Meteor

METEOR AIRPLANE
STATE MEDAL 5762/2002
6th in the “Airplanes that Made History” Series

This series of medals commemorates the airplanes of the Israeli Air Force. Each one made its mark on the history of the country and is associated with its specific period of operation. The planes have been reproduced in precise detail on the medals, designed by Eliezer Weishoff, in consultation with the Public Committee headed by the former Commander of the Air Force, Major General Eitan Ben Eliahu.
The third medal in the series is dedicated to the Gloster Meteor.
The Israeli Air Force entered the jet age in June 1953 when the first two Gloster T.7 Meteor planes' nicknamed "Sufa" (Storm) and "Sa'ar" (Tempest) landed in Israel. The squadron, established in Ramat David, operated three models of Meteors for training, combat and tactical photography. A fourth plane model for all-weather and night was operated by a sister squadron in Tel-Nof.
Even though the Air Force's French era was at the gate, and the Ouragan and Mystere planes replaced them as first line aircraft within two years, the British Meteors were able to take credit for a number of important activities. Among them, shooting down two Egyptian Vampires in the first jet aerial battle in the Middle East, which took place in September 1955 and shooting down the plane of the Egyptian Army's General Staff, Just before the Kadesh war.
In these twin-engine jet planes' generations of jet pilots were trained' as the Meteors served as operational training planes for combat pilots, and later on in a more advanced stage of the flight school. Meteors converted for photography, performed sorties deep in enemy territory and served as conversion planes for twin-engined fighter squadrons.

Obverse: Gloster Meteor F8 flying over the Sea of Galilee, with a view of the archeological remains at Capernaum and in the background, the Mount of Beatitude, Ein Gev Pier and the Wall of Tiberias. Inscription "Meteor" in Hebrew and English.

Reverse: A stylized design of a bird in flight with the hills of Jerusalem above it and the Israeli Air Force emblem below it; the verse “HIS WINGS SHALL FILL THE BREADTH OF THY LAND” (Isaiah 8) is inscribed in Hebrew along the upper border of the medal and in English along the lower border. The silver/925 proof medal is with gold-plated sterling silver insert and the bronze proof medal is with sterling silver insert.

Edge: State emblem with the words "STATE OF ISRAEL" inscribed in Hebrew on the right and in English on the left; the serial number and metal.

Designer: Eliezer Weishoff.

Engraving: Romania.

Mint:
Bronze and Silver medals: Romania.
Gold medal: The Government Mint.