Israeli Mirage and Nesher Aces

Hi guys.
It’s been a while since I graced this most august forum with my unique insights 😉
Nice to see most of the familiar names of old.
A little book review.
Israeli Mirage and Nesher Aces by Shlomo Aloni.

It’s an Osprey publication, 96 pages. In short- buy it. It´s not just for Mirage freaks like me.
There are many lucid accounts of dogfights between IDF/AF pilots and Arabs. Interesting comparisons between Mirages and MiG’s (17, 19 and 21). Also the introduction of the Shafrir 1 and 2 missiles and comparisons between AA2, Shafrir and AIM9B and D models.
You´ve got to hand it to the Israelis, the rapid and expeditious way they went about modifying and improving their equipment is an eye-opener when you compare them with West European or American airforces. An example: the Israelis took over ownership of an Egyptian airbase (Bir Gafgafa) complete with AA- 2 missiles. One of Israel’s leading aces, Asher Snir, fired four AA-2’s from a Shahak( the Hebrew name given to the Mirage III CJ) in November ‘67, deemed the setup to work and that was it- the missile was from then on used on the Shahak.
Can you imagine this happening anywhere else? Never. Captive trials for months on end, leading to a passive drop with twenty camera planes in pursuit and after two years a live firing followed by a 24 month opeval- you know the usual cr@p.
Another little nugget- and I quote:
“The MiG-17’s manoeuvrability at low altitude was fantastic, and it didn´t have a G-meter at all- only a warning light that came on at 12G. But this didn´t mean that it was the jet´s limit. It simply meant that if the pilot was still able to see, then he was pulling 12G!”

I can recommend this book. Shlomo Aloni has written one on Israeli F4 aces, but since that American twin engined clunker doesn’t rev my motor I probably won’t buy it. But then again…