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Sabre Hunters , Not Rattlers
Dramatic air battles over Dacca as Indian Air Force attacks PAF Base.

Dec 04, Eastern Sector: The IAF in the Eastern Sector today launched mission after mission to hit at the heart of the Pakistani Air Force in East Pakistan. The airbase at Dacca came under attack continously throughout the day as the Pakistanis made some vain attempts to protect the airfield.

Five of the enemy fighters were shot down in aircombat and another three of the Sabres were destroyed on the ground. Another half a dozen transport and light aircraft were also destroyed on the ground at Tejgaon airfield the home base of the PAF fighter squadron. The day started with airraids carried out by Hunter fighter bombers of Nos 14, 7,37 and 17 Squadrons based at Kalaikunda and Hashimara.

In several aircombats the Hunter pilots shot down as many as five of the dreaded F-86 Sabres. A follow up raid by the Sukhoi-7 Squadron led by Wg Cdr Sridharan destroyed another three F-86 Sabres on the ground. However one pilot Sqn Ldr V Bhutani failed to return from the raid.

No.14 lost two pilots in the morning an afternoon raids. Sqn Ldr K D Mehra and Fg Off Tremenhere were reported missing in action after thier aircraft were shot down by Sabres. Both pilots were seen parachuting into enemy territory. The CO of No.14 Wg Cdr Sunderesan shot down one of the Sabres they encountered in the afternoon.

A Reuters photo shows a destroyed aircraft at the Tejgaon airfield in Dacca.

No.37 Squadron too encountered Sabres in aircombat. Fg Off Harish Masand shot down one of the aircraft in aircombat. Two of No.37s Pilots, Sqn Ldr S B Samanta and Khonde are missing.

Meanwhile No.7 Squadron destroyed a Pakistani Troop train at Lal Munir Hat. Flt Lt Andre Da Costa was killed when his Hunter crashed in our lines, presumably hit by enemy ground fire.

MiG-21s from Gauhati took part in attacks on Tezgaon. Though Sabres were encountered, none were reported shot

down. Wg Cdr Bishnoi, CO No.28 Squadron returning from an afternoon strike reported that a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft parked at Dacca Terminal was destroyed in thier raids.

Meanwhile a Pakistani Release from Dhaka mentioned that they had captured two pilots who baled out near Dacca. Sqn ldr Bhutani and Fg Off Tremenhere's names were given. This in effect means that there are three pilots still remaining unaccounted for from the morning raids.