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Balakot Raid, Naushera battle and beyond

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Category: Opinions
Last Updated: Thursday, 21 March 2019 03:03
Written by Webmaster
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 The recent air strikes on Balakot and the subsequent air battle near Naushera will be fodder for discussions for years to come.  Lost in the hyperbole of claims and counter-claims on both sides are some glaring issues on which questions should be asked. And the lessons should be recorded for future conficts. Air Marshal Harish Masand shares his thoughts on various aspects of the recent events.

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The saving of Chander

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Category: The Bangladesh War 1971
Last Updated: Friday, 08 February 2019 03:19
Written by AVM C V Parker (Retd)
Hits: 1945

In this short piece, Air Vice Marshal C V Parker MVC VM (4346 F(P)) narrates the last mission of his squadron - No.20 "Lightnings" - that could not beat the ceasefire clock!

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Old soldiers look after old comrades : P D Jeyasingh

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Category: The Bangladesh War 1971
Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 December 2018 13:58
Written by K S Nair
Hits: 2616

Air Cmde PD 'Jeya' Jeyasingh 10923 F(N) passed away at 2330 hrs on 18 Oct 2018 at the Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore. He was admitted on 05 October after being diagnosed with pneumonia and other complications.  He was veteran of the 1971 war, who flew on bombing sorties with the Canberra bombers.  He was also known as an old comrade who refuses to let the nation forget about his comrades.  K S Nair writes about the annual commemoration that  Air Commodore Jeyasingh started - and which continues today even in his absence.  

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Ejected over No Man's Land!

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Category: The Bangladesh War 1971
Last Updated: Saturday, 22 December 2018 16:40
Written by Gp Capt Gurdeep Singh (Retd)
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Gp Capt Gurdeep Singh Samra 8695 F(P)  was a young Flight Lieutenant with No.101 Squadron operating from Adampur. He narrates the harrowing tale of ejecting over No-Mans land in the Chamb sector - and enduring severe injuries. He would later be rescued by Indian Army troops and underwent a full recovery back to flying fit status for a fruitful and rewarding career in the IAF.

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A belly landing in a Gnat!

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Category: The Last Quarter: 1972-99
Last Updated: Sunday, 25 November 2018 18:14
Written by Anchit Gupta
Hits: 3928

Landing a jet fighter on its belly is not a task for the faint hearted.   This is the story of one young pilot who walked away from one - and the story of an aircraft that refused to go to the scrapyard.  

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The view from Tezpur

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Category: The Indo-China War 1962
Last Updated: Monday, 12 November 2018 01:15
Written by Air Marshal Y V Malse
Hits: 2047

In October 1962, Air Commodore Y V Malse (1616 GD(P)) was with the National Defence College when he got urgent instructions to go to Eastern Air Command HQ as Air HQ's Special Liason officer.  The Indo-China war had broken out at that time. His observations from that era are narrated here in an oral interview from 2003. 

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Burn the Toofanis! - a story from 1962

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Category: The Indo-China War 1962
Last Updated: Monday, 28 January 2019 01:00
Written by Anchit Gupta
Hits: 5615

How the Indian Air Force came close to destroying eight of its own Jet fighters during the 1962 war. The first ever attempted "Scorched Earth" order in history.  Based on the recollections of Air Marshal Trilochan Singh.  

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