How Combat Forged an Israeli Fighter Pilot

One month after graduating from the Israeli Air Force Academy, the Six-Day Arab-Israeli war broke out, thrusting Zvi Kanor into his first days of jet combat.

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, September 30, 2022 at 09:06 AM ET

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Zvi Kanor climbed the ranks from fresh recruit, pressed into battle, to Brigadier General in the IAF. [Courtesy: Zvi Kanor]

Key Takeaways:

Brig. Gen. Zvi Kanor began his combat career as a 20-year-old pilot in the 1967 Six-Day War, flying ill-equipped training aircraft that were pressed into combat, leading to significant losses in his squadron due to their unsuitability and lack of ejection seats.
Kanor attributes the Israeli Air Force's effectiveness to its rigorous debriefing process, which uses objective camera footage to ensure transparency and accurately assess mission outcomes.
This culture of transparency fosters accountability across all ranks, allowing even junior officers to critique senior leaders, which Kanor emphasizes is crucial for continuous improvement and learning from mistakes.

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Editor’s Note: In the summer of 1967, 20-year-old Zvi Kanor earned his wings when he graduated from the Israeli Air Force Academy. One month after graduating, however, the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War broke out, thrusting him into his first days of combat. It would prove to be the opening salvo for a 27-year-long aviation career in the IAF for now-retired Brig. Gen. Kanor, who would go on to serve as a Wing Commander at Tel Nof Airbase. He retired from service in 1993.

Kanor recently sat down to discuss his early days as a fighter pilot, and the importance of transparency and accountability throughout ranks of the pilot community. Here are excerpts from that conversation, lightly edited for space and clarity, as told to FLYING.