tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61347639667176107892024-03-13T02:36:32.611-07:00The First SupersonicsA place for all supersonics to come together and celebrate 50 years of glorious history and blue skies.The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-82055117071323629762013-03-30T03:41:00.004-07:002013-03-30T03:41:57.618-07:00ADDRESSES OF RETIRED OFFICERS 28 SQN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following is a list of retired officers of 28 Sqn. It is requested that any changes / additions be mailed to <i><b>firstsupersonics1963@gmail.com</b></i><br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Chief Marshal AY Tipnis PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 4674, Sector 23 A <br /><br /> Gurgaon - Haryana <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy PVSM, AVSM, VM BAR, ADC (Retd) </b><br /><br /> Plot No – 16 A AND B <br /><br /> V-32, DLF City Phase III <br /><br /> Gurgaon (Haryana) <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal BD Jayal PVSM, AVSM, VM & Bar (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 215-B, Rajpur Road <br /><br /> DEHRADUN <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal DR Nadkarni PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 305, Sector-17 <br /><br /> Gurgaon (Haryana) <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal SR Deshpande PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd), </b><br /><br /> M-274, Sector-25 <br /><br /> Jal Vayu Vihar <br /><br /> Ghaziabad-201 301 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal B Kumar PVSM, AVSM, ADC (Retd), </b><br /><br /> J-187,Saket <br /><br /> New Delhi-110017 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal TM Asthana PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd), </b><br /><br /> P-412, Jal Vayu Tower <br /><br /> Sector-56, Phase-III <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal H Masand VrC, VM (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 31, Signals Vihar <br /><br /> Mhow <br /><br /> Madhya Pradesh-453 441 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal PK Mehra PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC (Retd), </b><br /><br /> B/15, South Extn-II <br /><br /> New Delhi 110049 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal KD Sihgh PVSM, AVSM, ADC (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 12 A-1, Model Town <br /><br /> Patiala <br /><br /> Punjab <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal SC Mukul PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, ADC (Retd) </b><br /><br /> H No 3418, PKT-III <br /><br /> Sector-D, Vasant Kunj <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal KK Nohwar PVSM, VM, ADC (Retd) </b><br /><br /> M-97, Sector 25, Jal Vayu Vihar <br /><br /> GB Nagar <br /><br /> Noida - 201 301 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Marshal AS Karnik PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd) </b><br /><br /> E- 7/8, Salunke Vihar <br /><br /> Pune <br /><br /> Maharasthra <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Vice Marshal BK Bishnoi VrC & Bar (Retd) </b><br /><br /> A-78, Jal Vayu Vihar <br /><br /> Sector-21 <br /><br /> Noida – Uttar Pradesh <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Commodore M Singh VrC, VM (Retd) </b><br /><br /> A/5/804, Classic Oxford Village <br /><br /> Wanawadi, Pune - 411040 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Air Vice Marshal M Shanker (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 827, Waswani Nagar <br /><br /> Aundh <br /><br /> Pune <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain RS Kataria (Retd) </b><br /> 12, Biswa Bazar, <br /><br /> Gurgaon, <br /><br /> Haryana-12200 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain KK Dhawan (Retd), </b><br /><br /> C-118, Sector-03 <br /><br /> Defence Colony <br /><br /> Dehradun-248001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain TJ Joseph (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Ottethengil House, <br /><br /> Behind Sobha Theatre, <br /><br /> Eddapally Toli <br /><br /> Ernakulam- 682024 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain PK Jain (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 42 Bahubali Enclave <br /><br /> Karkar Dooma <br /><br /> Vikas Marg Extn <br /><br /> New Delhi-110092 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain PS Randhawa (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 1736 Sector-33 D <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /> UT-160036 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain DD Kulkarni (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Flat No 1 Seema B, <br /><br /> Alakpure Society, Kothrud <br /><br /> Pune-411029 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <b> Group Captain AS Karki (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Bisht Estate, <br /><br /> Nainital, <br /><br /> Uttarakhand <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain R Saxena (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Shri ML Saxena <br /><br /> 5 Bedla Road <br /><br /> Udaipur <br /><br /> Rajasthan <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain R Bhalla (Retd), </b><br /><br /> H.No.- 511 Urban Estate, Phase II <br /><br /> Jalandhar City <br /><br /> Punjab-144 001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain AC Kalita (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Mrs Bhabani Kalita, <br /><br /> Anil Nagar By Lane, <br /><br /> No. 3 Bhangagarh, <br /><br /> Guwahati <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain S Sud YSM (Retd) </b><br /><br /> 280 (RPS) Sheikh Sarai I <br /><br /> Malaviya Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi-110017 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain U Shastri (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 36 Patel Road <br /><br /> South Patel Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi-110008 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain A Bali (Retd), </b><br /><br /> House No 1529, Sec-22 B <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain GN Moorthy (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Srekrishna Vilas <br /><br /> Ambalapuzha PO <br /><br /> Alleppey Dist <br /><br /> Kerala <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain KR Rathindranath (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 7 Shivagiri Nagar <br /><br /> Chouva <br /><br /> Cannanore <br /><br /> Kerala-670006 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain GS Mann (Retd), </b><br /><br /> H. No. - 325 <br /><br /> Sector-35 A <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain PS Sandhu (Retd), </b><br /><br /> H.No. 1583 <br /><br /> Sector- 36 D <br /><br /> Chandigarh-160036 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain A Kumar (Retd), </b><br /><br /> H.No. 357, Sector-7, <br /><br /> Panchkula <br /><br /> Harayana <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain N Biswas (Retd), </b><br /><br /> C/O Mr MK Biswas <br /><br /> Flat No. 4B, Baikunth 114 <br /><br /> NSC Bose Road <br /><br /> Kolkata <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain R Bhalla (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 242 Mig <br /><br /> Prasad Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi-110005 <br /><br /> Group Captain AI Joshi (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O Mr MB Bhatt 132, <br /><br /> Sarjan Society, Athwa, <br /><br /> Lines Surat-395007 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain VS Chauhan (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 9 BBC Buildings <br /><br /> Kulri Mussoorie <br /><br /> Dehradun-248 179 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain SB Sarkar (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 36/2 Phalguni <br /><br /> Salt Lake <br /><br /> Vidhan Nagar <br /><br /> Kolkata-700 091 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain AK Singh (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 701 Kalpana Tower, <br /><br /> Vishnupuri, <br /><br /> Kanpur (UP) <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain A Singh (Retd), </b><br /> Ram Niwas, <br /><br /> Sonepat Road, <br /><br /> Rohtak <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain N Kanitkar (Retd), </b><br /> Erica A-45 <br /><br /> PO-Hadapsar <br /><br /> Dist-Pune <br /><br /> Maharastra <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain S Raj (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 34 Mission Street <br /><br /> Pondicherry <br /><br /> Madras-605001 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain K Singh (Retd), </b><br /><br /> B-II / 460 Tarn Taran, <br /><br /> Dist-Amritsar <br /><br /> Punjab <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain P Singh (Retd), </b><br /><br /> 4611 Ranjitpura <br /><br /> Putligarh <br /><br /> Amritsar <br /><br /> Punjab <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b> Group Captain K Srinivas (Retd), </b><br /><br /> Flat 101, Plot 108 <br /><br /> Geethanjali <br /><br /> Srinagar Colony <br /><br /> Hyderabad <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain A Bhakoo (Retd), <br /><br /> H.No. – 837, <br /><br /> Sector 16 D, <br /><br /> Chandigarh-160016 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain P Bhuyan (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O- Nirupma Bhuyan <br /><br /> Bisnurava Nagar <br /><br /> Noonmati <br /><br /> Guwahati-781020 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain AR Hudlikar (Retd), <br /><br /> 5th Indrajit, <br /><br /> 17th Road Santacruz, <br /><br /> West Mumbai-400054, <br /><br /> Maharashtra <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain C Bali (Retd), <br /><br /> S/R – 13, Civil Lines <br /><br /> Sawai Madhopur <br /><br /> Jodhpur <br /><br /> Rajasthan <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr NS Malhi (Retd), <br /><br /> H.No.