Brig. Gen. (res.) Giora Epstein, a decorated Israeli fighter pilot who holds the world record for most aerial kills in the jet era, died Saturday at age 87.
Epstein, who served in the Israeli Air Force from 1963 to 1977, was credited with shooting down 17 enemy aircraft, 12 of them during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service for his actions in that conflict.
A Mirage III pilot in Israel’s elite Squadron 101, Epstein flew in the Six-Day War, the War of Attrition, and the Yom Kippur War, engaging in dogfights against Soviet-made MiG-17s, MiG-21s, Su-7s, and other aircraft used by Arab air forces. His achievements earned him recognition as the world’s top jet ace.
Born in 1938, Epstein joined the IDF in 1956 and initially served in an armaments role in the Air Force. Twice rejected from pilot training for medical reasons, he volunteered for the Paratroopers Brigade, then returned to permanent service as a parachuting instructor. He successfully appealed his disqualification and graduated from flight school with honors in 1963.
He began as a helicopter pilot but pushed for and received a transfer to fighter jets. He recorded his first kill during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Epstein flew more than 9,000 hours before his discharge and played a significant role in shaping Israel’s air superiority. In 2018, then-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot promoted him to brigadier general at a ceremony recognizing his legacy.
“This is an expression of immense respect and appreciation,” Eisenkot said. “You belong to the founding generation that built the IDF’s capabilities and passed on a legacy of dedication, victory, and excellence.”
At the same ceremony, Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin noted, “Giora downed 17 enemy aircraft—11 during the Yom Kippur War alone, five with missiles and seven with cannons. We are proud to have a world champion in our Air Force.”
Among those who paid tribute to Epstein was Noam Lanir, son of Lt. Col. Avi Lanir, Epstein’s squadron commander in 1973, who died in Syrian captivity.
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“I looked up to them,” Lanir wrote in a Facebook post. “As a child I remember Giora knitting sweaters at home and cooking—and then going out and shooting down more MiGs than anyone else.”
Retired Col. Avner Yarkoni, a fellow fighter pilot, wrote on X: “The Giora has passed. A fearless warrior. A true friend. A kind and beloved man. And everything they say about him—it’s all true.”
Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.