Images - Pakistan Air Force in the Mirror of History.

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PAF Base Masroor

PAF Masroor, the largest and one of the premier air bases of the Pakistan Air Force derived its
original name - Mauripur - from a small village near this coastal airfield. It was established during WW II in 1940-41 as a temporary staging post and air transport base for the US Air Corps;the facilities of the staging post were extensively utilized by the Allies. By 1945, the Royal Air Force had taken over the base as a strategic link for India and the Far East. After the creation of Pakistan, the RAF remained a joint user of Mauripur together with the RPAF upto 1955; a transit camp was set up to handle all movement of RAF personnel to and from Pakistan. The RPAF Station Mauripur was established on 1st January 1948 with Wing Commander Zaheer Ahmed as the station commander. In 1948, about a year after the birth of the Royal Pakistan Air Force, Air Headquarters moved from Peshawar to Mauripur. Thus in the early days of the RPAF, Mauripur contributed significantly in giving shape to the newly born air force.

Its primary role was to administer No.6 Transport Squadron. All the officers and men,
were veterans of WW II and their rich experience helped to evolve sound flying
practices, high standards of maintenance and good traditions with regard to customs
of service and social life in the messes.

For the first two decades Mauripur remained the nucleus of advance flying training as well as an operational base and an administrative center. The station had the proud distinction of receiving
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 13th August 1947. On 11th September, the
last journey of the father of the nation from Quetta to his eternal abode also staged
through Mauripur.

In 1967, Air Commodore Masroor Hosain, a brilliant officer of the PAF who was then
the base commander of Mauripur, was killed in a tragic bird strike accident during an
operational exercise, in a B-57 he was flying in the vicinity of Karachi: subsequently
the base was named after him.

In one of its early roles, Mauripur was required to provide air support and protection
to the Pakistan Navy, by undertaking coastal surveillance in SA-16 Albatross
aircraft.

The proximity of the base to the Karachi port and to important sea routes of the
Arabian sea makes it, strategically, a very important base. It is entrusted with the air
defence of the southern air space of Pakistan. The base provides air protection and
support to Pakistan Army and, in conjunction with Pakistan Navy, it defends the
coastal areas of Pakistan. It also has a number of satellite bases in Baluchistan and
Sind.

In December 45, a Royal Indian Air Force Dakota of No 12 Squadron was positioned
at Mauripur and by March 46 the entire squadron had been shifted to this base. In
1947, No 6 Squadron of the RPAF was formed at Mauripur with several additional
Dakotas fresh from overhaul at the Hindustan Aeronautical Factory in Bangalore. No
6 Squadron carried out intensive missions in support of own troops in Kashmir and
the northern areas in 1948 and 49.

The modern era of PAF Base Masroor, as a multipurpose fighter base, started with
the establishment of No. 32 Fighter Ground Attack Wing in August 56, equipped
with F-86 jet fighters. In 1960, Nos 7 and 8 Squadrons constituting 31 Wing were
formed with American B-57 light bomber aircraft. This aircraft is still being operated
from PAF Base Masroor along with a number of other combat aircraft.

The maintenance wing of the base had the unique privilege of servicing the Vickers
Viking aircraft of the Quaid-e-Azam after independence. Since then, the base has
grown steadily in man-power and size and also in its ability to absorb new systems
and technology. In 1956, with the induction of American weapon systems, technical
know-how started to develop for modern aircraft like F-86, T-33 and B-57. Over the
years a wide range of facilities were installed including jet engine, aircraft structural
and radar shops.

Masroor also house's a number of important lodger units such as the Central
Medical Board, Aero-Medical Institute, Institute of Flight Safety, Office of the
Deputy Controller of Accounts Air Force, PAF Press and Air Tactical Support
School.

During the 65 and 71 wars, the squadrons from this base fought with exemplary
determination and the pilots displayed outstanding courage and leadership.
Mauripur has also had the honor of winning the highest gallantry award, the
Nishan-e-Haider, posthumously conferred on Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas in 1971.

