Uri Gil

Uri Gil, born April 9, 1943, is a retired Brigadier General in the Israeli Air Force. In 2007, he was listed as the most senior combat pilot in history in the Guinness World Records.

Biography
After completing his compulsory military service, Gil remained in the Israeli air force as a career officer. In his late 20s, he began to paint. At the age of 42, he left the air force to become a full-time painter, but continued to fly as a reserve officer. He was an active combat pilot from 1964 to his last F-16 flight on June 20, 2003, at 60 years and 72 days of age. Gil has painted many commissioned portraits, including a portrait of the young Ayn Rand. He lives in the artists' village of Ein Hod. In 1995 and 1998, Gil exhibited his work at the Wilfred Israel Museum in northern Israel.

Quotes
"Every sortie that I flew, every dogfight, is a brush-stroke in my portrait in the mirror into which I will peer when my operational life is over. When I reach that day, I want to be satisfied with what I see."