F-104 StarFighter of Pakistan Air Force

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STAR-FIGHTER COMES TO SUB CONTINENT​

Lockheed F 104 Star-fighter Supersonic fighter Bomber also remained in Pakistan Airforce till 1972.

First F-104A Tail # 56-803 was received in PAF on August 5, 1961. Sqn Ldr Sadruddin and Flt Lt Middlecoat landed the first Starfighters at PAF Base Sargodha.

5 Martyrs, 2 future ACMs and an AM in the photo.

 

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PAF Sargodha

 

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Early 1960's

 

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F-104A Starfighter in the early 60s. Clean configuration indicates a supersonic run.

 

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L to R: AVM Abbas Mirza, Sqn Ldr M Ishaq (late), Wg Cdr Arif Iqbal (late), Wg Cdr Middlecoat (late) AVM Farooq Umer, AM Asghar Khan (CinC), ACM Jamal Khan ( OC 9 sqn), ACM Hakimullah, Flt Lt Arif Manzoor (late), Flt Lt. G U Abbasi (late), Air Cdre Rashid Bhatti, Flt Lt Mushtaq Alam (late) at PAF Base Peshawar during 23rd March 1965 flypast.
9 Sqn moved from Sargodha to Peshawar for flypast. (Ranks of later service)

Picture: Air Cdre (retd.) Rashid Bhatti

 

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A memorable group photo of No. 9 Sqn pilots and ground crew – circa 1965 at Sargodha Air Base.Picture Copyright: AVM (retd.) Amjad Hussain

 

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High Altitude CAP over the Himalayas.

 

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"Fear of the Starfighter"

The painting depicts S/L Brij Pal Singh Sikand re-entering Pakistani airspace in sheer panic.
On 3rd Sep 1965, a flight of 6 Gnats challenged 2 F-86s for a dogfight which had a cover of a fearsome F-104. F/L Yusuf received hits from Gnat flown by F/L Trevor Keelor while he was about to fire a missile at one of the Gnat.

He managed to continue dogfighting with a damaged Sabre. F-104 of PAF’s 9 flown by F/O Abbas Mirza, made supersonic runs to support F-86s.

On seeing F-104, SL Singh shouted in Punjabi “Pajh oye…. 104 eeee” All gnats disengaged but Singh behaved strangely. He broke off towards Pakistan then turned towards India then turned back and re entered Pakistan airspace thinking it as India.

He landed at Pasrur airfield and was our “guest” (POW) till the war ended. He claimed that he encountered problems relating to navigation, jammed guns etc. S/L Sa’ad Hatmi flew this Gnat to Sargodha, carried out evaluation flights and found the aircraft fit to fly and fight!!!!

The aircraft is now on display at PAF Museum Karachi.

Picture courtesy: Rehan Siraj

For more please visit http://aviationartofrehansiraj.blogspot.com/2011_06_01...

 

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Squadron Leader Brijpal Singh Sikand, Commander of an Indian fighter squadron, surrenders to a PAF F-104 in combat. The painting shows him landing his Gnat fighter at Pasrur, a Pakstani airfield near Gujranwala. The F-104 was flown by Flight Lieutenant Hakimullah who became the air chief two decades later. Sikand was taken prisoner and later rose to be an IAF Air Marshal. This encounter was the most unusual event of the 1965 Air War.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

 

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“Sonic Booms over Amritsar”

The painting depicts PAF F-104 piloted by F/L Farooq Umer, crossing sound barrier over Golden Temple, Amritsar, India.

After PAF shot down IAF Vampires over Chamb on September 1st, 1965, the PAF higher command wanted to send a clear warning message to Indians, not to mess with Pakistan and the PAF was fully capable to meet the challenges. The war was not officially declared at that time. So F/L Farooq Umer, who was on dusk CAP mission over Kashmir, was ordered to break the sound barrier over the famous Indian city. He reached the city and crossed the sound barrier at low altitude. Not satisfied, he came again, this time in opposite direction and rocked the city with massive sonic booms. There was panic on the ground and even IAF did not come to intercept. Later that evening, All India Radio announced 8 PAF F-86s had bombed Amritsar city!!!! Despite Indian Ack ack, F-104 headed back to Sargodha unscratched and landed safely.

Picture courtesy: Rehan Siraj

For more please visit http://aviationartofrehansiraj.blogspot.com/2012_01_01...

 

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PAF Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan in an F-104A Starfighter destroys a Mystere IV and damages another, to mark the start of the India-Pakistan war.

India launched the war over West Pakistan with an attack by a formation of Mystere IV aircraft.

The Mysteres crossed the international border before to attack a Pakistani train near Wazirabad.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

 

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