IAF planes graze each other during Independence Day flyover
Army investigates scratches found on wings of two transport aircraft after they landed, indicating they touched in the air
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
An accident was narrowly averted during Israel’s Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday, when two heavy transport planes touched while taking part in celebratory flyovers, The Times of Israel has learned.
When the two Shimshon Hercules aircraft landed, signs that they had touched one another were found on their wings.
The army said the incident had not endangered any lives and that it was investigating.
During the flyover — a fixture of Israel’s independence celebrations — Israelis got their first look at the air force’s new stealth F-35 jets, considered the most advanced fighter jets in the world.
Israel is the first country outside the United States to receive the state-of-the-art F-35, which is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. In total, the country is planning to purchase 50 of the fifth-generation stealth aircraft, known in Israel as the “Adir,” or “mighty one,” and has thus far received five of them.
Along with the F-35, the Air Force showed off some of its other hardware including trainers, fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters, and refueling aircraft, as part of four flyovers throughout the country on Independence Day.
#Live footage of the IAF Aerobatic Team from the #IndependenceDay Flyover pic.twitter.com/dAiDc0l6kv
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) May 2, 2017
