No.104 Helicopter Flight Firebirds

Motto : Apatsu Mitram (A friend in time of need)
Date Raised : 1954-03-10 Disbanded : 1958-04-30
104 Helicopter Sqn, AF, known as the "Firebirds" was raised as a Helicopter Flight at Palam on 10 March 1954 and became the first Units of the IAF to be equipped with rotary wing aircraft. it was upgraded to a Units on 01 May 1958 and a Squadron on 25 August 1992. The Units changed bases to Hindan in March 1965 and Saharanpur in May 1976. At this point the role of the Units was changed to ATGM (Anti- Tank Guided Missile) Units and all aircraft were modified to carry four AS11B wire command guided missiles. in April 1990 Units shifted to Bhatinda and was re-quipped with the Mi-35. It moved to its current location in may 1994. Since its inception the squadron has operated the Sikorsky S-55, S-62, Bell 47-G, Mi-4, Alouette-III (Chetak) and the Mi-25/35 attack helicopters.

Aircraft Types operated over the years:

Commanding Officers

View in Grid

DatesRank & NameNumberRemarksLocationPhoto
10 Mar 54 to 23 Mar 58Flight Lieutenant Alison Neal Todd3364 GD(P)COPalam
24 Mar 58 to 30 Apr 58Flight Lieutenant Sudhindra Kumar Majumdar3484 GD(P)COPalam
Unit continued existence as 104 HU

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