Six Day War

In 1967, the state of Israel was faced with a multi-front war of survival.  The country was being attacked from Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.  By the end of it, Israel had vanquished all the attackers and in fact took portions of Jerusalem from Jordan.

During this time, the first of 48 A-4H Ayits were under construction back in the United States as part of the US named Operation Rugby which was in answer to Israel's Plan Samuel to modernize the air force.  Israeli pilots and ground crew were also Stateside training for the new planes.  The pilots would return to Israel and fly combat missions during the Six Day War.  Once the fighting had stopped, the pilots returned to their conversion course at NAS Cecil Field.

As a result of losing 30 aircraft during the Six Day War, Israel ordered a further 42 A-4Hs to be built.  The first two squadrons of A-4Hs were 109 Sqn at Ramat David air base and the brand new 102 Sqn at Hatzor air base.  The first A-4Hs arrived on the Haifa docks on 29 December, 1967.  First combat by A-4Hs happened on 15 February 1968 when four 109 Sqn A-4Hs attacked PLO terrorist training camps in Jordan.

Externally there was little to differentiate an A-4H from an A-4F.  Squared off rudder, braking parachute housing under tail-pipe, and lack of ECM antennas being the only noticeable changes.  Marking note - the initial 48 A-4Hs left the Douglas plant in an asymmetric camouflage pattern that became standard after the Six Day War, full color US national insignia, and the last three digits of its Bureau Number painted in solid block letters just in front of the tailplane.

The first of all A-4H Ayits, Bu No 155242, was assigned to 109 Sqn at Ramat David.  The number 01 was painted on both sides of the nose.  The aircraft was lost in combat on 13 October 1973 during the Yom Kippur War.  The aircraft was carrying out an attack against Syria when lost.  The pilot made it back alive.