Formation flights

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The image appears to show a formation of Royal Pakistan Air Force Hawker Tempest Mk.2 fighter aircraft during an Independence Day flypast in the early 1950s

 

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A mixed formation of Pakistan Air Force aircraft near Mianwali on 30 March 1986.

Shenyang FT-5s from No. 1 Fighter Conversion Unit (1 FCU), FT-6s from 25 Operational Conversion Unit (25 OCU), and Shenyang F-6s from 14 Operational Conversion Unit (14 OCU), flying in right echelon.

The photographer Peter Steinemann was airborne in one of the lead Shenyang FT-5 trainers.

© Peter Steinemann

 

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PAF calendars of the 1980s and 1990s were far more than paper and ink — they were treasured keepsakes, cherished by aviation enthusiasts, serving personnel, and the public alike.

These calendars stood as silent witnesses to a proud era, capturing the operational strength, professional excellence, and unyielding spirit of the Pakistan Air Force during one of its most defining decades.

This striking mixed formation of a Chinese F-6 and a French Mirage IIIEP beautifully embodies the multi-origin fighter force that guarded Pakistan’s skies long before the large-scale arrival of the F-16 — a powerful reminder of an age when courage, skill, and national pride soared side by side.

 

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Box Formation comprising F-16, A-5, F-6 and Mirage-V circa 1987.

The four aircraft appear as dark silhouettes against a partly cloudy blue sky, flying in a tight, disciplined rectangular formation that highlights both their distinct outlines and the pilots’ skill in dissimilar-aircraft flying. The lighting and angle emphasize the different wing and fuselage shapes while keeping markings largely obscured.

General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon:

The newest and most advanced type then in PAF service (Block 15, delivered from 1983 onward). It was the high-performance air-superiority and multi-role jet that gave PAF a decisive qualitative edge during the Afghan border air operations of 1986–88.

Nanchang A-5III (A-5C) Fantan:

Chinese dedicated ground-attack aircraft (a developed derivative of the F-6/MiG-19 family). Inducted from 1983, it equipped tactical attack squadrons and was fitted with Western avionics and Martin-Baker ejection seats for PAF use.

Shenyang F-6 (MiG-19):

Chinese License built MiG-19 Farmer, the long-serving workhorse day fighter that had formed the backbone of PAF air defence for two decades.

Dassault Mirage V (Mirage 5PA series):

French delta-wing multi-role fighter that had been in PAF service since the late 1960s/early 1970s and remained an important strike and air-combat asset.