Painting of Pakistan Air Force

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An F-104B flown by Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan of No 9 Squadron at Sargodha AB, on a high speed reconnaissance mission over Halwara, on 9 September 1965.

In the environment of the India-Pakistan War, the low-speed RT-33 photo reconnaissance fleet of the PAF was rendered obsolete, for missions deep into enemy territory, and over heavily defended targets.

There was an urgent requirement to survey the enemy concentration at the forward airfields and to observer the effectiveness of PAF's B-57 night bombing raids. To fulfill this need, the PAF immediately employed the F-104B.

The rear seat observer operated a hand held camera and made visual observations; in this case it was Squadron Leader M. L Middlecoat.

En route the aircraft was flown at tree top level, at a speed of 600 knots. Approaching the target the aircraft was accelerated to a speed greater than Mach 1.

In this way the high speed capability of Starfighter was fully exploited. This was the first time such a profile was flown by a F-104 pilot. The mission was so successful that it was later repeated several times.

© Gp Capt S M A Hussaini

 

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Pakistan Air Force Martin B-57 Serial No. 846 "Baba" looping during a general flying mission over training area, March 1972

Crew - Air Cmdr (retd) Nazir (Bill) Latif
Flt Lt Saleem B Liang in back seat.

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© Aviation Art Of Rehan Siraj

 

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December 11, 1971:
Two F-104 Starfighter flown by Wing Commander Arif Iqbal and Squadron Leader Amanullah are seen carrying out a surprise attack on an IAF desert base at Utterlai. An IAF HF-24 Marut fighter is seen destroyed on the taxi track, after a gun attack by Squadron Leader Amanullah.

The second of the two HF-24s, scrambled to intercept the Starfighter, was shot by Wing Commander Arif Iqbal, also by a gun attack.

© Gp Capt S M A Hussaini

 

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On the evening of 1 September 1965, the skies over Chhamb marked the opening of the air war between Pakistan and India.

That morning Pakistan launched Operation Grand Slam, a major armoured thrust towards Akhnoor. Indian ground forces urgently requested air support. The Indian Air Force responded by launching twelve de Havilland Vampire fighter-bombers from Pathankot in three formations of four.

Two Pakistan Air Force F-86F Sabres, flown by Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui (No. 5 Squadron) and Flight Lieutenant Imtiaz Bhatti (No. 15 Squadron), were already on patrol. Directed by radar, they intercepted a formation of Vampires in the fading light.

Rafiqui quickly shot down two with his six .50-calibre machine guns; Bhatti destroyed the remaining pair. Four Vampires were downed within minutes. Three Indian pilots Squadron Leader Aspi Bhagwagar, Flight Lieutenant Vijay Joshi and Flight Lieutenant Satish Bharadwaj were killed. Flying Officer S.V. Pathak ejected and survived. The brief engagement had far-reaching consequences.

The Indian Air Force immediately withdrew its remaining Vampires and older Ouragans from front-line service. For the Pakistan Air Force it delivered the first confirmed air-to-air victories of the war and an early boost in confidence. Both pilots were awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat.

The dogfight over Chhamb on 1 September 1965 remains one of the clearest early demonstrations of PAF skill in the conflict.

© Gp Capt S M A Hussaini