IDF AV-8B Cherev II, January 1991

[AeroplaneDriver]

January 16, 1991.

Captain Yoel Levy crawled into his bunk inside the dispersal trailer.  He did not know if sleep would come, for he and his ground crew had spent the eveninig drinking coffee and play cards, trying to make light of their situation.  After three days in the cramped trailer on the edge of the Negev Desert, sleep was becoming scarce.

Outside in the dark, Captain Levy's  AV-8B  Cherev II (Sword) sat ready for war.  His squadron, the Scorpion Squadron had deployed into the field on three days ago.  Now their 12 aircraft sat ready to strike Saddam Hussein's Iraq if and when an Iraqi attack was launched on Israel.  Soon, Yoel knew, the forces of the United States and her allies would strike Saddam, driving him from Kuwait.  

How would Saddam respond, Yoel wondered?  Would he quit Kuwait quickly and retreat to fight another day, or would he go out in a blaze of glory as threatened, cementing himself in Arab minds as the martyr who struck the heart of Israel.  

Would he send SCUDs at Tel Aviv, where Yoel's family had prepared a shelter?  Would his SCUDs carry bombs or Sarin?  Did Saddam have a nuclear bomb?  Soon he, and the world would know.  At least Israel could respond if Saddam targeted IDF airfields, thanks to the four  Cherev squadrons now spread throughout eastern Israel.

If Saddam did strike, Yoel would go to war, sure that even the diplomatic pleas of the USA could keep Israel on the sidelines.  His own Cherev was armed with four AGM-65 Maverick missiles, two AGM-45 Shrike missiles, and two AIM-9L Sidewinders.  He could fight his way into Iraqi airspace, kill their radars, then take out their SCUD launchers.

He thought for a moment of his best friend Ari, sitting in his own dispersal trailer somewhere out there in the desert, his Cherev armed not with 8 missiles, but with a single bomb.  He though of that bomb and said a prayer before laying his head down for sleep.  











Israel entered the V/STOL business in 1973, seeing a need to have an air force able to survive an enemy first strike.  For political reasons the Israeli order for 48 Harriers was placed with the US, not directly with Hawker Siddley.  In IDF service the Harrier was given the name 'Cherev", Hebrew for 'Sword".  

The 48 AV-8A and TAV-8A Cherevs served until the late 1980s, when they were replaced by 52 AV-8B and TAV-8B Cherev II aircraft.  The Cherev II is similar to the USMC AV-8B, with the addition of a FLIR seeker above the nose, IDF specific avionics, and the ability to carry the Shrike missile.  It is also rumoured that IDF Cherevs can carry nuclear weapons, with persistent, but unconfirmed reports that two nuclear-armed Cherevs deployed to dispersal sites in the Negev on the eve of the 1991 Gulf War.

[Eddie M.]

That's not the same aircraft, is it? This is absolutely stunning. Beautiful work! BRAVO ZULU!! B)  
   Eddie

[wolfik]

wow!looks very nice!
the av8b harrier would be the predestining aircraft for the israeli airforce I thing....
when....yeah,....when it would be not so "cheap"  
looks good!

[Archibald]

This model is a pleasure to see. Could watch it for hours! Cool backstory...
That Israeli camo rocks!!!  

[philp]

You know, I think anything looks great in Israeli or Swedish markings.
Great looking kit and a great storyline to go with it.

[John Howling Mouse]

System's down at work so thought I'd check in and this certainly is a nice treat.

Beauty!

   

[Captain Canada]

Great stuff, Nick ! Loved the little story asw ell, very fitting.....kinda makes you wonder why the Isrealis don't actually use the harrier !

Cool weapons load as well..

 

[Aircav]

She looks great Nick        

[wolfik]

yes...the story makes me meditative...
very good work...
by the way...how looks an israeli nuclear weapon???  

[nev]

by the way...how looks an israeli nuclear weapon???

Wonder if wolfik will still be able to log on when he's a guest of mossad


Great Harrier Nick!  Love the little touches like the RBF tags, FOD covers & helmet

[anthonyp]

I've been tossing the idea of an Israeli AV-8B around for a while in my head, and this is pretty much exactly how I envisioned it.  It's a natural plane for the IDF/AF, being able to be dispersed to remote operating fields.

Very nice, perfect execution!

   

[Julhelm]

That looks bloody awesome. I really need to get an airbrush so I can do snazzy soft-edge camo like that.

[Hatchet]

Wow

That looks bloody awesome mate! Love, er, well, everything

A thank-you is also in order - now I know what to do with my Airfix GR.3 B)

[Damian2]

 

Lovely restoration job!!! That camo sure looks neat on that plane! And I just love that load out!!

[Gekko_1]

Yes! Both story and model are very good!