-1834 <br /><br /> Sector-34 D <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr V Bhatia (Retd), <br /><br /> 5, Boach Craft <br /><br /> Ranade Road Extn. <br /><br /> Dadar <br /><br /> Mumbai <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr SKJ Nair (Retd), <br /><br /> TC 27/769, Atheni Lane <br /><br /> Vanchiyoor <br /><br /> Thiruvarahthaguram <br /><br /> Kerala <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr PPS Kawatra VrC (Retd) <br /><br /> No-2,Chandra Vihar Colony <br /><br /> Umeria AB Road <br /><br /> Rau, Indore <br /><br /> M.P <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr A Kumar (Retd), <br /><br /> Vill-Bagali <br /><br /> Post-Dulahipur <br /><br /> Varanasi <br /><br /> U.P <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr VJ Singh (Retd), <br /><br /> Shital Niwas <br /><br /> Mount View Complex <br /><br /> PO- Dhakauli <br /><br /> Via - Mubarakpur <br /><br /> Patiala <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr R Sharma (Retd), <br /><br /> 199, PHASE-I, Palm Meadow <br /><br /> Airport Road, White Field <br /><br /> Bangalore, Karnataka <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr VK Gupta (Retd), <br /><br /> E-207 <br /><br /> Sector-21 <br /><br /> Noida <br /><br /> U.P <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr RPS Sachdeva (Retd), <br /><br /> Khalsa Distubuters, <br /><br /> 5, R K Tandon Building, <br /><br /> Kalser Bagh, <br /><br /> Lucknow (UP) <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander GK Gidkhindi (Retd), <br /><br /> 4, Jeevan Ranga Apartment <br /><br /> 61/A/12, 14th Lane <br /><br /> Prabhat Road <br /><br /> Pune <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander RK Sinha (Retd), <br /><br /> 178/B Sri Krishna Puri <br /><br /> Patna-8000001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander PS Sandhu (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O Wg Cdr Muthu <br /><br /> 310 Sector-25, Noida <br /><br /> Dist-Ghaziabad <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander A Mukherji (Retd), <br /><br /> Vill + Po- Salboni <br /><br /> Dist- Bankura <br /><br /> West Bengal <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander R Singh (Retd), <br /><br /> Mrs. Avneet Kaur <br /><br /> C/O- Lt Col R Singh (Retd) <br /><br /> 2513, Sector-35c <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander BU Nair (Retd), <br /><br /> TC 9/2638, Vellayambalam <br /><br /> Thirunthapuram <br /><br /> Kerala-675010 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander VS Poda (Retd), <br /><br /> 311, Krishna Apartments <br /><br /> Ameerpet X Road <br /><br /> Hyderabad <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AK Tharani (Retd), <br /><br /> D-118 Ground Floor <br /><br /> Defence Colony <br /><br /> New Delhi-110024 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander V George (Retd), <br /><br /> No. 9/3, 2nd Cross <br /><br /> Sunder Nagar <br /><br /> Gokula Extn- PO <br /><br /> Bangalore <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AK Karara (Retd), <br /><br /> Flat No. 2, Lotus Court <br /><br /> Dr Annie Besant Road <br /><br /> Worli, Mumbai-400018 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AA Oka (Retd), <br /><br /> D 69/672 MiG Colony <br /><br /> Bandra East <br /><br /> Mumbai <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander S Atwal (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O Gp Capt Fernandes AVSM (Retd) <br /><br /> Mariya Udyan, Farm Street 104 <br /><br /> Lohegaon <br /><br /> Pune <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander Srikrishna (Retd), VSM <br /><br /> Flat No. 2, Lotus Court <br /><br /> Dr Annie Besant Road <br /><br /> Worli, Mumbai-400018 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander PV Deshpande (Retd), <br /><br /> 27/1 Nagshettikoppa <br /><br /> Hubli-580023 <br /><br /> Karnatka <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander RC Srivastava (Retd), <br /><br /> 60 31st Cross, <br /><br /> Jaynagar 7th Block <br /><br /> Bangalore <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander S Malhotra (Retd), <br /><br /> A-767 Sec IV <br /><br /> Indira Nagar <br /><br /> Lucknow <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander SS Chatterjee (Retd), <br /><br /> E845 Chittranjan Pak <br /><br /> Kalkaji <br /><br /> Delhi-110019 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander J Thomas (Retd), <br /><br /> Anthinattu House, Ayurkunnam <br /><br /> PO- Kottayam <br /><br /> Dist-Kottayam <br /><br /> Kerala-686564 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander SK Kohli (Retd), <br /><br /> A 30/3 SFS DDA Flats <br /><br /> Saket <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander P Joseph (Retd), <br /><br /> Mottakal House <br /><br /> Mattoor Kalady <br /><br /> PO - Ernakulum Dist <br /><br /> Kerala-683574 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander MP Ramesan (Retd), <br /><br /> Shanthi Niwas <br /><br /> Po-Asaripallam <br /><br /> Dt-Kanyakumari (Tamilnadu) <br /><br /> Wing Commander P Maulik (Retd), <br /><br /> H-2/456 MHB Colony <br /><br /> Laxmi Nagar <br /><br /> Parnaati, Pune <br /><br /> Maharashtra-411009 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander S Seshiah (Retd) <br /><br /> 72-A, Yesudian Street <br /><br /> Nagercoil <br /><br /> Kanyakumari <br /><br /> Tamil Nadu <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander A Gode VM (Retd), <br /><br /> 342, Saket Nagar <br /><br /> Indore <br /><br /> Madhya Pradesh <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Gurgaon (Haryana) <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal Jeffrey D Souza VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Mariya Udyan <br /><br /> Lohegaon-411037 <br /><br /> Pune <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal SS Hothi VM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 161, Ranjit Nagar <br /><br /> Jalandhar <br /><br /> Punjab <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal VK Chopra AVSM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> K-44, Kailash Colony <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110 048 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal M John VM (Retd) <br /><br /> T3-302, Parsvnath Platinum <br /><br /> Ot D-01, Sector Tau, <br /><br /> Greater Noida (UP) <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal DN Ganesh (Retd) <br /><br /> Jasmine Cottage <br /><br /> Natrajan Road, Kodaikanal <br /><br /> Tamil Nadu-624102 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal BC Nanjapa AVSM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> C/O Col BM Chengapa <br /><br /> Virajpet Kodagu-571 218 <br /><br /> Karnataka <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal M Banerjee AVSM, VM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 29, Ram MohanDutta Road <br /><br /> Kolkata-20 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore OP Sharma VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 2/15, East Patel Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore RS Hardas (Retd) <br /><br /> J-69, Sector-25 <br /><br /> Noida(UP) <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore JP Singh VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Bharaman House <br /><br /> 8-Wazir Hasan Road <br /><br /> Raibareli <br /><br /> Lucknow <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore SK Behal VM (Retd) <br /><br /> E-55, Sainikpuri <br /><br /> Secunderabad <br /><br /> AP-500 094 <br /><br /> Air Commodore S Sahay VM BAR (Retd) <br /><br /> 70, SK Sahay Road <br /><br /> Ranchi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore HS Sahota VM (Retd) <br /><br /> C/O Wg Cdr KS Seth <br /><br /> H.No. D-2/8, Janakpuri <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore PC Prasad (Retd) <br /><br /> C-73, DDA Flats, Munirka, <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore AKM Raje VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 113 Dahanukar Colony, <br /><br /> Road No. 06, Kothrud, <br /><br /> Pune. