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Another miraculous escape for IAF Pilot
Aircraft hit by missile, but Pilot flew back safely

Wg Cdr H S Manget , CO No 32 Thunderbirds Squadron flying the Sukhoi-7 Fighter bombers

Dec 10, Adampur: In another dramatic incident, another pilot of the IAF on a strike mission flew back his aircraft after it has been severly damaged by enemy action. Wing Commander Harcharan Singh Manget , who is the comanding officer of No.32 Thunderbirds Squadron flying the Sukhoi-7 had been involved in the thick of the action from Day One. His squadron had flown many sorties against enemy airfields causing considerable damage to aircraft and installations.

Wg Cdr Manget had flown many Photo reconaisance missions to verify the damage and claims of his squadron's aircraft. he had to fly another mission today to take some photo recce pictures over Pakistan.

However on reaching his target , his aircraft was intercepted by a PAF F-6 aircraft.

Against a nimble aircraft like the F-6, the lumbering huge Sukhoi would not stand a chance.

However , Wg Cdr Manget managed to extricate the aircraft out of the aircombat. The F-6 fighter then launched a Sidewinder Missile which exploded in close proximity to the tail of the Sukhoi.

The force of the explosion would be enough to knock any aircraft out of the sky. This time around the explosion caused severe damage to the tail control surfaces of the Sukhoi, peppering it with shrapnel and holes. However finding the aircraft to be still in control, Wg Cdr Manget took the courageous decision to fly back the damaged aircraft and attempt a landing.

Coming back to Adampur, The Sukhoi executed a perfect landing. and it was only the examination of the aircraft after it had landed that revealed the extent of damage to the pilot. All the control surfaces, the elevators, the rudder were shot away, the rear fuselage was full of holes and shrapnel. The Ground crew termed the landing of the aircraft as a "Miracle". Coming as it did on the heels of another pilot landing a similar damaged MiG-21, IAF pilots seemed to be a blessed lot indeed!

The Shot away Rudder of the Sukhoi-7. The Tail chute too was shot away by the explosion of the missile.

The Elevator Control surface blown away by the missile explosion.