Funeral services were held here yesterday for Hayman Shamir, one of the founders of the Israel Air Force and a leader in the aircraft and electronics industry in Israel. Mr. Shamir, who was 53, died Sunday at his office here. The Russian-born aviation and electronics expert, whose name was formerly Hyman Scheckman, was brought to Chicago as a child where his family lived until they settled in Palestine in 1932.
Mr. Shamir returned twice to the United States for training as an engineer and also learned to fly as a hobby. He served in the United States Air Force during World War II and after, the war helped bring “illegal” Immigrants to Israel. He helped develop the plan for the creation of the Israeli Air Force and served as Its deputy commander in chief during the War of Independence. In 1951, he left the air force to become director of operations and maintenance for El Al.
Mr. Shamir left El Al in 1952 to help found Bedek Aviation Corp, the forerunner of Israel Aircrafts Industries, and served as its deputy managing director until 1964. He resigned to enter private industry and became chief executive of Maof Investments Ltd., TAT. Ltd. and East/Mem Industrial Services as well as sole owner of MIKA Consultants. Ltd.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