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore N Minocha VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Additional General Manager, <br /><br /> HAL, Corporate Office, <br /><br /> 15/1, Cubbon Road, <br /><br /> Bangalore. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore GS Nijjar VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 125 A, Mani Enclave, Yapral <br /><br /> JJ Nagar PO <br /><br /> Secunderabad-500 087 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore PP Dani VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Kshitij 65/8, DG Dani Road, <br /><br /> Erandwane <br /><br /> Pune – 411004 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore KS Chhina VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 109 D, Dharampur, <br /><br /> Dehradoon, <br /><br /> Uttranchal- 248001 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore AR Nigam VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Flat No.113, subham Aprt, <br /><br /> Sector-12, Pocket-4, <br /><br /> Dwarka, New Delhi. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore A Gupta VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> D-12, Defence Colony <br /><br /> New Delhi-110024 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore KK Swaminathan VM (Retd) <br /><br /> B-1 Newlife Society <br /><br /> Shiv Shrshti, Kurla East <br /><br /> Bombay- 400 024 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore A Kapoor VM (Retd) <br /><br /> C/O Lt Col RN Kapoor <br /><br /> D-18, Defence Colony <br /><br /> Haridwar Road <br /><br /> Dehradoon- 248001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore NK Jain AVSM (Retd) <br /><br /> No.6 Lane, 1A <br /><br /> Vasant Vihar Enclave <br /><br /> Dehradun- 248006 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore BC Talukdar (Retd) <br /><br /> Barahalia <br /><br /> PO- Tezpur <br /><br /> Dist- Sonitpur <br /><br /> Assam- 784001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore A Dhar VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 22, Lalita Nagar <br /><br /> West Mavedpalli <br /><br /> Secunderabad- 26 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore I Singh VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Vill – Patuwas, PO - Dhanighat <br /><br /> Dist - Bhiwani <br /><br /> Haryana <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore UP Biswas AVSM (Retd) <br /><br /> Flat No. 245, Shri Niketan Co-op S, <br /><br /> Sector – 7, Dwarka, <br /><br /> New Delhi – 110075 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore KK Dwivedi VM (Retd) <br /><br /> PO - Amla <br /><br /> Dist- Betul <br /><br /> Goa <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore H Naidu (Retd) <br /><br /> Agastya Nivas <br /><br /> 210 Main Road, <br /><br /> Whitefield <br /><br /> Bangalore- 560066 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore PB Patel (Retd) <br /><br /> C/O Dr BG Patel <br /><br /> I Ashirvad Flats <br /><br /> Keshav Nagar <br /><br /> Ahmedabad <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore R Goyal AVSM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 292 Narmada Appts <br /><br /> Alaknanda <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110019 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore PM Katti VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 59, Sh Raghvendra Colony <br /><br /> Kothanur, Uttarhalli Hobli <br /><br /> JP Nagar, 7 th Phase <br /><br /> Belgaum. Karnataka. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore AS Bahal VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Row House No 3 <br /><br /> Hermes Classic 3 <br /><br /> Mangal Das Road, <br /><br /> Pune – 1 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore NS Jamwal VM, VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 6 Dounthli, Jammu <br /><br /> J&K – 180001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore M Chatterjee VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 13-B, Partashar Road <br /><br /> Kolkata-29 <br /><br /> West Bengal <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain OP Mullick (Retd) <br /><br /> 175, Munirka Enclave <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain KJS GILL (Retd) <br /><br /> Vill & PO- Thamanwal <br /><br /> Distt- Jalandhar <br /><br /> Punjab <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain AJ Singh VRC (Retd) <br /><br /> C/269, Defence Colony <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain VK Bapat (Retd) <br /><br /> 4/1 Anand Park Society <br /><br /> Shankarshet Road <br /><br /> Pune, Bombay Suburban <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain V Mehta (Retd) <br /><br /> 9-328, Avro Cly. Copp. <br /><br /> Jalvayu Vihar, Kammanhalli Mall Road, <br /><br /> St. Thomas Town, PO – Anatapur <br /><br /> Bangalore, Karnataka <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain KS Raghavachari VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Plot No. 126 <br /><br /> Ganesh Nagar, Selaiyur <br /><br /> Chennai- 600 073 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain KB Singh VM (Retd) <br /><br /> No. 7, Devi Kunj, <br /><br /> Jamunalal Bajaj Marg <br /><br /> Jaipur, Rajasthan <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain SC Mehta (Retd) <br /><br /> L-84,Sector-25 <br /><br /> Noida- 201301 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain GR Mohan (Retd) <br /><br /> Aishwarya <br /><br /> Ullor Gardens, Ullor <br /><br /> Trivandrum <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain RK Bora (Retd) <br /><br /> 24, Jayamata Kalyani <br /><br /> CGHS, Plot No.31 <br /><br /> Sector- 4, Dwaraka <br /><br /> New Delhi- 45 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain A Gupta VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 31 Sainik Farms <br /><br /> Khanpur <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110062 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain PM Mathai VM (Retd) <br /><br /> Flat No. – 397, Jalvayu Vihar <br /><br /> Kammanahalli Main Road <br /><br /> Kalyan Nagar <br /><br /> Bangalore – 560043 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain RS Kataria VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 12 Biswa bazaar, VPO Gurgaon <br /><br /> Gurgaon <br /><br /> Haryana - 122001 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Cmde RD Sharma (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O Bk Sharma <br /><br /> Di/86,Bharti Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Cmde SS Bist VSM (Retd), <br /><br /> VILL- GARHNIWAS MOHKAMPUR <br /><br /> POST-IIP MOHKAMPUR <br /><br /> DISTT-DEHRADUN <br /><br /> Uttrakhand – 248005 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal AB Pandit VSM (Retd), <br /><br /> 198 Shridhar Sadan <br /><br /> Shradhananda Peth <br /><br /> South Ambazari Road <br /><br /> Nagpur - 440 010 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal KC Kapoor VSM (Retd) <br /><br /> 40/17 <br /><br /> East Patel Nagar <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /> Flt Lt P Singh (Retd) <br /><br /> H.No. - 513 <br /><br /> Phase -3 B1 <br /><br /> Mohali <br /><br /> Chandigarh <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain CN Seshadri (Retd), <br /><br /> 12, Krishnanachari Avenuadya <br /><br /> Palghat <br /><br /> Madras. Tamil Nadu <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain N Wadhawan (Retd) <br /><br /> 52 Sunligt Estate <br /><br /> Bhikaji Cama Place <br /><br /> New Delhi-66 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Sqn Ldr RK Pillai (Retd), <br /><br /> No.-P-62 Xth Sector <br /><br /> 7th Main, Lic Hsg Col <br /><br /> HAL III Stage <br /><br /> JB Nagar <br /><br /> Bangalore <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr CK Mishra (Retd), <br /><br /> 18,SP Marg <br /><br /> Civil Lines <br /><br /> Allahabad <br /><br /> U.P <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr EV Jose (Retd), <br /><br /> C/O Mrs. Rosakutty Vaskey <br /><br /> Opp. Padma Theatre <br /><br /> MG Road <br /><br /> Eranakulam <br /><br /> Kochi, Kerala. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr P Dhar (Retd), <br /><br /> 134/3 <br /><br /> Sagar manna road <br /><br /> Calcutta-700060 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr VK Handa (Retd), <br /><br /> S-481 <br /><br /> Greater Kailash <br /><br /> Part-I <br /><br /> New Delhi <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr VS Raghuvansi (Retd), <br /><br /> 73, Lala Lajpat Rai Colony <br /><br /> Near Radha Krishna Mandir <br /><br /> Raisen Road <br /><br /> Bhopal-23 <br /><br /> M.P <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr R Kumar (Retd) <br /><br /> C-201 Saincher Palace <br /><br /> East Marredpally <br /><br /> Hyderabad/ Secundrabad <br /><br /> A.P. