The Burning Fox

[SimonR]

It seems incredible now but the wildly successful BAC Eagle, or TSR.2 as it was called at the time, was almost canceled by the British government in April 1965. The aircraft was reprieved by a surprise order from the Israeli Defence Force for 64 airframes. In the IDF the aircraft was known as the Ayah, the Hebrew word for vulture, and entered service almost immediately with the 110 Squadron, Knights of the North at Ramat David and 106 Squadron, Edge of the Spear at Tel Nof.



The IDF's two Squadrons of Ayah were largely responsible for the almost total destruction of the Egyptian and Syrian air forces on the ground in the opening hours of the Three Day War of June 5th – June 7th 1967. IDF officers remarked that without the Ayah the Three Day War could have dragged on for as long as six days,



This aircraft is #701, The Burning Fox of 106 Squadron, and is the only IDF Ayah to bear an air-to-air kill marking as it was responsible for a maneuvering kill against an Egyptian MiG-19 over the Sinai on 5th June 1967. The Burning Fox also participated in the successful missions against the Iraqi Osirak nuclear facility in Operation Opera on 7th June 1981. In Operation Wooden Leg, four years later in October 1985, The Burning Fox was one of the 10 Ayah that flew the 3,000km mission to destroy the PLO headquarters in Tunis.



The Burning Fox is now preserved, in its original Three Day War camouflage at the Israeli Air Force museum at Hatzerim.



Historical non-Whif note: The real Burning Fox is an F-15B Improved Baz. It was the only Baz to fly on both Opera and Wooden Leg and is still in service with 106.

The Airfix kit is not exactly an easy build; it's over-engineered for 1/72 (1/48 in the offing?), has poor fit and it's difficult not to end up with pissed main gear legs.

[Radish]

Awesome  

[Gary]

Oh that just friggen does it, i'm gonna have ta mail order this thing. That is too sweet.

[Shasper]

*Drool*

Shas B)

[retro_seventies]

stunning AGAIN!

[philp]

Imagine, a war lasting 6 days, Crazy.

Love the build and the camo.  Expect your next one done up in 1973 markings.

[Tophe]

Nice colours
Could you just explain us more about this camo? As far as I know, there are no sand islands in the Mediterranean & Red seas... ^_^

[SimonR]

Nice colours
Could you just explain us more about this camo? As far as I know, there are no sand islands in the Mediterranean & Red seas... ^_^

I spent hours mixing paint trying to match exactly the colours used on the Israeli Vautours and did a pretty good job. Unfortunately, when I photographed them the colours in the picture look nothing like real model does! I will photograph the model again when I get home later this week and try for better results.

Real Israeli Vautour cammo here:
http://aeroflt.users.netlink.co.uk/mus/israel/idf9.jpg

[Tophe]

Oh... grey and sand?
I was prefering your photographs's blue and sand...  

[K5054NZ]

I love it.  B)    B)  



An Israeli TSR.2? Never woulda thought of it in a million years. Pure genius. That is one killer Ayah!

[Brian da Basher]

You've got another winner there Simon! I like that camo even if it didn't photograph the way you'd hoped. Looks every bit the prize-winner to me!

Brian da Basher

[NARSES2]

Thats a corker Simon