Three of Masroor’s base commanders Group Captains Nur Khan and Rahim Khan
and Air Commodore Anwar Shamim rose to the command of the PAF. Two other
Chiefs, Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhry and Air Chief Marshal ZuIfiqar Ali Khan were
officers commanding of 32 Fighter Ground Attack Wing located at the base. Upon
the creation of Pakistan, Mauripur with its sprawling complex was a veritable
thorough-fare. A refugee colony existed within the camp area.

The USAF's Military
Air Transport Services used to make regular stops here. A missionary school was
functioning here since the early 40s; the present PAF Intermediate College now
stands at the same site. There was no barbed wire along the perimeter of the base. In
course of time, all these security hazards had been removed one by one and before
the 65 war the premises of the base had been made fully secure.
With concerted efforts by all concerned, the social life at Masroor has been so
organized over the years as to make the base a small, well equipped, and self
supporting town.

The Markaz-e-Mujahidda run by the Masroor branch of PAFWA
renders valuable services to the families of air-men. Several sports fields, a nine-hole
golf course and a gymnasium with modern facilities help to keep its men fit. A PAF
Intermediate College and 5 secondary and primary schools established by the
Government of Sind cater to the educational requirements of the children of PAF
personnel and civilians from the adjoining areas. There are 12 mosques in various
camps, out of which 2 are newly constructed and have all the modern amenities.

PAF Base Masroor, by virtue of its strategic location, will always play a vital role in
the air defence of southern and coastal regions of Pakistan. The base has the
necessary infrastructure for the deployment and operation of any modern weapon
system and the potentialities of growth and development to meet any future
requirements.

 

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Formation of RAF fighters en route Risalpur to Gilgit along Indus valley - 1937.

[Picture Courtesy: DPR, PAF]

 

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List of Pioneering Officers as on 15th August, 1947