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr PV Singh (Retd) <br /><br /> Kanska <br /><br /> Manti <br /><br /> Aligarh <br /><br /> U.P. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wg Cdr SJ Thomas (Retd) <br /><br /> 62 Shiva Colony, <br /><br /> Tonk Phatak <br /><br /> Jaipur <br /><br /> Rajasthan - 302015 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Marshal PM Ramachandran PVSM, AVSM, SC,VM(Retd) <br /><br /> Plot No. 301, Madhuban <br /><br /> 59 Puliyakkulam Road <br /><br /> Ramanathapuram <br /><br /> Coimbatore- 641045 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br />Air Marshal MSD Wollen PVSM, VM (Retd) <br /><br /> 517, First Cross <br /><br /> 4TH Block <br /><br /> Kormangala <br /><br /> Banglore - Karnataka <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Marshal S Bhojwani PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC (Retd) <br /><br /> B-102, Riviresa <br /><br /> Banner Road, Aundh <br /><br /> Pune- 411045 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal M Shanker (Retd) <br /><br /> 33 Ramnagar Colony <br /><br /> NDA Road, Pashan <br /><br /> Pune- 21 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore UN Ganguly (Retd) <br /><br /> 748, Defence Colony <br /><br /> PO- Sianikpuri <br /><br /> Secunderabad- 500094 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander PM Cherian (Retd) <br /><br /> Flat No. 102, Mayfair Apts <br /><br /> N0. 2, Cookson Road <br /><br /> Richards Town <br /><br /> Banglore- 560084 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Air Cmde UN Ganguly (Retd) <br /><br /> 100, Golf View Paradise, <br /><br /> Swarnandhra, Phase-1, <br /><br /> P.O. J J Nagar, Secunderabad-500097 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander CS Kapri (Retd) <br /><br /> 74/1, New Colony <br /><br /> Ballupur <br /><br /> Dehradun- 248001 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander A Rastogi (Retd) <br /><br /> E-5/188, Arera Colony <br /><br /> Bhopal <br /><br /> MP- 462016 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander SB Gaitonde (Retd) <br /><br /> 1A/24, Drug Employees Co-Op Housing Society <br /><br /> Opp Jekegram <br /><br /> Thane- 400606 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander TSK Paniker (Retd) <br /><br /> Sree Narayana Sadanam Piralassery <br /><br /> PO- Chengannur <br /><br /> Kerala <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander A Yadav (Retd) <br /><br /> B-1/1689, DDA Flats <br /><br /> Vasant Kunj <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110070 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander P Korla (Retd) <br /><br /> E-502, Happy Home Apts, <br /><br /> Plot No. 12 A, Sector 7 <br /><br /> Dwarka <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110075 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander M Kumar (Retd) <br /><br /> 136, AGCR Enclave <br /><br /> New Delhi- 110092 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AP Chikte (Retd) <br /><br /> Kashinath, Behind Shivaji Housing Society <br /><br /> Pune - 411053 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander A Varma (Retd) <br /><br /> c/o Dr RC Varma <br /><br /> 120, Dhar road <br /><br /> Indore - 452002 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander V Jain (Retd) <br /><br /> House No. 1412 <br /><br /> Sector 42B <br /><br /> Chandigarh - 160036 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander B Bhadra (Retd), <br /><br /> Bhadra Niwas <br /><br /> Mandi Nath Road <br /><br /> Bareilly, U.P. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander P Goel (Retd), <br /><br /> S - 469-A, Greater Kailash I <br /><br /> New Delhi. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander RS Dhaliwal VM (Retd), <br /><br /> 2, Joginder Nagar, <br /><br /> Khalsa College <br /><br /> Patiala - 147001 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander M Mishra (Retd), <br /><br /> House no. 75 ZSA <br /><br /> BJS Colony <br /><br /> Jodhpur <br /><br /> Rajasthan - 342010 <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Squadron Leader S Singh (Retd), <br /><br /> 163-A, Sainik Colony, <br /><br /> Jammu Tawi <br /><br /> Jammu & Kashmir <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore B Singh (Retd) <br /><br /> House No. 121 <br /><br /> Sector 36-A <br /><br /> Chandigarh. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain VS Kochak (Retd) <br /><br /> 10-C VRJA Society <br /><br /> Plot no. 8, Sector 9A <br /><br /> Vashi <br /><br /> Navi Mumbai - 400703 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain ML Khaturia (Retd) <br /><br /> 28, Vasant Vihar <br /><br /> Moti Mahal Road <br /><br /> Lashkar <br /><br /> Gwalior, M.P. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain RD Lakhanpal (Retd) <br /><br /> Prakash Bhawan <br /><br /> Kasumpati <br /><br /> Shimla – 171009 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Group Captain AK Dixit (Retd) <br /><br /> D-76, Vasant Vihar <br /><br /> Gwalior, M.P. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AK Maulik (Retd) <br /><br /> 26/ 62, Sahid Surya Road <br /><br /> Berhampore <br /><br /> Murshidabad <br /><br /> West Bengal <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander R Tanwar (Retd) <br /><br /> 36-3, DLF Qutab Enclave, Phase I <br /><br /> Gurgaon <br /><br /> Haryana <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander AV Patwardhan (Retd) <br /><br /> A-5, Vidyadhar Apts <br /><br /> Opp Bharat Nutya <br /><br /> Mandir 1313, Sadashiv Peth <br /><br /> Pune – 411030 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Wing Commander D Chakraborty (Retd) <br /><br /> P-82, Dum Dum Park <br /><br /> Kolkata – 700055 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Vice Marshal JS Kulkarni (Retd) <br /><br /> Nirankar 1133/5, Gokhale Road <br /><br /> Shivaji Nagar <br /><br /> Pune - 411016 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore SM Pendharkar (Retd) <br /><br /> c/o Mrs Veena Hardikar <br /><br /> 1/18, Madhavi Saha Niwas <br /><br /> 277 Mogal Lane, Mahim <br /><br /> Mumbai - 16 <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Marshal A Bhavnani (Retd) <br /><br /> B-1, A-4, DLF Phase-1 <br /><br /> Gurgaon - Haryana <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Air Commodore N Singh (Retd) <br /><br /> 141 Phase-III, B1 <br /><br /> Mohali <br /><br /> Punjab- 160059</span>The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-6659711000337605432013-03-16T03:16:00.005-07:002013-03-16T03:16:54.843-07:00Programme for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-80556297750076687402013-01-27T07:36:00.000-08:002013-01-29T06:03:27.869-08:00Fishbed and Fulcrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; text-align: justify;">The MiG-29 Fulcrum has completed 25 years of glorious service with the IAF. 28 Sqn was chosen to tame this lethal combat aircraft. The sqn operated initially in Pune and subsequently moved to Jamnagar. Today the sqn guards the skies over Saurashtra and Kutchh. Even till date, the MiG-29 remains largely unmatched in terms of thrust and maneuverability, and with its ongoing upgrade, it will continue to be one of the most potent fighters in the air.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">IAF's tryst with the MiGs started when No-28 sqn was raised in 1963 to fly USSR's latest supersonic fighter - the MiG-21 Fishbed, hence giving the sqn its name. The fighter not only proved itself in its intended role of an interceptor, but also as an attack aircraft. The First Supersonics proved the potential of this fighter by carrying out accurate strikes on heavily defended targets in 1971 war. Although 28 sqn converted to the MiG-29 from their Type-77s, the IAF continues flying its MiG-21s which are still a handful for any fighter in combat.</span></div>
