more of the fine colour profiles which are a standard feature of this series of books.
With notes on various commanders and personalities over the years, the politics, the equipment, the changes in technology on both sides and coping with sanctions (and how to break them) there is a lot to this one. Over the years the IAF has kept a lot of detail very secret, though this has relaxed somewhat in recent years, but not entirely relaxed. The IAF aircraft go from a few civilian aircraft adapted for military use, with Spitfires rebuilt from parts left behind when the RAF left Palestine, to both French and later American aircraft, precision guided weapons and not forgetting the challenges they faced from the changing technology of the Soviet anti-aircraft weaponry/missiles. The technological changes over the years were clearly put to the test in combat. A really interesting read and a great collection of images to accompany the text.
Thanks to Helion & Co and their distributors, Casemate, for our review copy.

Robin