The story of a pilot, a poster, and a personal memory...
As part of our collaboration with the heirs of Shamir Brothers we published last month on the Facebook page of nostalgia online the poster "Our best to be pilots" designed by them. The poster was intended to promote the Air Force postage stamps issued in 1962 by the Israeli Philatelic Service to celebrate the state's 14th Independence Day.
Many contacted us and wanted to know whether the pilot appearing on the poster was a real pilot or a model, and what his story was.
With the assistance of the curator of the Air Force Museum in Hazerim, Avi Moshe Segal we started the investigation and eventually discovered that it was a miracle that the pilot on the poster was alive on the day the poster was release.
The pilot in the poster is Shabtai Gilboa ("Grotos"). On 07/03/1962, approximately six weeks before the poster was published, when it was already printed and ready for launching and hanging on advertising boards all over the country - our pilot Captain Shabtai Gilboa was on a training flight on an "Oregon" aircraft instructing Lt. Oded Gruber. During the flight Gilboa suddenly heard a loud bang and felt a thump and saw to his amazement that the right wing was gone. It turned out that the plane was hit by another "Oregon" that participated in the training exercise. Gilboa activated the ejection seat and came down safely, the trainee pilot Grover was killed.
Closing the circle: During the investigation I was reminded of my childhood: I am in my room in my parents' home in Haifa, and all of a sudden I hear terrible cries from the grocery store that was next door. I ran to the store, the shopkeeper, Arish Grover, stood at the center of the store and said tearfully: "I was just called and told that my cousin was killed in a training accident in the Air Force. "
What a small world!
David Sela 22/01/2016
The poster combines three works by Shamir Brothers: The 14th Independence Day stamps, The 1st day cover and the poster itself.
A few months after the appearance of the poster, a press campaign was launched, also designed by Shamir Brothers, to encourage recruitment to the Air Force. The slogan used "Our best to be pilots" suggests coordination between the Israel Philatelic Service who commissioned the poster and the Air Force. The slogan "Our best to be pilots" was created in 1960 by Moshe Hadar, editor of the Air Force magazine. The slogan gained significant popularity, particularly with its unofficial derivative – "Our best to be pilots and the best girls to the pilots". The following year, Shamir continued to create recruitment ads for the Air Force using the slogan "Your place is in the Air Force." During the Six Day War Shamir designed combat sheets for the Air Force and in 1970, the book "The Air Force" was published - edited by Moshe Hadar and Yehuda Ofer and designed by Shamir Brothers.
Yoram E. Shamir 28/1/16
Footnote:
I have just returned from visiting Shabtai Gilboa – a charming person.
See in the margin of this page his picture in the cockpit of a Dassault Mystère fighter, of an El Al plane and in his El Al captain's uniform.
Shabtai is a graduate of Shevach. He taught precision mechanics and engraving at ORT Technicum. His technical skills were applied in the Air Force as he invented and developed various useful devices. Since appearing in the Shamir poster Shabtai climbed through the ranks and retired an Air Force colonel. He joined El Al as captain and instructor and served its passengers for 30 years. In two months he will celebrate his 80th birthday.
Yoram E. Shamir 28/1/16
.jpg)
