Dec 04, Western Front: In response to the full scale escalation of Hostilities, the Indian Air Force today launched a massive retaliationn effort against targets in East and West Pakistan. Indian Bombers and fighters have been mounting raids on Pakistani airfields and other targets since yesterday night and are believed to have caused severe damage to enemy aircraft and installations across the frontline.

The IAF undertook 164 Sorties against targets in West Pakistan. Airfields like Peshawar, Kohat, Sargodha, Risalawala, Shorkot, Pasrur, Masroor, Murid, Mianwali, Chaklala were attacked and considerable damage was inflicted in strikes on these airfields.

Hunter Operations

Hunters of No.20 and 27 Squadron stationed at Pathankot flew missions against Peshawar, Murid, Mianwali and Chaklala airfields.

Two Sabres were destroyed on the ground  on the very first raid on Peshawar and another was shot down in Aircombat by the CO, Wg Cdr C V Parker. A Number of small light aircraft and a C-130 transport were destroyed at Chaklala while a Mirage III aircraft was destroyed at Murid airfield.  Another strike by No.27 Squadron over Murid airfield managed to shoot down a Mirage in aircombat but the pilot did not return. No.20 Squadron lost an aircraft in these strikes. The pilot Fg Off K P Muralidharan is missing. Another Pilot Fg Off V D Chati has gone missing from a raid on Mianwali.

The Enemy bomber force of B-57 bombers based at Masroor was dealth a blow when a Hunter raid by Wg Cdr Conquest destroyed five of the bombers at Masroor in a dusk attack. All of our aircraft reached base safely.

S-22 Operations

Sukhoi fighter bombers too under took many operations

against Pakistani airbases at Chander, Shorkot, Risalawala, Pasrur and Chak Jhumra. A Strike by No.32 Squadron led by Sqn Ldr Jimmy Bhatia destroyed five aircraft on the ground at Shorkot, including One Mirage III, two B-57s and two F-86 Sabres. However Flt lt M S Grewal was shot down by AA fire and failed to return. Another Su-7 of No.222 Squadron has failed to return from a raid on Risalawala.

There had been an accident at Adampur airbase in the morning when one of the aircraft taking

off crashed due to a tyreburst. Officials have said that the pilot J Rishi was killed in the accident.

Giving details of the day's operation in the western sector, Air Marshal M M Engineer has said that the fighters and bombers have flown 164 sorties, destroying nearly Twenty enemy aircraft. Eight of our pilots are missing from operations and another had been killed in an accident at Adampur. Almost all the enemy airbases were put out of action as the runways and other facilities were knocked out by our fighter bombers.