At the outbreak of the War, the IAF had a strength
of 16 Officers and 144 Ranks. Only one Squadron was operational and all training was
undertaken by units in the UK. But the outbreak of the war put a strain on UK's training
requirements and also to cater to the Indian training needs, the IAF established new units
and set up more combat units.
By the end of the war, the number of personnel trained or
under training, by the end of 1944 was in excess of 22000 Officers and men. A mamoth jump
considering the initial strength of the IAF.
The aircraft operated initially was the Westland Wapiti.
A myriad of types were inducted including Dakota transports and Spitfire fighters. The IAF
had Nine operational fighter - bomber squadrons, Four flights for AD gun training. A far
cry from the single squadron of about a dozen Wapiti biplanes.
The war saw that the IAF had its own training
infrastructure in place. No.1 Initial Training Wing at Lahore, No.1 Elementary Flying
Training School (Begumpet), No.2 Elementary Flying Training School (Jodhpur), No.1 Service Flying Training School (Ambala), The Fighter Operational Training Unit and a Bomber
Operational Training Unit.
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Training and
Expansion |
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| Tigermoths of the Jodhpur No.2 EFTS ,
Jodhpur lined up during an inspection parade. |
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Tigermoth DG-518 outside the
Hangar at Jodhpur - This is an advertisement that appeared in 1948 with the caption
"RAF Instructors train Indian Pilots". DG-518 was later transferred to the RPAF. |
| Wg Cdr S Mukerjee, OC Kohat on a visit
to Miranshah interacts with the pilots and Army Liason Officers. |
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A Spitfire XIVe [NH786] of the No.1
Service Flying Training School at Ambala. On 2nd August 1946, Plt Offr SMS Haque
belly landed the aircraft 12 miles east of Ambala after his engine cut out during
aerobatics. The aircraft broke into two on impact with the fuselage aft of the cockpit
being seperated. Haque was slightly injured (Pic Courtesy : Flypast - John Riley) |
| Air Commodore H J C Proud , the AOC,
Air HQ, India visiting a forward airfield and meeting Indian Pilots |
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The Fairchild PT-26 Cornell was the
basic trainer used by Cadets at the No.2 EFTS in Jodhpur. |
RAF airmen who have served with
Balloons since the beginning of the war are now teaching their work to men of the Indian
Air Force. Indians have taken over balloon defence duties in some of the ports through
which the armies of India and Burma are being supplied. Leading Aircraftman (LAC) E.
Thickett of Walsall, Staffs, right, has been with balloons for four years. He is now
teaching Indians the art of fabric repair. He is shown giving a demonstration to T/LAC
Massey of Allahabad, at a balloon station in Bengal.
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