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The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-60797316756449457352012-12-13T03:06:00.000-08:002012-12-13T03:14:04.853-08:00Time Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TO BE CONTINUED...</b></span>The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-70472278656067217942012-12-10T08:34:00.001-08:002012-12-12T16:33:58.618-08:00Thunder over Dacca - 1971 War<br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">We were at the aircraft at 0635 hours. The Squadron Engineering Officer, Flight Lieutenant B.S. Ahluwalia, was at the tarmac with his efficient look and ever present smile. "</span><i style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">Sir, all aircraft are ready, armed and double tested</i><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">." I returned his smile, "Thanks". Technical airmen standing around looked grim and somewhat differently but there was an air of good-will and affection in that charged atmosphere. They wished us good luck.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was choked with emotion and could only nod my head and wave back at them from the cockpit of my MiG-21. We lined upon the runway, which was still largely obscured with fog, not more than a third of its length visible. Flying control cleared me for take off, and stated that visibility was 600-700 yards.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Four MiG-21s got airborne through the fog and headed for the target. Soon we left the fog below. Hills, in front which stretched up to the East Pakistan border were in all their glory in the morning sun, calming one's nerves.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wg. Cdr. B.K. Bishnoi VrC and Bar, the Commanding Officer of the First Supersonics during 1971 war</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We flew past them and entered enemy territory, which was flat land covered with a thick sheet of fog. Ground features were not visible, map reading was useless we had no choice but to press on guided by the planned time and course. It was actually delightful to be skimming over the white sheet of fog below, with my No.3 and No.4 stretched to my right and slightly above in broad front battle formation, while from time to time, I could see our escorts, Flt. Lt. Manbir Singh (Bunny) and Flt. Lt. D.M. Subiya, their MiG-21s fitted with air-to-air missiles, some distance behind us, and a clear blue sky above us. God was in His heaven and all was well with the world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, such serenity was rudely disturbed by a crackle on the R/T with a hushed voice saying, "<i>careful</i>". I recognised it to be that of Wing Commander Gole, warning me of the presence of hostile aircraft over Dacca, perhaps a CAP. Barely two minutes before we reached our pull-up point, the fog suddenly cleared and I saw the ground, some roads, and a big factory at the river bend spewing white smoke, which was our last check point. We were, now, less than a minute away from Tezgaon. I broke R/T silence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Tiger One pulling up. RPM 90%. Target on our left 10 o'clock.</i>" My No.3 confirmed, "<i>Tiger Three, contact.</i>" As I gained height I saw the entire expanse of Tezgaon airfield stretched to my left with its single runway hangars flying control, and zigzag pathways leading to camouflage aircraft pens. There seemed no activity, except for one Sabre getting refueled next to their ORP at one end of the runway. Then I spotted another Sabre rolling down the runway for take-off.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Buzzy, there is a badmash (enemy) on the take-off run, middle of the runway</i>." I told our escort leader.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whoosh.....one more Sabre passed below me, flying from left to right.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>There is one more below us, Bhoop Sir. In contact with both. Tail of your formation is cleared</i>."</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That relieved me of keeping track of the Sabres and allowed me to concentrate on the task in hand. I was not in position to attack the Sabre which were getting refueled but looked for any other aircraft in the open - there were none in sight. Flying low level, at the speed of over 900km/h, it was not easy to scan an unknown airfield and look for small targets.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went in for the hangers, radio and communication installations. We made two passes each and fired the 57mm rockets and left with smoke rising from a number of places on the airfield. It was difficult to assess the exact damage done. The excitement of the first attack on the enemy airfield had not ebbed, when I heard Bunny calling his No.2, Dadoo (Flt. Lt. D.M. Subiya).</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Dadoo where are you?</i>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Dadoo report position, we are heading back.</i>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A laboured and excited transmission from Dadoo announced,</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>I am in combat with a Sabre over Dacca</i>."</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By then we had already set course for home. Dadoo was alone, far behind us, in aerial combat over enemy country. I intervened "Tiger One Dadoo, your fuel state."</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Nine hundred litres.</i>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heavens, even if he shot down the Sabre with this fuel state he would hardly make it back to Tezpur. I ordered,<i>"Dadoo disengage immediately. Climb to 6km on course to base."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few seconds later he called,</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Disengaged. Climbing."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Dadoo at 6 km fly for range."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked my formation to throttle back, reduce speed, spread out, and look for Dadoo's aircraft. I informed our radar control of the situation and requested them to scan for Dadoo. Soon the radar reported Dadoo's position as 6 o'clock, 20km behind us. And his tail was clear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Dadoo, fuel?"</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"600 litres."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To me it looked a very grim situation, touch and go. I called up Gauhati.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Bull Dog Tiger One. Formation returning 6 km. Ten minutes away. Escort 2 very low on fuel. Alert rescue helicopter, and direct approach and landing for him."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Tiger, Bull Dog. Roger".</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little later I saw Dadoo's MiG-21 at 9 o'clock to me and we were just crossing into our own territory. The Meghalaya Hills were below us. At least one problem of ejecting over enemy territory was over. Now it was a matter of Dadoo's skill and will power to coax his aircraft back to base on the limited fuel remaining in the tank.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Dadoo, your fuel?"</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"400 litres."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Not bad. Maintain height and power. I am at 3 o'clock, 2000 yards, level. Descend only after airfield is in sight".</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Roger."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the airfield neared, his fuel state became lower and lower and finally he said that the fuel indicator was reading zero. By then he was on finals, but held on to his courage with both hands. Although he had the choice to eject to safety, he did not exercise that option and decided instead to bring the aircraft home intact. I kept my fingers crossed and prayed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was on short finals, appeared normal. With a great sigh I saw him touch down on the runway. As he turned off at the end of the runway his engine stopped. It could have happened in the air some seconds before and with what results! Difference between life and death was not more than 20 litres of fuel. A two second delay in disengagement from air combat would have meant the story with a different end. Who does not believe in luck?</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we entered dispersal after landing, I saw the ground crew gather around my aircraft touching the rocket rails, which were now empty. There were two bullet holes in the rear fuselage. A hurrah went up. Like the pilot's satisfaction of having reached the target and destroyed it, for the first time it dawned that the joy of our Airmen who had toiled for hours to make the aircraft cent per cent fit for flying and ensured that the weapons were loaded and tested with utmost care, was no less when they found the weapons gone and the aircraft had performed flawlessly. We pilots could now relate as equal partners with the Airmen in the common task in safeguarding our country.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I flew two more missions to Tezgaon later in the day. We fired at vital installations but saw no aircraft on the ground or in the air. However during the third sortie, I saw a medium sized transport aircraft parked near a hanger which I destroyed. Unfortunately there was little intelligence available on aircraft dispersal areas and location shelters and important installations on Tezgaon airfield.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps we were achieving little except for harassing the Pakistanis. I conveyed the above observations to Headquarters, Eastern Air Command through our station with a suggestion that instead of rocket attacks, we should go in with heavy bombs, attacking the runways at Tezgaon and Kurmitola. It was difficult to pick up aircraft in camouflaged shelters and then destroy them, but should instead make the runways unusable, thus grounding enemy aircraft and preventing any reinforcements from flying in.