Images - Pakistan Air Force in the Mirror of History.

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On April 15th 1952, establishment of the Flying Instructors School (FIS) at Pakistan Air Force College Risalpur.

Although FIS was relocated to PAF Base, Chaklala in May 1954, however, it was later shifted back to Risalpur in April 1962.

The motto of the Flying Instructors School is "علم و پرواز" which translates to "Knowledge and Flying". The Flying Instructors School is renowned as the ‘Cradle of Learning’, where instructor pilots receive comprehensive academic and flying training to hone their skills and become proficient educators in aviation.

The primary objective of FIS is to provide training for instructor pilots who would serve in the PAF, Pak Army, Navy and other friendly countries. Flying Instructors' Courses were initially conducted on T-6G Harvard aircraft and as the years progressed now the future instructors receive training on SMK, T-37 and K-8P aircraft. FIS is distinguished for its three-dimensional training system that encompasses academic schooling, flying training and special emphasis on instructional techniques.

The school plays a crucial role in producing proficient instructor pilots through enhancement of their basic flying skills in addition to keeping them up-to-date with modern military flying techniques.

Training of flying instructors holds paramount importance for both peace and wartime operations of Pakistan Air Force. In times of peace, well-trained instructors are essential for producing skilled pilots who can safely operate aircraft and carry out missions efficiently whereas during wartime, proficient instructors are crucial for rapid training and preparation of a competent fleet of pilots to ensure requisite degree of Air Control in a compressed & challenging environment.

Flying instruction in Pakistan Air Force holds utmost importance for maintaining operational readiness and enhancing aviation capabilities of PAF aircrew in order to ensure the most assured aerial defence of the motherland.

 

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The PAF's touch and go with the Il-28 -

During 1965–71, the Pakistan Air Force had to absorb, at the cost of significant combat capacity, five years of the US arms embargo which was imposed on Pakistan at the start of 1965 Indo-Pak war.

The older F-86s and B-57s were being supported with difficulty by clandestine and piecemeal purchases of spares and by some indigenous manufacture. To support the dwindling numbers of B-57s, it was decided to procure additional aircraft of similar category to supplement the bomber force.

The Il-28 (a Soviet aircraft to be supplied by China) was selected, primarily because it was readily available from a friendly source and also most likely due to its very affordable cost.

 

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"Red Dragons" Pakistan Air Force, Peshawar

The first formation aerobatics team, formed by No 9 Squadron on its Furies, was called 'The Red Dragons'. The painting shows the team performing officially for the first time in 1951 at Peshawar.
The occasion was the farewell ceremonies for the PAF's outgoing C-in-C, Air Vice-Marshal R L R Atcherely. 'The Red Dragons' thus gained the honour of being the first aerobatic team in the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

The Team:
Squadron Leader Zafar Chaudhry
Flight Lieutenant Saeedullah Khan
Flying Officer T H Gotting
Flying Officer M Hayat Khan

Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)

 

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December 1956 At the end of the Melbourne Olympic Games, three Pakistan Air Force Freighter Mk.31s troop transporters were flown to Melbourne to collect the competing Pakistani athletes.

Inbound, the aircraft flew from Darwin direct to Adelaide for a night stop. On the last leg to Melbourne one Bristol reported a rough running engine and all three diverted to nearby Nhill Vic. While taxying to park, a Bristols' main wheel broke through the old RAAF wartime tarmac.

Local farmers tractors would not have had the traction to pull the heavy aircraft free, so Australian Charles Miller, who had hitched a ride from Darwin, got a lift into town. He persuaded the Shire Office to send out the town grader,

 

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Pilot Officer Sarfaz Rafiqui in Tempest cockpit
receiving last-minute instructions from his Instructor, Flt Lt Jan Mahmood at PAF conversion School 1953.

On 6 September 1965, Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmad Rafiqui led a formation of 3 F-86 aircraft on a strike against Halwara airfield. The formation destroyed a total of 4 IAF hunters.

