Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force

Album: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

When India wanted to build a bomber force, it turned to the option of reclaiming some of the junked B-24J Liberators from the graveyard at Kanpur.

Album: Hawker Tempest II

It has been exactly a half century since the Tempest howled through Indian skies. The last Tempests stood down in Sep 1955, when the Target Towing Flight under the Armament Training Wing (ATW) at Jamnagar handed in their four aircraft in exchange for Toof

Album: De Havilland Vampire F3 and FB52 (Single Seaters)

The first jet fighters in Asia - whose career spanned nearly three decades. The single seater fighter served in almost all the fighter squadrons. The two seater version of the Vampire was the mainstay of Jet training till the very end.

Album: De Havilland Vampire T55, PR55 and NF54 (Twin Seaters)

The Two Seater Vampire was a completely different aircraft from the Single Seater fighter. The aircraft featured ejection seats, larger wings, larger fuselage and came in different variants. The IAF operated the Trainer Mk 55 Variant and the Night Fighter

Album: Dassault Ouragan [Toofani]

First generation straight wing fighter from France inducted in 1953 to augment the Vampire as the mainstay fighter.

Album: Dassault Mystere IVa

The first "supersonic-in-a-dive" aircraft in the IAF. The Mystere was inducted in 1957 and served till 1973. It was at the mainstay of interdictory forces during the 1965 War. A total of 104 MystereIVas were supplied by Avions Marcel Dassault

Album: EE Canberra B(I)58, T54, PR57, B66, B(I)12

The Canberra was the only modern jet design of UK origin to be license produced in America till the advent of the Harrier. First flown in 1949, it went into service two years later with the RAF.

Album: Hawker Hunter F56, F56a, T66

Acknowledged worldwide as a gentleman's aircraft, this Hawker product equipped six squadrons in the IAF plus a training unit. It would serve for four and a half decades.

Album: Folland Gnat Mk.1

The famous "Sabre Slayer" - was an astonishingly small aircraft compared to its contemporaries. India was the only nation to use the Gnat in action.

Album: MiG-21M/MF [Fishbed J] - Type 96

The MiG-21M/MF (Type 96) is a Multi-role version with one R-11-300 turbojet with 13,688 lbs. of thrust. The aircraft has 4 pylons which can carry external fuel tanks, air-to-air missiles or twin barrel guns. Has a zero speed, zero altitude ejection seat.

Album: HAL Ajeet (Gnat Mk.2)

The Mark.2 development of the famous Gnat was christened "Ajeet". It was to have more hardpoints, wet wings and a Martin-Baker ejection seat.

Album: HAL HF-24 Marut Mk.1 & Mk.1T

India's first indigenous fighter, built by HAL and designed by Prof Kurt Tank of Focke-Wulf fame.

Album: MiG-23UM [Flogger]

The MiG-23UMs , the two seater variants of the Ground Attack and Interceptor units will have a continued innings, thanks to their role as type-trainers with the MiG-27 Units.

Album: MiG-21FL [Fishbed D] - Type 77

The MiG-21FL [Type-77] was the first major version to equip the IAF squadrons on a large scale. The aircraft was a development of the Type-76 which was operated in small numbers by the IAF. The FL was subsequently manufactured by HAL till the end of 1973.

Album: Sukhoi-7 BMK (Fitter) Type S-22

A much maligned aircraft by many ill informed ‘experts’, the Sukhoi-7 will be remembered for its sheer power, manoeuverability and punch.

Album: MiG-23BN [Flogger] Vijay

The ground attack version with a laser rangefinder in the nose, a raised seat, cockpit external armour plate and large low pressure tires. On the bottom of each side of the fuselage a RWR system has been added.

Album: MiG-23MF [Flogger]

The MiG-23MF; The air defence variant fitted with a R-29 jet engine, a J-Band radar, a Sirena-3 RWR system, Doppler navigation and a small IRST sensor pod under the cockpit. First Russian combat aircraft, which has the ability to track and engage targets

Album: MiG-25R/U [Foxbat] Garuda

The first MiG-25s were procured and inducted in August 1981. The aircraft equipped No.102 Squadron, nicknamed "The Trisonics".

Album: MiG-27M [Flogger] Bahadur

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Album: HAL Ajeet Trainer (Gnat)

Album: MiG23UM

Album: Sukhoi Su-30K/MK-1 [Flanker]

The first deliveries of Su-30MK-1s arrived in kits at Lohegoan AFB in March 1997, where they were assembled and were formally inducted into the No.24 Squadron on 11 June 1997 by the then-incumbent Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. Ten Su-30K aircraft, w