(Ranks stated are Substantive) Pilots Date of Birth Date of Commission Squadron Leaders Mohammad Khan Janjua 19-05-14 15-07-35 Haider Raza 23-09-16 15-02-40 Flight Lieutenants Maqbool Rabb 12-11-14 15-02-40 Edwin Nazir Ullah 18-10-18 01-08-40 Mohammad Asghar Khan 17-01-21 22-12-40 Mirza Abdul Rahman 01-01-20 30-11-40 Mohammad Akhtar 10-07-21 06-01-41 Mohammad Mukhtar Ahmad Cheema 05-08-15 06-01-41 Flying Officers Malik Nur Khan 22-02-23 06-01-41 Zahiruddin Ahmad 24-01-18 03-03-41 Balwant Kumar Dass 30-04-18 03-03-41 Salah-ud-Din 09-03-16 10-11-41 Stephen Aratoon Joseph 27-03-21 10-11-41 Mohammad Ibrahim Khan 19-01-23 10-11-41 Mian Ata Rabbani 30-09-19 15-12-41 Mohammad Salim Khan 01-07-17 05-04-42 Said Akhtar Aziz 13-07-21 07-09-42 Abdullah Beg 03-08-24 29-06-42 Sahebzada Manzur Hussain 01-09-16 29-06-42 Abdul Naeem Aziz 01-11-23 29-06-42 Mohammad Jamiluddin Khan 17-10-19 29-06-42 Abdul Majeed Khan 23-08-24 29-06-42 Shei kh Niaz Ahmad 03-02-20 21-12-42 Mohammad Khyber Khan 15-03-24 21-12-42 Saleem Jamal-ud-Din 03-02-21 21-12-42 Syed Inam-ul-Rehman Bokhari 19-02-23 29-03-43 Aziz-ul-Rehman Khan 24-03-20 29-03-43 Abdul Oadir 24-08-22 27-09-43 Nawabzada Haider Mirza 21-10-22 27-09-43 Abu Khaled Salahuddin Ahmad 01-03-23 08-11-43 Mohammad Mazhar Jaffrey 09-07-21 08-11-43 Eric Gordon Hall 12-10-22 20-12-43 Mohammad Sarwar Khan 01-10-18 31-01-44 Mohammad Hasan Jamil 18-06-21 12-03-44 Janmast Afridi 17-08-25 24-04-44 Salahuddin 14-11-23 24-04-44 Abdur Rahim Khan 25-07-23 05-06-44 Mohammad Wasim Khan 13-07-23 17-07-44 James Jebb Robin Louis 26-02-22 17-07-44 Mohammad Iqbal Rahman 23-10-24 17-07-44 Zaffar Mahmud 12-04-23 04-09-44 Masroor Hosain 29-12-22 04-09-44 Fuad Shahid Hussain 20-07-24 04-09-44 Zafar Ahmad Chaudhry 19-08-26 09-04-45 Syed Mansoor Ahmad Shah 11-03-26 09-04-45 Mohammad Ashraf Sheikh 01-05-25 21-05-45 Mohammad Sajjad Akhtar 17-02-25 25-06-45 S Mohammad Shamsul Haque 01-05-26 07-08-45 Saeedullah Khan 23-07-26 17-09-45 Pilot Officers Nazir Ahmad Siddiqui 28-08-23 09-04-45 Mohammad Abbas 16-01-25 17-09-45 Patrie Desmond Callaghan 16-07-26 17-09-45 Mohammad Ashraf 02-12-24 29-04-46 Stephen Israel 25-05-26 29-04-46 Mahmood J an 01-09-26 29-04-46 Chaudhry Rab Nawaz 15-05-24 29-04-46 Michael John O'Brian 05-01-28 29-04-46 Mohammad Saleem Sheikh 28-08-24 29-04-46 Khalid Bin Majid 15-08-27 01-06-46 Oswald Lionel Springett 18-07 -27 01-06-46 Suleman Soni Afzal 12-09-26 16-09-46 Aubrey Neil Macleish Game 16-10-26 16-09-46 Shamsuzzoha Khan 23-11-23 16-09-46 I mtiaz Hussain Khan 23-11-23 22-09-46 Mohammad Zafar Masud 17-10-27 25-02-46 Navigators Flying Officers Mir Abdul Jalil 03-08-17 28-03-42 Leslie H F De'Cruz 18-04-13 14-06-42 Yusuf Ali Aziz 16-05-21 27-09-42 Kamal Ahmad 31-07-23 25-02-46 Malik Mohammad Iqbal 15-11-23 06-10-46 Tahir Saleem Jan 18-05-26 06-10-46 Sher Afzal Khan 01-01-24 06-10-46 Air Gunners Flying Officers Mian Mohammad Shafi 08-12-13 20-04-42 Alfred