Giora Epstein, IAF’s top ace and most decorated pilot, passes away at 87

Giora Epstein, IAF’s top ace and most decorated pilot, passes away at 87


Epstein was also the man who activated the sirens across Israel on Yom Kippur, 1973, when the IAF detected takeoffs from Syrian and Egyptian air force bases.

Giora Epstein never gave up on his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. With 17 kills, he became the IAF’s top ace, and the 16 MiGs and Sukhois he shot down earned him the title of world champion in jet aircraft shootdowns. He passed away on Saturday at the age of 87.

Born in 1938 in Kibbutz Negba to Hillel and Chaya, Polish immigrants, Epstein aspired to become a pilot from a young age. Despite his ambition, the Israeli Air Force initially rejected him from the pilot course. Undeterred, he discovered the reason for his rejection, a medical issue. At the age of 25, after much perseverance was accepted to begin pilot training.

After completing the course, he was assigned to fly helicopters. Unwilling to accept this, he appealed directly to Air Force Commander Ezer Weizman. Weizman eventually agreed to meet with him, listened to his case, and, a few days later, informed him: “Report to Squadron 113 and start an operational training course as a fighter pilot.”

Even’s persistence paid off as he quickly established himself as one of the Israeli Air Force’s most skilled pilots. In the Six-Day War, he shot down his first Mirage fighter, and during the War of Attrition, he claimed four more kills. In the Yom Kippur War, he was stationed with the Nesher Squadron—Israel’s version of the Mirage 5—and he shot down another 12 enemy aircraft and one helicopter.

One of his most remarkable feats occurred when he found himself alone against 20 Egyptian aircraft. Epstein shot down four before being forced to return to base due to fuel shortages. He was known for his excellent vision, which allowed him to spot enemy aircraft before others could, as well as for his shorter stature, which helped him withstand the pressure of G-forces during flight.

IAF fighter jets taking off to intercept the UAVs launched from Iran, June 13, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

The man who warned Israel on Yom Kippur

Epstein was also a pivotal figure in the events leading up to the Yom Kippur War. At 14:00 on October 6, 1973, he was the man who activated the sirens across Israel, signaling the outbreak of the war.

This came after the Air Force detected sudden takeoffs from Syrian and Egyptian Air Force bases. Epstein’s actions that day were part of a series of critical moments that helped Israel brace for the conflict.

Most of Epstein’s kills were made as a pilot in Squadron 101. After the war, in 1974, he became the commander of Squadron 117. He retired from active service in 1977, but his connection to aviation didn’t end there. He joinedEl Al and flew for the airline until 2003. At age 50, in 1988, he was granted special permission to transition to the F-16, continuing to serve as a combat pilot for another decade until 1998. Over the course of his career, Epstein flew approximately 9,000 sorties and logged 5,000 hours in combat aircraft.

In 2018, he was personally awarded the rank of Brigadier General by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. In recent years, he became an active participant in the pilots’ protest movement.

Epstein lived in Ramat Hasharon and was married to Sara, whom he met while she worked as an operations clerk. The couple had three children.



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