Israel ordered 12 SA-321K Tzira (or Hornet, as it was known in IAF service) from Sud Aviation in 1965. First deliveries were made in Apr 1966 and by the outbreak of the
Six Day War in Jun 1967, 4 had been delivered. They were in action from day one and had a distinguished career, mainly with 114 Squadron, taking part in a number of spectacular
coups de main. There were plans to purchase more SA-321s, but a raid on
Beirut Airport in Dec 1968 brought political condemnation from
France and Israel ordered the
CH-53 instead. In the mid 1970s after the
Yom Kippur War, their original triple Turbomeca Turmo IIIC turboshaft engines were replaced with triple, 1870shp General Electric T58-16 engines giving a more powerful and smoother performance. They were active in the 1982 incursion into southern Lebanon and were retired from service in 1991. 6 examples (2003) remain in the
IAF Museum at Hatzerim.
There is some uncertainty over the c/ns of IAF SA-321Ks serialled 01, 04 and 012. c/ns 107, 126 and 131 are possibles, not necessarily in that order. Any tie ups ?