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK57yD3ccYGVg7m1tPXy8A1O15PV4BxQdSf1m362Ez9g3KOtFBioB4uhcalwn_KsJW6VWzCU_Z8tV5OxZ7n4XybzyukNH-9UY_YWjlsNVxW5IgsmCCQsKIKYx_0mtWlJIEuHCLNZa7BDI/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK57yD3ccYGVg7m1tPXy8A1O15PV4BxQdSf1m362Ez9g3KOtFBioB4uhcalwn_KsJW6VWzCU_Z8tV5OxZ7n4XybzyukNH-9UY_YWjlsNVxW5IgsmCCQsKIKYx_0mtWlJIEuHCLNZa7BDI/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" height="464" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><strong style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The runway at Kumritola showing bomb damage after the "First Supersonics" raid</span></strong></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The above decision came on the 5th evening. The 'First Supersonics' was given the task to mount the first strikes to bomb the runways of Tezgaon. Options available were to make one low level, high speed pass at about 45º angle to the runway and drop bombs. In near level flight which was a recommended method, more to ensure safety of one's own aircraft against the anti-aircraft fire but at the cost of accuracy and damage to the target. This would have required comparatively large number of sorties to hit and damage the runway, a good method provided there were those many resources and time at one's disposal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other option was to undertake a steep glide bombing attack along the length of the runway. This method ensured much greater accuracy, deep penetration of the bombs before exploding and, therefore, causing far greater damage. The disadvantage was that this was far more risky where anti-aircraft guns would have more lethality as the aircraft stayed much longer in their gun-sights.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This also removed the element of surprise and varying direction of attack, as one just had to attack along a fixed direction thus increasing the vulnerability. We debated this issue at great length and opted for the steep glide mode as a calculated risk vis-à-vis the assured results and quick denial of runways for use of the PAF fighters and keeping them on the ground for the rest of the war.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I led the first bombing mission on the morning of December 8th. It was a fog free and clear day with unlimited visibility. Four MiG-21s took on and at headed low level; skimming at tree heights to avoid radar detection. Navigation had ceased to be a problem after so many trips to and from Dacca in the previous days, it was akin to a home base by now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived at our usual pull up point (IP) unhindered. From there we were to get behind each other in a stream, pull up in a steep climb to attain a height of about 4500 metres before assuming a near 60º dive, aiming at the runway. We had allotted certain portions of the runway for attack to each member of the formation in order to spread its damage along the full length. We had practiced this often at our firing practices.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the IP breaking R/T silence I called <i>"Tiger One. Switches on RPM 100%. Pulling up".</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I heard the click ... click ... click indicating acknowledgment by numbers 2, 3, and 4 going up. In a zoom I saw the runway appear on my left at about 1030 position. It seemed all quiet on the airfield, no movements of any kind. I looked for any CAP-found none. At over 4km height, my speed had dropped from 900 to 450 km/h, controls felt heavy and sluggish. I rolled over on my back and dropped the nose of the aircraft.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tezgaon runway was appearing in front of me, I seemed to be in a near vertical dive, that is how it appears at 60º. I slowly aligned the nose of the aircraft along the length of the runway aiming the gun sight at a point about top quarter of the runway and held it steady there. I was in a screaming dive now, speed was fast increasing to 700, 800, 900 and approaching 1000 km/h.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I felt stationary, as if suspended with a thread on top of the runway. Suddenly a large number of black and white puffs started appearing in front of me and than all around me....fast firing, A-A guns were firing away. I was nearing the bombing point, gun sight rock steady on the target.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wait, wait, NOW!! I pressed the trigger and felt the bomb release as the aircraft became lighter by 1000kg. I pulled out of the dive and turned hard left to get out of the firing line of the A-A guns. It was gratifying to see two smoking craters on the runway, right in the middle of the top quarter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I climbed up to 5km to see results of the other three MiG-21s. It was hard to believe, eyes could not have lied, all bombs had fallen on the runway, along its entire length and a great pall of dust and smoke was rising from Tezgaon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Good Show Tiger formation. I think we have done it."</i> I heard the clicks on R/T acknowledging my transmission. We must have left the Pakistanis stunned with our unconventional mode of attack and results. This attack had actually sealed their fate. I led another bombing attack late in the afternoon on the same day. On approaching the Tezgaon airfield I saw reddish brown patches on the runway.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They apparently had done some emergency repairs on the craters. We scored direct hits again along the length of the runway leaving another eight fresh craters to keep them busy for the night. There was fierce anti-aircraft fire encountered. But aircraft returned undamaged. Not to give them breathing space, I once again led another bombing mission to Tezgaon the next morning, December 7th.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The runway had not been repaired during the night and we added to their plight by adding another eight craters to the previous eight. During these attacks, we had also given enough practice to their anti-aircraft gunners and so at last they scored a hit on the left wing of my aircraft. I felt a big thud and the aircraft shook violently.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By then I was nearing my firing range, pressed on and released the bombs and pulled out of the dive. I looked inside the cockpit - aft instruments read normal, aircraft responded to controls and throttle. All was well. The gunner would have been delighted had he known that he had scored a pin point hit, but there was no way that I could have told him. The damage was a 9 inch hole.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since Tezgaon runways were not repaired after December 7th, we shifted our attention to Kurmitola which was the second airfield at Dacca. It was possible that the Pakistanis might shift their aircraft by road to this airfield and operate from there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time I took my personal 35mm camera with me to take snaps of the damage caused to Tezgaon and to take pictures of the airfield for general study of its layout, important locations, dispersal of aircraft and the location of their shelters, because we had no such information from our Command or Air Headquarters.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copies of these photographs including one showing bombs exploding on Kurmitola runway were sent to Headquarters, Eastern Air Command with the compliments of the First Supersonics. EAC felt satisfied with the results and did not feel the need to mount any more sorties to damage the runways further, and these remained out of commission till the end of the war.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I visited Dacca a day after the surrender, I went to see the runway at Tezgaon. From the ground, it looked like the surface of the moon, full of craters along its length, with high mounds of earth around their periphery. I took some photographs of those. These craters measured about 22 feet in diameter and 20 feet in depth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No runway in the world could survive as many craters of that size with temporary repairs. This was clear from the fact that when I went to see the PAP Operations Room and crew room of their Sabre Squadron (No.14), date of the last briefing on the board read as 5 Dec '71. No flying took place at Tezgaon from the morning of December 6th, when we dropped first of the bombs the airfield being neutralized within 48 hours of war.