
I worked on the Kfir (a Mirage with a J79 in it....VROOM!!) for a couple years back when the Corps was using them for the Agressor Squadron at Yuma (VMFAT-401). Still have the Plank Holder plaque on my I-Love-Me wall, now that I look...Anyway, our pilots were sure happy Yuma has one of the longest runways in the US. Those bird may
fly great, but they are fast...and that means in the landing too. 250 kts during the summer...They had a drag chute on them and all that good stuff. The Pilots did NOT like taking off on Rwy 21, left
or right (the 13,300' one) because, just like in Israel (LLSD) where they trained on them, they had to get the bird up, gear in the well, and crank hard around to the right, all the wile trying to avoid stalling the inside wing and snap-rolling into a spin, to avoid crossing the border!
Altho the Mexicans don't normally fire much more than small arms at them, unlike Israel's neighbors...

Best quote I ever heard from one of the pilots flying them after he came back to the line shack, soaked in sweat and exhaustd from a training mission (2v2 with F-14's out of Miramar) "...
never get slow with a '14!"
It seems that the ol "Put the Brakes on, he'll fly right by!" works great on Kfirs!
/memories off/
Anyway, great pics, nice nice paint on that bird too!
Pat☺