Jag J ivan 09-02-20 28-08-42 Ghulam Ali 10-02-18 17-02-43 Technical Engineering Flying Officers Jalil-ur-Rahman Khan 01-08-17 21-12-42 Abdul Hai 13-05-14 12-10-43 Mohammad Mahboob 03-02-09 12-12-43 Mohammad Siddiq 01-06-10 19-11-46 Pilot Officers Syed Khalilur Razzak 12-06-14 10-10-42 Technical Electrician Flying Officers Abdul Mannan Khan 17-07-17 13-06-43 Technical Signals Flying Officers Zulfiqar Ali Aziz 05-08-17 29-06-42 Rana Mohammad Saeed 13-04-18 31-10-42 Abdus Salam Butt 30-12-14 29-03-43 Malik Bashir Ahmad 14-07-14 12-08-43 Mohammad Mustafa Khan 03-07 -22 12-10-43 Technical Armament Pilot Officer Vivian Deryck Marston 19-01-20 14-05-43 Admin And Special Duties Flight Lieutenants Abdul Mofazil Alahdad 21-02-15 01-08-40 Said-ud-Din, M B E 19-08-13 14-08-41 Flying Officers Abdul Rahman 15-12-00 12-03-42 Mohammad Ilyas Khan 15-12-15 26-01-42 Mustafa Kamal 02-05-22 15-12-41 Sardar Hamid Omar 17-12-17 05-04-42 Hamid Ali Soofi 09-08-06 08-08-42 Lal Mohammad Dutta 06-10-94 29-08-42 Rana Fakher-uz-Zaman 18-12-22 12-10-42 Mohammad Mahbub Piracha 22-10-22 31-10-42 Mohammad Khalil Khan 08-07-04 31-01-42 Shahzada Taimur Shah 20-01-22 31-10-42 Saied-ud-Din 10-06-07 31-10-42 Syed Munawar Hasan 16-02-05 31-10-42 Agha Habib Ahmad 20-01-11 27-11-42 Flying Officers Mohammad Akbar Khan 11-07-09 27-11-42 Dost Mohammad Khan 01-02-14 27-11-42 Ghulam Safdar Khan 12-07-16 29-12-42 Firman Wali Khan 10-08-18 12-01-43 Fahimuz-Zaman 20-08-10 12-01-43 Syed Masud Ahmad 01-10-20 12-01-43 Mohammad Yousaf Khan 05-10-12 12-01-43 Munir-ud-Din Ahmad 20-07-20 21-10-42 Aminullah Khan 12-01-13 05-02-43 Hamid Ullah Bhatty 13-02-05 12-02-43 Abdul Khair Sayidur Rahman 19-02-19 04-03-43 Syed Shamsuddin Khalid 12-03-09 14-03-43 Aftab Ahmad 08-09-18 14-03-43 Sahebzada Anweruddin Ahmad 07-02-16 14-03-43 Malik Aqil Khan 02-03-18 14-03-43 Mohammad Fazil Khan 27-03-13 14-03-43 Mohammad Amir Khan 10-07-20 31-07-42 Melville Robert Ritchie 10-09-23 29-03-43 Abdul Ghayur Kakar 16-07-18 11-04-43 Zia-ud-Din Ahmad 17-10-11 11-04-43 Johnson Edward Lewis 14-12-97 11-04-43 Sultan Ahmad 30-12-16 13-06-43 Mohammad Shafi 13-10-09 13-06-43 Mohammad Tufail Khan 01-02-09 13-06-43 Sultan Salahuddin Fatih 10-09-22 13-06-43 Abdus Sattar Saggu 10-07-12 12-07-43 Syedul Islam 26-01-15 12-07-43 Sheikh Ghulam Hassan 20-09-12 12-08-43 Mohammad Akram 05-10-15 12-08-43 Rahat Bokhari 03-03-03 12-08-43 M Mohammad Said 24-01-14 12-08-43 Malik Shabbir Hussain 27-03-17 12-08-43 Hubert Joseph Cardeaux 19-11-99 12-09-43 Archibald Vivian Engles 10-11-16 12-09-43 Mohammad Hafeezullah 20-07-10 12-09-43 Anwar Mansoor jafree 12-02-16 12-09-43 Syed Riaz Qutb 01-05-13 12-09-43 Syed Ghazanfar Ali Shah 01-01-08 12-10-43 Abdul Rauf Khan 13-05-17 12-10-43 Joseph Martyn Octavious 26-01-11 12-11-43 Sufi Ahmad Hussain 05-08-15 12-11-43 Mohammad Baqir 01-01-09 12-11-43 Mohammad Afzal Khan 16-09-18 12-11-43 TasiLdduq Hussain Gardezi, 14-09-12 12-11-43 