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On December 7th, the US Government wanted to evacuate their nationals from Dacca and asked Pakistan's permission to land a Boeing 707 at Dacca. Pakistan told them that the Indian Air Force was very active in that region and they could not assure safety of the Boeing. The fact was that they did not want to announce that their runways had been knocked off as it would have demoralised both the military and the nation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead they asked the Americans to request India for safe passage. The Indian Government called the Pakistan bluff and promptly agreed to cease air operations over Dacca for a given period of 4 hours. Those four hours went by and no Boeing arrived - no further requests were made by the Americans either. However, the U.S. thanked India for its gesture, but this was another proof of total destruction of the PAF airfields in the East by December 6th.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazingly, as soon as I alighted from a chopper at Tezgaon on the day after surrender, the first person who came rushing to me was a Russian. He had learnt from another member of our party that I had flown one of the MiG-21s which had bombed the runways. He asked me point blank to tell him honestly which kind of bomb sight we used for such pinpoint bombing and effectiveness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said he saw bombs falling for days nowhere else but on the runways. I thanked him for the compliment and reminded him that we were flying their MiG-21s and they should know as to which gun sights they had provided to us. He shook his head in disbelief. He had read the PAF claims that Indian MiG-21s in the east were using laser gun sights. No one was ready to believe the truth that what we actually only used the same old primitive fixed gun sight for our bombing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The accuracy achieved was through our extensive training practice orientation, selection of attack techniques appropriate to the situation, sheer determination, motivation and guts in the face of enemy fire. The No.28 'First Supersonics' were soon named 'Runway Busters' by the C-in-C of EAC, Air Marshal H.C. Dewan. We had earned our spurs and found a place in the history of air warfare.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Absence of air-support to the Pakistani Army in Bangladesh severely limited their operations. The Indian Army on the other hand were relieved of the fear of air attacks by PAF aircraft. The Indian Air Force had complete freedom of the air in East Bengal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides the Indian Navy which had asked for such an assurance before they would commit their aircraft carrier in The Bay of Bengal, was given that guarantee on December 7th. INS <em>Vikrant</em> then lent its might in no small measure. This had been a classic counter-air operation with few parallels.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the east, It was a war of movement. The Pakistani forces had to be encircled, if possible destroyed or captured and thus made ineffective. The aim was to liberate Bangladesh. By now, international pressure, specially from the Americans, was mounting to stop the war in the east, perhaps in an effort to bale out Pakistan and prevent its disintegration.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seventh Fleet of the United States Navy was heading for the Bay of Bengal, indicating such an intention. The Soviets, who were batting for us with vetoes in The United Nations were urging India to hurry up. Urgency, therefore, was growing to expedite the fall of Dacca. There were innumerable rivers and streams in East Bengal. 500 bridges of these were blown up by Pakistani troops to stop or slow down advance of the Indian Army.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pakistanis had built strong defences along the other routes to stoutly resist the advancing Indians. From 7th to 14th December, the 'First Supersonics' flew a very large number of missions in close support of the Army in Maulvi Bazar, Commila, Narsingde, Lalmai, Mainamati and Dacca University, using both rockets and bombs to destroy the Pakistani Army's heavily defended positions and thus defeat their will to resist. This more than helped in ensuring an early passage to Dacca and the rest is history.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3a18hQM1gXg5i4qkWRkKusMLiOztO0vw6lvezrmjOnetHnHyxJei_Q9Js6ZnVgOjm48wIUpIr_iGUYQ675__GiTC3jBq9b-1VAOkqgLu77ti0cyLCPqO9-_Z3Z5ebIb8JMu0Fb7ig60/s1600/DSC_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3a18hQM1gXg5i4qkWRkKusMLiOztO0vw6lvezrmjOnetHnHyxJei_Q9Js6ZnVgOjm48wIUpIr_iGUYQ675__GiTC3jBq9b-1VAOkqgLu77ti0cyLCPqO9-_Z3Z5ebIb8JMu0Fb7ig60/s1600/DSC_0009.JPG" height="450" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Station Commander , Guwahati, Gp Capt M S D Wollen (Fourth from left, Standing) with the Commanding Officer and Ground Crew with one of the "Runway Busters" Bombs. The Ground crew has christened this bomb "Road to Dacca"</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On 14th December I had just returned from a close-support mission in the morning from Mainamati Cantonment when Group Captain Wollen came rushing to our operations room and said, <i>"Bhoop, a very critical and urgent task has come from Air HQ. There is a very important meeting going on at Circuit House, Dacca and this building needs to be attacked at 1120 hrs."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I told him that, first it was already 1055 and it required 21 minutes to be at Dacca and then <i>"Where in God's name is the Circuit House located in Dacca?"</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said, <i>"If you hurry up you can just about make it. Here, I have tourist map of Dacca and here, next to this road crossing is the Circuit House."</i> I looked back at him, the Circuit House was part of a densely populated area of Dacca and from the air one could see hundreds of road crossings, how was one to pick that one? I simply said, <i>"Yes Sir, it shall be done."</i> I borrowed that map from him to be taken along and with this, search for that Circuit House after getting overhead Dacca.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this mission I was taking four MiG-21s loaded with 32 high explosive rockets each. I was strapped in the cockpit of the aircraft and started the engine, just when I saw one of our Flight Commanders waving a paper and run towards me. <i>"Sir, this is for you." It read, Target is Government House, repeat Government House and not Circuit House. Confirm understood. Best of luck and good shooting. Mall."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I raised my thumb to confirm that I had noted the change. I quickly scanned the tourist map in my lap and located the Government House and taxied out. At this stage I did not inform of the change to the other three members of my team which consisted of Flight Lieutenant Vinod Bhatia, Flight Lieutenant Raghavachari and Flight Lieutenant Malhi as I did not want to announce this on R/T for the whole world to know.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Airborne and as we were approaching Dacca and had barely a minute to go, I gave the new target to my numbers 2, 3 and 4. I described the rough location of the target and asked them to look for it. Flight Lieutenant Bhatia spotted it first, calling that the target was at 11 o'clock, 500 yards away. It was a magnificent old styled palatial building with a high dome, situated in the middle of a lush green compound. There were quite a few vehicles inside the entrance gate.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tlIAcol-zFmJlZwRmTJBOkUXOuH0BY1KzMxBKciZIbLB0ZQ0jvi-hM_NoS31V0TkWxyXdUaeKbOahGPgIf9vmKD7qPhyphenhyphenstfD4nZv7_ijy6B9Pscmd2vqqwNlpKc7poJw7hICRRlCE_Q/s1600/DSC_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tlIAcol-zFmJlZwRmTJBOkUXOuH0BY1KzMxBKciZIbLB0ZQ0jvi-hM_NoS31V0TkWxyXdUaeKbOahGPgIf9vmKD7qPhyphenhyphenstfD4nZv7_ijy6B9Pscmd2vqqwNlpKc7poJw7hICRRlCE_Q/s1600/DSC_0366.JPG" height="394" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Governor's House punctured by 57mm rockets from the MiGs</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did a "chakkar" around it to reconfirm its identity and then ordered the attack taking the building from broad side. I aimed at the room below the dome, others took on other portions. We did two passes each and fired 128 rockets into the Government House.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjhiDsEZxtsef4qbvuhAklA4HDZkLUDU9qOJ0SpkByv-E6dFjCSZHugtdCaTBJR2GfIg2uPRh4ielfP7jUDOhb-i7XuspnqTv_H6qMSrrh7qXdsO-68YjgB2FghyphenhypheneHh5ks9ZwHuIlbQ4/s1600/DSC_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjhiDsEZxtsef4qbvuhAklA4HDZkLUDU9qOJ0SpkByv-E6dFjCSZHugtdCaTBJR2GfIg2uPRh4ielfP7jUDOhb-i7XuspnqTv_H6qMSrrh7qXdsO-68YjgB2FghyphenhypheneHh5ks9ZwHuIlbQ4/s1600/DSC_0358.JPG" height="440" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Interior decoration - Courtesy First Supersonics</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the second attack smoke and dust could be seen rising from many locations from the abode the mightiest in East Pakistan. It obviously broke the backbone of the civilian Government. Two days later General Niazi, the Supreme Commander of the Pakistan Military in East Pakistan was to surrender to the Indian Defense Forces along with 93,000 troops.