The Indian Air Force in World War Two

>7 SQUADRON'S VULTEE VENGEANCES

WORLD WAR TWO

No.7 Sqn in Arakan

The first unit to be so equipped with the aircraft was No.7 Squadron which was raised on this aircraft in Mid 1943. Being a pioneer in using the aircraft, the Squadron had to evolve its own techniques and tactics in using the aircraft in an offensive role.

In Mid December 1943, No.7 moved to Cox Bazar to take part in the second Arakan Campaign. The full scale ops started in March 44. Led by Sqn Ldr Hem Chaudhuri, It participated in the siege of Kohima and Imphal, operating from Uderband strip near Kumbhirgham.

Among the various pilots and aircrew in the Squadron were P C Lal, Nur Khan, Dolly Engineer, Joe Eziekel, K Gocal, K S Bhat, E H Dadabhoy, J Dordi, 'Budda' Mathews.

The Squadron was withdrawn from ops in June 1944, and soon reconverted to Hurricanes by the end of October. Sqn Ldr P C Lal was awarded the DFC for his leadership.

No.7 Squadron 's first tour of duty

No.7 Squadron's aircrew posing with one of their Vengeance Aircraft. Seen sitting in the center is the CO Sqn Ldr Hem Chaudhury, with Flt Lt PC Lal standing behind him (in bush hat). Photo Courtesy: Vayu Aerospace
	Flt Lt KY "Budda" Mathews with his Vengeance
The flight commander PC Lal standing on the wing of his Vengeance while Fg Offr MM Sakhare is standing below. Both have just returned from a bombing sortie against the Japanese.
	Left: Sqn Ldr Hem Chaudary with his gunner Flt Lt Murat Singh by his Vengeance. Hem commanded No.3 CDF during the first Burma Campaign. Earlier he flew with No.353 RAF squadron.

Sgt Das Gupta and Aircraft Enshain with another trailer load of cookies for the Japanese besieging Kohima.

A Vultee Vengeance dive-bomber of No.7 Squadron flying near Peshawar in December 1943. No.7 was raised on the Vengeance and did thier training at Peshawar and Kohat before proceeding to Burma.
	The 'inseperables' of No. 7 : 'Dolly' Engineer, Manohar Sakhare, Joe Ezekiel and Keki Gocal browse thru a magazine.

Pilots of No.7 Squadron relax by playing cards in a 'basha' (Hut) at a frontline location. Among the pilots identifiable are Fg Off K S Bhat (Sitting on the ground besides the Pillar) and Fg Off 'Dolly' Engineer (Sitting on bench second from right)
	A Vengeance of No.7 Sqn at Delhi on arrival from Peshawar.
1567 GD(P) Sqn Ldr Pratap Chandra Lal DFC in the cockpit of a Vultee Vengeance bomber. Lal became the Chief of Air Staff later on. He led the IAF in combat during the 1971 India Pakistan War.
	A Vengeance on the takeoff roll at Uderbund, Silchar.
No.7 Squadron's Groundcrew service a Vengeance at Kumghirgham (Silchar) in March 1944

	Sqn Ldr P C Lal, CO of No.7 Sqn and officers at Ranchi in 1944. Lal took over command in October 44, and No.7 converted to the Hurricane soon afterwards. Fourth from the left in the picture is J H Dordi, the oldest living member of the Caterpillar Club - for having baled out of a Vengeance as an airgunner in 1944. Standing Fourth from right is Fg Off K S Bhat.
Unit personnel of 7 Sqn IAF , 1 Sqn IAF, 152 Sqn RAF (Hyderabad Sqn) and 11 Sqn RAF at Sinthe in April 1945. The red highlighted portion in the photo shows where the Indian personnel are standing. Photo Courtesy: Dr. Elizabeth Kaegi.