Chaudri Ataullah Mahes 12-08-11 12-11-43 Kamaluddin Ahmad 15-04-20 28-03-42 Noel Ternice Monis 26-11-15 11-03-44 Chaudri Shahbaz Khan 28-06-22 22-01-43 Mohammad Yahya Butt 01-09-23 31-03-43 Sahebzada Imtiaz Khan 30-09-20 03-03-41 Sarfaraz Ali 15-06-98 12-10-43 Najib Ullah Khan 19-06-19 14-03-43 Khurshid Ahmad Hashmi 09-01-09 13-05-45 Syed Mustafa Hussain Razvi 05-05-06 13-05-45 Anis Ahmad Khan Shirwany 16-01-23 19-08-45 Mohammad I kram Khawaja 05-07-14 19-08-45 Mohammad Afazur Rahman 01-08-14 19-08-45 Zafar Husain Khan 06-11-12 21-10-45 Pir Ataullah Shah 20-12-04 21-10-45 Herbert Winston Hyland 23-10-14 21-10-45 Mumtaz Khan 09-03-17 21-10-45 Syed Taqi Zaidi 16-11-15 21-10-45 Pilot Officer Mohammad Nizam-ud-Din Ansari 11-06-17 09-12-45 Meteorological Mohammad Abid Faruqi 15-07-14 11-03-44 Mohammad Abdul Baaquie 01-01-20 08-04-45 Equipment Flight Lieutenant Malik Abdul Rashid Khan 15-10-11 22-10-40 Flying Officers Syed Mushtaq Ahmed 10-01-15 25-01-42 Mohammad Amin Rizwani 19-05-21 31-10-42 Rafiq Ahmad Qureshie 03-02-02 31-10-42 Nazir Ahmad Rishi 08-10-11 11-04-43 Mohammad Hamim Khan 30-06-18 19-05-43 Rafi-ur-Rahman Khan 22-10-22 20-05-43 Abdul Hamid Khan 12-11-21 13-06-43 Syed Ishrat Hussain Zaidi 01-05-07 12-09-43 Abdul jabbar Khan 01-01-12 12-09-43 William Satis Chandra Biswas 11-04-94 14-03-43 Mirza Haider Raza 11-05-11 12-11-43 Taj Ahmad Khan 16-03-04 12-12-43 Saidullah Butt 05-06-12 12-12-43 Sirajuddin Zafar 24-03-12 12-12-43 Abdul Majeed Khawaja 02-01-16 19-08-45 Accounts Flying Officers Qasim Hussain 10-03-15 27-11-42 Syed Zahurul Askari 14-04-12 08-02-43 Iftakhar Ahmad Qazi 18-05-17 12-09-43 Hashem Jamal Dhannani 24-12-14 12-10-43 Mohammad Akram Butt 21-08-18 12-11-43 Mohammad Anwar Toor 10-01-22 12-08-43 Hassan Ali Shah 10-05-10 21-10-45 Sheikh Ghulam Sadiq 19-11-11 13-06-43 Aftab Ahmad Bilgrami 10-06-14 21-10-45 Zahir-ud-Din Uraizee 02-08-15 12-08-43 Medical Flight Lieutenants Basheer Ahmad 01-04-16 05-10-41 Mohammad Masudal Haque 01-03-14 17-10-43 Syed Baqir Hussain Gardezi 13-04-16 05-06-42 Mumtaz Hussain 22-04-20 18-02-43 Syed Abid Hasnain 15-05-17 18-02-43 Mir Rifat Mahmood 12-02-18 18-02-43 Allauddin 01-04-19 18-02-43 Nawab Khan 10-03-21 14-07-43 Sheikh Abdul Ghafoor 21-10-18 18-11-43 Mohammad Aslam Khan 06-04-23 14-07-44 Syed Ahmad Raza Peerzada 05-04-21 14-07-44 Education Flying Officers Syed Fayyaz Mahmud 03-10-06 13-06-43 Asghar Husain 01-08-14 12-09-43 Mohammad Daud 09-03-17 12-10-43 Wali-ud-Din 03-11-15 12-10-43 Malik Mohammad Ibrahim 01-01-16 12-10-43 Ahbabullah Kakakhel 01-07-15 11-02-44 Charles Malcolm Revis 01-02-05 11-02-44 Mirza Nisar Ali Beg 15-06-08 11-03-44 Qamqam Hussain) afri 15-01-15 13-07-44 Hassan-ud-Din 28-07-18 24-08-44 Syed Mohammad 01-01-18 05-10-44 Mohammad Nazir Qazi 06-08-08 03-03-45 Mohammad Ismail Qureshi 15-11-09 13-05-45 Abbas Akhtar Sheikh 02-12-16 17-06-45 Legal Flight Lieutenant Syed Mohammad Aslam 21-06-00 14-04-42

