No.23 Squadron, Air Force. Poona 1958
In the late 1950s many new squadrons in the IAF were re-equipping with various new types like the Mystere IVa, Hawker Hunter and the Gnat . This saw the Air Force form new squadrons with the discarded Vampires of the re-equipped units.
No.23 was one such ‘New’ unit formed with Vampire FB52s. Sqn Ldr CHL Digby took over command of the squadron in 1957. His tenure as CO is described here in ‘Panther Boss’ .
As described in the article, When Digby left the squadron, the squadron personnel put together an album which included some spectacular photographs taken during his period in command (The portraits from that album are included in this page), inscribed “To Boss Digger”, and personalised with some wonderfully whimsical little cartoons illustrating life under Digby’s command, drawn by Locky Loughran.
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| “Boss” Sqn Ldr CHL Digby – CO 23 Squadron |
A Sketch of ‘The Boss’ as drawn by the Squadron scribe Flt Lt Loughran | Flt Lt ‘Locky’ Loughran also designed the first crest of No.23 Sqn (bottom) |
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| Flight Lieutenant “Pappe” Bhasin, No 23 Sqn, Poona | “Chau” TK Chaudhari, No 23 Sqn Poona c 1957 (KIA 1965 ops) |
“Bissy” Flying Officer Madhavan Ambadi, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
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| “Tommy” Pilot Officer TAK Taylor, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
Fg Off KA Hariharan |
“Pran” |
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| “Honky” Pilot Officer B Mukhoty, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
“Hawkeye” Pilot Officer Ahuja, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
Flt Lt Shakti Ranjan, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
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| “Bader” Badia, No 23 Sqn, Poona | Flt Lt “Hakeem” Salim, Squadron Medical Officer, No 23 Sqn, Poona |
