Hobby Master 1/72 HA4553 McDonnell Douglas F-15A Baz 673 Ha Oketz, Double Tail Sqn., Tel Nof, 1981 "Foxbat Killer"
Hobby Master 1/72 McDonnell Douglas F-15A Baz 673 Ha Oketz, Double Tail Sqn., Tel Nof, 1981 "Foxbat Killer" HA4553
In 1967 the U.S. became aware of the Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat. This made it necessary to develop a new aircraft to counter the MiG-25. The USAF rejected the USN F-14 Tomcat and issued its own requirements. The solution came in the form of the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle. The F-15A made its inaugural flight in July 1972 and in January 1976 the first Eagle entered service. The "E" entered service in 1989. The F-15 was the first dedicated USAF air superiority fighter since the F-86 Sabre.
In May of 1981 the new CO of the IDF Double Tail Squadron ordered that all F-15 Baz (Eagle) aircraft have a name written in Hebrew painted on the left side of the forward fuselage. Single- seat F-15s would bear one word while the two-seater would carry two-word titles. Baz 673 was given Ha Oketz, Ha meaning “The” and “Oketz” meaning Sting – “The Sting”. Using an AIM-7F Sparrow missile Baz 673 flown by Major Shaul Simon is credited with downing a Syrian MiG-25 “Foxbat” on July 29, 1981.