 

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PAF Fighters fleet during a Photo shoot mission in1987.

Squadron Leader Muhammad Yousaf leading the Formation in F-16.

Squadron Leader Tahir Rafique Butt (Retired Air Cheif) in Mirage slot.

Flt Lt Shaheen Ghazanfar in F-6 echelon (Left).

Flt Lt Khaleel Ahmed in A-5 echelon (Right).

 

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Air Commodore (R) Abdul Sattar Alvi who shot down Israel Air Force's (IAF's) Mirage lllCJ flown by Captain M.Lutz.

Lutz from No.5 Air wing based at Hatzor , ejected out from his Air craft over Golan Heights during Yom kippur war.
During this war PAF sent its pilots to Egypt and Syria.

On 26 April 1974 Flight Lieutenant Abdul Sattar Alvi Deputation to no.67A squadron and was flying a Syrian Air Force's (SAF's) Mig-21F-13 (serial no. 1863) out of Dumayr Air Base, syria in an eight-ship formation.
Alvi came to worldwide international notice when he shot down IAF's Mirage lllCJ.

It has been learnt that Mirages were on reconnaissance mission escorted by Phantoms of No.1 Air Wing operating out of Ramat David Air Base.

Phantoms were to trap any interceptors while Mirages carried out the recce.

Timely warning by radar controller ( also from PAF )had turned the table on the escorts,allowing Alvi to sort out Mirages.

The Dog Fight over Golan Heights gave a Mirage lllCJ kill to Alvi and his leader , Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor and they were awarded two highest decorations from gallantry,Wisaam Faris and Wissam Shuja'at.The Government of Pakistan also awarded them Sitar-e-jurrat.

Credit : Defence General
The London Post.

 

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Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat sitting with the commanders of elite F-16 9th and 11th Squadrons on March 21, 2005. Wing Commander Haseeb Paracha is seated first from left.

 

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Captain Crawley taking off at Risalpur, 1918 (c).

 

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Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah & Miss Fatima Jinnah Visited RPAF Flying School At Risalpur On 13 April, 1948. He Was Received By Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Who Was Then Wing Commander And Officer Commanding Of The RPAF Flying Training School.

 

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Royal Air Force Westland Wapiti Aircraft Crash At Lowari Pass, Chitral, North-West Frontier, 1930 (c).

 

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Muhammad Ali Jinnah with Fatimah Jinnah and Begum Bashir at the Walton Airport in Lahore, a year after the formation of Pakistan, standing amongst a group of the country's very first pilots.

 

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Hawker Tempest with the Royal Pakistan Air Force

(Text by Franciszek Grabowski)


The story of the operations of Hawker Tempest within the Royal Pakistan Air Force is one of the least known topics in the history of the aircraft. The history starts with the Royal Indian Air Force which, following partition and establishment of the RPAF, had to be shared between the two countries. Following lengthy negotiations it was agreed that Pakistan will take over 35 Tempest IIs out of Royal Indian Air Force’s inventory inherited from the RAF. Tempests were selected by the RPAF, because they were considered more suitable for harsh and hot weather conditions than liquid cooled Spitfire VIIIs & XIVs, also operated by the RIAF. Spitfires were well known for tendency to overheating in hot weather areas, even in tropicalised variants.

This also meant that Pakistan would take over two RIAF Squadrons), No. 1 and No. 9, the latter a favourite of Squadron Leader Mohammad Asghar Khan (1653). The fact that Pakistan had to take over the prime Squadron of India caused a lot of dismay in the RIAF. Nonetheless only physical assets were taken over, all the regalia was returned to India, and the Squadron was duly renumbered as No. 5 Sqn RPAF. No. 1 Sqn was reformed in India in later years.

Both Squadrons were formally established on 15 August 1947 at RPAF Peshawar, then one of the main bases of RPAF. A day before, at RPAF Drigh Road, Karachi, a RIAF Tempest II MW419 (photo left) from 320 MU was painted in temporary RPAF markings and took part in Pakistan Independence celebrations. Following parade, the aircraft was delivered to No 3 Squadron RIAF at Poona. The first Tempests were delivered to RPAF only in September 1947, and each Squadron had to have 6 pilots and 8 aircraft, this due to shortage of both aircraft and personnel.

They formed Fighter Bomber Wing, and maintenance was provided by Maintenance Wing at the base. The maintenance centres for both airframes (No. 101 MU) and engines (No. 102 MU) were based at RPAF Drigh Road in Karachi, more than 600 miles south of Peshawar. Here the aircraft taken over from RIAF stocks were overhauled, as they were in poor condition following RAF service and subsequent storage. By early 1949 only 28 were returned to service with serials A100-A127. Note, initially all the RPAF aircraft wore original RAF serials, but they were replaced through 1948.

