Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force

Pakistani Sabre Wreck at Kalaikunda (7 Sept 1965)

This F-86 Sabre flown by Flg Offr Afzal Khan of the PAF was shot down near IIT Kharagpur by a Hunter of No.14 Squadron flown by Flt Lt Alfred Cooke on 7th September 1965

Alfred-Cooke-Hunter-BA339

Flt Lt Alfred Cooke - ‘I was taught the right way by Piloo - learn by the book, and then when you are done, throw the book away’ – Cooke with his beloved Hunter (BA 339). His steed during his epic air battle would be BA-250.

Sabre-1-Afzal-Khan

This gun camera shot from Cooke’s Hunter shows the last moments of Flight Lieutenant Afzal Khan's Sabre as it skimmed the tree tops (circled in white). Moments later the Sabre would run into a volley of 30-mm cannon shells from Cooke’s Hunter, which would

Sabre-2

Cooke’s second target was a Sabre with a drop tank hang up. Almost certainly the Sabre flown by Flight Lieutenant Tariq Habib Khan, this Sabre’s fate is described as "written off due to lack of spares" in PAF accounts. In the photo on right, the

Sabre-3

Sabre No.3 in Cooke’s guns shows an aircraft in a steep dive with a starboard drop tank hang up. Cooke expended his ammunition as he chased this Sabre in a steep dive.

Sabre-4

Sabre No. 4, after being chased off Mamgain’s tail, does aerobatics over Kalaikunda as Cooke chases him with no ammunition in his guns.

Arjan-Visit-KKD

IAF Chief of Staff Arjan Singh talks to Cooke and Mamgain during a visit to Kalaikunda after the war. Cooke was not shy in extolling the virtues of the Hunter over the Sabre. Mamgain would buy Cooke a Gurkha kukri after the war as a token of appreciation

Investiture

Alfred Cooke with President S Radhakrishnan, at the Awards investiture Ceremony.