Did a trainer aircraft fight in the Six-Day War?

Short answer

Yes: the Fouga CM.170 Magister, a jet trainer, went into combat with Israel's 147 Squadron in 1967, with 44 aircraft attacking targets on the Sinai front on the first day of the war. During that war they were credited with destroying more than 50 tanks and more than 70 other armoured vehicles.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Did a trainer aircraft fight in the Six-Day War?

Tzukit, Fouga Magister CM 170Flavio~ from Mazkeret Batia, Israel (CC BY), vía commons

The Magister on the Sinai front

In the 1967 Six-Day War, the Israeli 147 Squadron employed 44 Fougas as close-support aircraft, attacking targets on the Sinai front during the first day of the conflict. The unit had been reactivated at Hatzerim in May 1967, on the eve of the war. On the morning of 5 June it had 44 aircraft and 42 pilots available.

A change of mission

At first the Fougas were meant to take part in attacks on the Egyptian air bases of El Arish and Jabl Libni, but their light armament and lack of effective combat range led to them being reassigned to decoy, interdiction and close air support duties.

Results and losses

The Fougas were credited with destroying more than 50 tanks and more than 70 other armoured vehicles. Seven aircraft and six pilots were lost. Among the pilots lost were the squadron commander and his deputy. The Magister was a French two-seat jet trainer from the 1950s, developed and manufactured by Établissements Fouga & Cie. Nearly 1,000 examples were built in France and under licence in West Germany, Israel and Finland. It was easily recognizable by its V-tail.