Rafiqui continued flying as No.2 even with his jammed guns. His conduct was clearly beyond the call of duty and conformed to the highest traditions of leadership and bravery in battle against overwhelming odds. For this and his earlier exploits, he is awarded Hilal-i-Jurat and Sitara-i-Jurat.

 

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F-6

 

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Hawker-PAC Sea Fury FB.71; aircraft 'K 850' of No. 5 Squadron, Pakistan Air Force

The Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Hawker. It was the last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, and also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built. Developed during the Second World War, the Sea Fury entered service two years after the war ended. The Sea Fury proved to be a popular aircraft with a number of overseas militaries, and it was successfully used during the Korean War in the early 1950s where it could keep up with 1st generation jet fighters like the MiG-15.

Originally, an initial order for 50 Sea Fury FB 60 aircraft for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was placed in 1949. A total of 87 new-build Sea Furies were purchased and delivered between 1950 and 1952, but some ex-FAA and Iraqi Sea Furies were also subsequently purchased.

The aircraft was operated by three frontline squadrons, Nos. 5, 9, and 14 Squadrons.

The Sea Fury began to be replaced by the jet-powered North American F-86 Sabre in 1955, but it became quickly clear that the Sabre was primarily a fighter, not a ground attack aircraft. It also lacked adequate performance in 'hot and high' operation theatres, and the PAF's B-57 bombers were too big for certain CAS tasks, and their number highly limited.

Hence the decision was taken to modernize a part of the PAF Sea Fury fleet for the ground attack role. This was to be achieved with a better engine that would deliver more power, a better overall performance as well as an extended range for prolonged loiter times close to the potential battlefield.

The last piston engine Sea Furies in Pakistani service were ultimately retired in 1960, while the Turbo Fury fleet was kept in service, and they even fired in anger during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The PAF fleet at that time consisted of 12 F-104 Starfighters, some 120 F-86 Sabres, around 20 B-57 Canberra bombers and still almost all converted 30 Furys.

General characteristics

Crew: One

Length: 36 ft 2 in (11.05 m)

Wingspan: 38 ft 43⁄4 in (11.69 m)

Height: 15 ft 101⁄2 in (4.84 m)

Wing area: 280 ft2 (26.01 m2)

Empty weight: 10.500 lb (4.767 kg)

Loaded weight: 14,100 lb (6.400 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 15,650 lb (7.105 kg)


Powerplant:

1× Allison T56 turboshaft engine rated at 2.206 kW (3.000 hp) plus 750 lbs of residual thrust


Performance:

Maximum speed: 490 mph (427 knots, 790 km/h) at 18,000 ft (5,500 m)

Range: 700 mi (609 nmi, 1,126 km) with internal fuel;

1,040 mi (904 nmi, 1,674 km) with two drop tanks

Service ceiling: 35,800 ft (10,910 m)

Rate of climb: 4,320 ft/min (21.9 m/s)

Armament:

4× 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk V cannons in the wings

Eight underwing hardpoints for an external load of 4.000 lb (1.814 kg),

including bombs, unguided rockets, napalm tanks or drop tanks

 

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Air Marshal Asghar Khan (L), Air Marshal Nur Khan in the Royal Indian Air Force.
Brigadier Muhammad Aslam Khan, Founder of Shangrila Resorts is also with them.

Asghar Khan was only 25 in 1946 whereas Nur Khan was 23. Great sons of Pakistan. May their souls rest in eternal bliss.

 

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Air Marshal Nur Khan checks one of the first F-6 (MiG-19) delivered to Pakistan.

The type served PAF for thirty-five years and was finally retired in 2002, when the last F-6 squadron (No. 23 ‘Talons’) re-equipped with new F-7PG aircraft.

The type logged more than 400,000 sorties (approx 300,000 hrs) in 37 years. In total 260 F-6s were procured.

 

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Supermarine Attacker FB.1 G-15-110 at Farnborough for the 1951 SBAC show.
G-15-110 was the first of 36 FB.1s for the Pakistan Air Force, assuming the serial R4000 on delivery.

 

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