The Tempests were almost immediately deployed on operations against tribesmen in Waziristan, who continued their rebellion started during the British rule. In December 1947, No. 5 Sqn provided cover for the army withdrawing from Razmak during Operation 'Curzon'. Other operations included patrolling rebellious areas, and attacking targets of opportunity and those indicated by army units. For those operations, each squadron in turn sent a deployment of two to four aircraft for periods of about three months to Miranshah. This could hardly be called an airbase, as it was limited to a short airstrip, and a pilots’ hut (or rather roof) just next to the walls of Fort Miranshah.

Tempests were not deployed in Kashmir against India, nonetheless they received quick identification markings in form of double white stripe around the tail, and similar stripes at both wing roots. At the time, RIAF Tempest wore the same camouflage schemes, and the ‘Chakra’ roundels were not easy to recognise from Pakistan’s white-green roundels in high stress conditions.

Flying at air displays and parades was another important activity, these events were morale boosters and helped to promote the RPAF amongst the people of Pakistan. No. 9 Sqn took part in an air show in Lahore on 21 March 1948 with F/L Abdul Naeem Aziz (1907), F/L Abdur Rahim Khan (2927), F/O Masroor Hosain (3001) and F/O Fuad Shahid Hussain (3002) making the formation.

On 13 April 1948, the squadron presented a smartly turned out guard of honour to the visiting Governor-General, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah at Peshawar and two days later the Squadron pilots participated in a fly past in the honour of the Quaid's visit to Risalpur. Pilots of the squadron participated in the fly-past on Harvards in honour of the Quaid-e-Azam's visit to Risalpur on April 13, 1948.

On 14 August 1948 No. 9 Sqn carried out a fly-past over Karachi during celebrations of the first anniversary of Pakistan independence. Interestingly, the radio set in the aircraft of formation leader, S/L Abdul Naeem Aziz failed, but the display was performed according to schedule.

Photo above: Line up of No. 1 Fighter Bomber Wing with No. 9 Sqn (red spinners) in the front, and No. 5 behind, likely somewhere in 1949. A139/T, former PR809, closest. Possibly the aircraft of F/O Trevor Harold Gotting (802). Please note, that the second aircraft is in delivery scheme with no code applied. The fourth aircraft seems to be a one of the original batch inherited from the RIAF.

Wing Commander M. Akhtar, the Station Commander, presenting the Air Commanders' Trophy to Squadron Leader A.R. Khan leader of the winning squadron.

Following the expansion plan of AVM Allan Perry Keene, the first commander of the RPAF, on 1 November 1948, No. 14 Squadron was formed at Peshawar. The unit was short lived, however, following the loss of two Tempests, the cease-fire in Kashmir, and the change of C-in-C of the RPAF, the Squadron was disbanded on 15 January 1949 and number plated. The new situation resulted in major changes in training patterns, as the new commander, AVM Richard Atcherley stressed for training at the cost of combat strength.

Extended courses had to be undertaken, with each graduate being trained on Tempests in the Conversion Squadron at RPAF College of Flying Training, Risalpur, regardless of future assignment to fighter squadron or not. The Conversion Squadron operated three Tempests. Additionally, AVM Atcherley arranged to have a single Tempest assigned for personal use, and based at RPAF Drigh Road. He was often seen overflying Karachi boosting the morale of both civilians and RPAF personnel.

In May 1949 the contest for the first Inter Squadron Armament Trophy known as Perry Keene Trophy took place. In a rivalry between No. 5 and No. 9 Squadrons, the latter had the upper hand. The victorious team consisted of S/L Aziz ur Rehman Khan (2358), F/L Fuad Shahid Hussain (3002), F/O Imtiaz Hussain Khan Agha (3406), and F/O Stefan Tronczyński (841).

Back in 1948 Pakistan acquired 24 Tempest struck off RAF charge and overhauled by Hawkers. These aircraft started to arrive in March 1949 and were immediately assigned to combat units. They were given serials A128-A151.