‘Armchair warrior’ from Woodmere shoots IDF jets in Nevada war games

What I did on my summer vacation

By Mayer Fertig Issue of July 31, 2009 / 5769

Debora and Peter Steinerman of Woodmere did, for three hours last week, during their trip to Nevada. “We were driving back from the Hoover Dam and my wife pointed out the proximity of Nellis Air Force Base to our route,” Peter wrote in an e-mail. “I am a serious armchair warrior/pilot and we took advantage.” Peter, a public relations executive, happened to have read a press release from the US Air Force announcing that a number of Israel’s F-16I fighters would make the long flight across the ocean to take part in an international exercise known as ‘Red Flag.” Armed with a camera equipped with a 200mm zoom lens, the Steinermans pulled off “a highway, extending from the Las Vegas Strip, [that] parallels two runways at Nellis, and we (along with about ten other photographers) took position on the shoulder. Several of them had radio scanners, enabling them to monitor radio chatter between the tower and the aircraft,” he explained. Standing in 110-degree heat the couple fired off 200 or so photos of two flights of Israeli warplanes (call signs “Rocket” and “Chaka”) as well as U.S. aircraft in action over Nevada last Tuesday, July 21. “My wife and I were very deeply moved and very proud to watch these chayalim in action, something an American visiting Israel rarely (if ever) gets to see,” Peter added in his e-mail. “During the Nine Days, this impressive element of the Jewish nation’s strength should give us all cause for optimism. That said, we hope and pray this is as close to the real thing as these brave and talented airmen ever have to get.” Did you do have a particularly interesting or unusual experience on your summer vacation this year? Maybe we’ll feature you in the newspaper next. Send your best photos and a brief description to letters@thejewishstar.com. Please make sure to include your name as well as daytime and evening phone numbers.