Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of India's Greatest Military Victory

IAF destroys Attock Oil Refinery in daylight attack
F-104 Starfighter shot down near Amritsar -  Runway Busting at Dhaka

Dec 06, Western front:  In a daylight raid planned to take out the Industrial backbone of Pakistan, IAF Hunter fighter bombers attacked and destroyed the Attock Oil Refinery in Northern Pakistan. 

This refinery was defended by a good network of anti-aircraft guns controlled by the nearby airfield of Chaklala which was about 20 miles away. Destruction of the refinery or at the very least, hampering its operations would impose a severe crunch in the POL reserves of the Pakistanis.

It was planned to send a four ship strike to Attock. Wg. Cdr. Parker, CO of No.20 Squadron led the attack along with Sqn. Ldr. Bajpai, Fg. Offs. DeMonte and Karumbaya. Technical snags prevented Karumbaya's Hunter from starting. Finally Parker, DeMonte and Bajpai took off to attack the refinery.

The actual routing of the Hunters took them over for a diversionary attack on to Chaklala, then executing a turnabout and hitting the Attock Oil Refinery from the west. The AA Guns were caught napping at first. The refinery was shrouded in camouflage, and the AA Guns were defending it to the inch. Wg Cdr Parker was the first to dive in. The Hunters carried cannon ammunition, and the first burst set fire to the fuel tanks.

The fire spread quickly through the refinery fuelled by the vapours. The blaze spread so fast that their height was reaching the Hunters which were making their second run. The ack-ack fire could not make its presence felt, and all the aircraft were recovered safely. Gun camera pictures of the raid, prove the accuracy of the damage to the facilities.

PR recce confirmed the damage to the refinery. The fire in the refinery resulted in a beautiful blaze lasting several days and nights. Indian bombers flying in the stealth of the night reported the flames which served as a navigational aid for some days to come.

Ground Support at Dera Baba Nanak

Supporting the ground operations in the Dera Baba Nanak enclave, 222 Squadron flying the S-22 flew missions near the Jassar Bridge. Wg Cdr A A Da Costa suceeded in destroying Pakistani Tanks near the enclave. His wingman Fg Off K C Kuruvilla however failed to return after being shot down by AA Fire.

Two more Sukhoi-7 fighter bombers failed to return from the Chamb Area. Both aircraft belonged to 101 Sqn. However by evening one of the pilots returned by an Army Jeep to base. He had baled out in enemy territory but walked back to our lines. The other pilot Flt Lt V K Wahi is MIA.

In the eastern sector, IAF MiG-21s used heavy bombers to create deep craters in the Runway used by the PAF at Tezgaon. Wg Cdr B K Bishnoi of No.28 Squadron led the raid on Tezgaon that dropped four 2000lb bombs on the runway. Wg Cdr Bishnoi explained "It was hard to believe, eyes could not have lied, all bombs had fallen on the runway, along its entire length and a great pall of dust and smoke was rising from Tezgaon." The PAF would never use the runway again.

Ground crew of No.28 Squadron inscribe a message on a bomb that was used as a "Runway Buster". The Base Commander, Group Captain M S D Wollen and Squadron Commander Wg Cdr B K Bishnooi can be seen in the picture.

There was only one single casuality in the Eastern Sector. Sqn Ldr Rao's MiG-21 of 30 Sqn ran out of fuel while approaching Gauhati. He ejected sucessfully. The aircraft fell to the ground in an unpopulated area.

Starfighter shot down at Amritsar

Today also marked the day when a supersonic F-104 Starfighter was shot down at Amritsar. Today morning two F-104 aircraft arrived over Amritsar airfield. One of the Starfighter was hit by AA and crashed near a village on the outskirts of Amritsar. The pilot who ejected was captured by the villagers and handed over to the authorities. The pilot gave his name as Sqn Ldr Amjad Hussain Khan.

The villagers near Amritsar look at the wing of the F-104 Starfighter shot down today. The pilot was taken Prisoner.

The day has been very fruitful for the IAF. It has flown operations against specific targets and given a bloody nose to the enemy. The pride of the PAF, a Starfighter lay shattered at Amritsar.

Gun Camera pictures of the Attock Oil refinery under attack. Note the petrol storage tanks in the foreground.

Copyright © 1971  Bharat-Rakshak.com.  All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Bharat-Rakshak.com is prohibited.