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Megiddo Airfield (Hebrew: מנחת מגידו) (IATA: N/A, ICAO: LLMG), known as Shachar 7 by the Israel Defense Forces, is an Israeli airfield located in the Jezreel Valley near Tel Megiddo and 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Afula. It opened in 1942 as RAF Station Megiddo and was used as an auxiliary field to RAF Ramat David. It was used by 6 & 208 Squadron's.

It currently handles private and agricultural flights. It formerly served as an Israeli Air Force base and was decommissioned in the mid-1980s.

Syrian defection

On October 11, 1989, a Syrian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD defected to Israel, landing at Megiddo. The aircraft was subsequently flown by the IAF's Flight Test Center and is now on display at the IAF museum in Hatzerim.

Plans for an international airport

In April 2006, Jezreel Valley Regional Council announced plans to construct an international airport in Megiddo in cooperation with several authorities. The new airport will be located on a 400 dunam (400,000 m, 100 acres) site, with construction costs estimated at $35 million. Officials report that the airport will undoubtedly increase tourism to the Jezreel Valley and surrounding areas.

References

1. Jefford 1988, p. 168.

• Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links

Media related to Megiddo Airstrip at Wikimedia Commons

• Megiddo at Airports Worldwide

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• 1942 establishments in Mandatory Palestine
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• Tel Megiddo
• World War II airfields in Mandatory Palestine
• Asian airport stubs
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