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOrWZuL9aR8_eGf1mzw2OyP0TIbfaKISYqmkHlaxKi4hiumndJguef_GVrlzjRll3nuVmx0Yng1t0Da_iWgrTKMfM-3FvLkB9z3fyZC4MlgCt0dfY00i7rxUkhmsN_aeNV1B_S7_WFhk/s1600/c-779+bishnoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOrWZuL9aR8_eGf1mzw2OyP0TIbfaKISYqmkHlaxKi4hiumndJguef_GVrlzjRll3nuVmx0Yng1t0Da_iWgrTKMfM-3FvLkB9z3fyZC4MlgCt0dfY00i7rxUkhmsN_aeNV1B_S7_WFhk/s1600/c-779+bishnoi.jpg" height="328" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">MiG-21 FL Type 77 - C 779 - as seen at Kalaikunda in 1997. This was the same aircraft flown by Wg Cdr Bishnoi during the 1971 War in his sorties to Tejgaon on the first day of the war and also for the sortie on Government House.</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On December 14th evening we were told that the Pakistani Army from their headquarters in Dacca Cantonment had shifted to the buildings of Dacca University, inside the town. They had to be flushed out in an operation dubbed "Street Fighting".</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the morning of 15th, I led two missions of four MiG-21s each. In addition, No.28 Squadron mounted another eight missions. Dacca University was in the middle of the town and had very high buildings around it. We had to fly in between and below their tops.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a great experience flying at 1000km/h through these narrow corridors and having people actually looking below from the windows above. An unusual sight to say the least. We made two passes each and struck hard delivering 256 rockets without compliments to the Pakistani Army housed there. A total of 1280 57mm rockets were fired into Dacca University buildings by the 'First Supersonics' on that day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was later told that the same evening, the top brass of the Army from University Camp had shifted to the International Hotel which was a safe haven declared by the Government of India. General Niazi who until the previous day was claiming that he could go on fighting for months, was left with little choice and had to face the realities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was made to take the ultimate decision to surrender and salvage whatever honour remained. He conveyed his desire to do so on the morning of 16 December 1971, and the actual surrender was taken the same evening. Pakistan's flag was lowered, not to be raised again. 'Sonar Bangla' had become a reality.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air Chief Marshal P.C. Lal, Chief of Air Staff, gave a press briefing at Vayu Bhawan in New Delhi at 1130 hours on 19th February 1972 and fielded media questions. Following are some of the extracts relating to the major events of air operations in the Eastern Theatre;</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>(a) </strong>Taking the Eastern front first the aim was absolutely clear - we had to achieve quick victory in order to bring the war to a close.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>(b) </strong>By the evening of December 13th, the Indian Army was encircling Dacca, still at a distance of 10 to 15 miles. At that time it would have taken the Army perhaps another week or ten days to bring in heavy artillery and tanks needed for the siege of Dacca.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air reconnaissance had shown that strong points had been built up on its out-skirts with a garrison well-armed, well supplied with food. The Pakistan Army was apparently capable of holding off our land forces for quite a period of time. That apparently was their intention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>(c) </strong>On December 14th morning.....we got information in New Delhi that the Governor of East Pakistan, Dr. Malik, was holding a meeting in Government House Dacca at noon (Dacca time) that day. The 14th, when certain policy matters were to be discussed and Islamabad would be informed of the decisions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We picked up this message about 11:45 (Dacca time). We sent out the message to our Headquarters, Eastern Air Command at Shillong to "please put on a strike as soon as you can after noon" (Dacca Time) against Government House. Our MiG-21s got across at 20 minutes past 12 (Dacca Time). 35 minutes from the time we picked up the telephone at Air Headquarters. They hit the Government House pretty accurately.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Malik resgned forthwith. He went into an air shelter (as we have been told by a UN official, Mr. Kefly who happened to be with him at that time). The moment first rockets struck Government House, he got out a paper and with his ball point pen wrote out his resignation. It was a dramatic incident. That really spelt the end of Pakistan's regime in Bangladesh. I believe that cut the ground under General Niazi's feet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>(d) </strong>General Niazi was later given the same treatment. We heard intelligence again from our sources, that the Army had moved out of Kurmitola. We had kept Kurmitola under constant air attacks day and night. They got fed up and moved into Dacca city and occupied a part of the Dacca University Campus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After giving the treatment to Government House, we switched over to the University campus and between the aftenoon of 14th and evening of 15th, the IAF put 1500 rockets and several thousand rounds of ammunition into the Campus....calling on Niazi to surrender - which he did on the 18th and the war came to an end.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am told by the Air Force people who were at the surrender that Niazi was asked as to why he packed off so quickly after having made a very definite statement on the 13th evening about defending Dacca for months. He was unable to speak at that time, possibly for emotion or the lack of ability to speak. But he turned around and pointed to the Wings of our Air Force Officers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later he said he had not slept for the past 12 nights, and just could not carry on, nor could his troops. We also have intercepts of messages passing between Dacca and Islamabad which make very interesting reading. "We have been bombed as nobody has ever been bombed."</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The First Supersonics were awarded "Battle Honours" in recognition of their share in the victory for Bangladesh.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Reproduced with permission from www.bharatrakshak.com</span></span></div>
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</span>The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6134763966717610789.post-47310659873507693412012-12-01T05:46:00.003-08:002012-12-13T10:17:38.127-08:00Supersonics Golden Jubilee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VHkmykxxBoMna5m5dP4tZjzkzG3RQu1zLR6ru1xKQGk_ISC9lo8lwva8A8ZbGcm0lBRbFPvUxt0fdcxxqzml_RQ1bUEZhgZbdjwQpzBjD3JC2DkC7Py31SIs0Xg5Hl8wUk7A9cLDyJQ/s1600/GOLDEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VHkmykxxBoMna5m5dP4tZjzkzG3RQu1zLR6ru1xKQGk_ISC9lo8lwva8A8ZbGcm0lBRbFPvUxt0fdcxxqzml_RQ1bUEZhgZbdjwQpzBjD3JC2DkC7Py31SIs0Xg5Hl8wUk7A9cLDyJQ/s640/GOLDEN.jpg" height="283" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>"First Supersonics all over the world please get in touch and relive those glorious days of yore</i></b> "</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No - 28 Squadron of the IAF proudly celebrates 50 years of service to the nation on 02 Mar 2013. It is a time to reflect, to rejoice and to celebrate this historic occasion. All the air warriors who were a part of the unit since its inception are cordially invited to be a part of the occasion. Share with us how has been your association with 28 Sqn, retell those old tales of valor, bring forth any historic photo/item which will help in bringing the unit's history to the forefront. Contribution towards the conduct of the anniversary celebrations would be highly appreciated.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please contact us on -</span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> firstsupersonics1963@gmail.com</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>MiG-29 Fulcrum Air Superiority Fighter</b></span></td></tr>
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The First Supersonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10222540118583461458noreply@blogger.com1