The canopy that suddenly popped off an Israeli F-15 fighter jet last Wednesday during a training flight over southern Israel has been found near the Judean city of Hebron, according to a military source.
The captain (pilot) and navigator (lieutenant) who were flying the F-15 at the time of the accident managed to land the fighter jet at Nevatim Air Base in the Negev – the closest air base – without the canopy, no mean feat.
The canopy – a heavy glass dome that covers the pilot and navigator on the warplane – was recovered Monday.
It was discovered by an Arab family in their backyard, in the Hebron region. They informed the IDF who picked it up.
It was immediately taken for analysis by air force technicians to determine why it separated from the aircraft.