Giora Epstein

Brigadier General Giora Epstein (; 20 May 1938 – 19 July 2025), later known as Giora Even , was an Israeli Air Force (IAF) officer and a fighter ace credited with 17 victories, 16 against Egyptian jets and one against an Egyptian Mi-8 helicopter, making Epstein the ace of aces of supersonic fighter jets and of the Israeli Air Force. Epstein was an active IAF pilot from 1961 until 26 May 1997, when he retired at age 59. Like many retired IAF flyers, he later worked as a pilot for El Al Airlines.

Early life and career Epstein was born to Polish immigrants in kibbutz Negba on 20 May 1938. At a young age, he developed a passion for aviation while watching IAF aircraft fly over his kibbutz. While enrolled in high school, he volunteered in kibbutz Givat Brenner's scouts' unit.

Epstein joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1956 and began training with the 4th Airborne Division, although this was disrupted by the outbreak of the Suez Crisis and he was reassigned into the IAF's Ordnance Corps. He was initially rejected from flight school because of a heart condition and later volunteered as a paratrooper in the Paratroopers Brigade's Efah Battalion. He left the IDF in 1959 before returning three years later as a parachuting instructor, during which he reapplied to flight school and was accepted after gaining medical clearance. He soon gained the nickname "Hawkeye" or "Eagle Eye" due to his extraordinary eyesight. Epstein was allegedly able to spot aircraft at a distance of 24 miles (38.4 km) — nearly three times further than a normal pilot. Two of his kills occurred when Epstein and IAF officer lured a squadron of four Egyptian MiGs into an ambush, resulting in the downing of all four aircraft. A fifth Egyptian aircraft that joined the battle was shot down by Baharav. The shoot-downs brought his total number of kills to five, earning him the title "flying ace". came during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, of which Epstein played a major role in the build-up. On 6 October 1973, at 2:00p.m., Epstein activated warning sirens across Israel that signalled the start of the war after aircraft takeoffs were detected at Egyptian and Syrian air bases.