APPENDIX A:
PAF CLAIMS VS. OFFICIAL LIST OF IAF LOSSES
The following shows a list of air combat kills claimed by the Pakistan Air Force and the losses in the air as per Indian records.
Table A: List of air kills claimed by the PAF (Courtesy of Tomas Polak, Czech Republic)
Note: W/C – Wing Commander, S/L – Squadron Leader, F/L – Flight Lieutenant, F/O – Flying Officer
|
Date |
PAF Claims |
Actual Losses |
PAF a/c and Sqn. No |
Name of Claimant |
Location |
|
01 -Sep-65 |
2 Vampires |
2 Vampires |
F-86, No.5 |
S/L S.A. Rafique |
Chamb |
|
01 -Sep-65 |
2 Vampires |
1 Vampires |
F-86, No.15 |
F/L Imtiaz Bhatti |
Chamb |
|
03 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
1 Gnat |
F-104, No.9 |
F/L Hakimullah |
Pasrur |
|
06 -Sep-65 |
1 Mystere |
0 |
F-104, No.9 |
S/L A.A. Khan |
Rohri |
|
06 -Sep-65 |
2 Hunters |
1 Hunter |
F-86, No.11 |
S/L M.M. Alam |
Tarn Tarn |
|
06 -Sep-65 |
1 Hunter |
1 Hunter |
F-86, No.5 |
S/L S.A. Rafique |
Halwara |
|
06 -Sep-65 |
3 Hunters |
1 Hunters |
F-86, No.5 |
F/L Cecil Choudary |
Halwara |
|
06 -Sep-65 |
1 Hunter |
0 |
F-86, No.5 |
F/L Yunus Hussain |
Halwara |
|
07 -Sep-65 |
5 Hunters |
3 Hunters |
F-86, No.11 |
S/L M.M. Alam |
Sargodha |
|
07 -Sep-65 |
1 Mystere |
0 |
F-86, No.18 |
S/L Alauddin Ahmed |
Sargodha |
|
07 -Sep-65 |
1 Mystere |
1 Mystere |
F-104, No.9 |
F/L Amjad Hussain |
Sargodha |
|
07 -Sep-65 |
1 Mystere |
1 Mystere |
F-86, No.? |
F/L A.H. Malik |
Sargodha |
|
10 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
0 |
F-86, No.19 |
S/L Muniruddin Ahmed |
Kasur |
|
10 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
0 |
F-86, No.5 |
F/L Cecil Choudary |
Kasur |
|
13 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
1 Gnat |
F-86, No.11 |
F/L Yusuf Ali Khan |
Amritsar |
|
14 -Sep-65 |
1 Canberra |
0 |
F-104, No.9 |
S/L M. H. Middlecoat |
Sargodha |
|
15 -Sep-65 |
1 Canberra |
0 |
F-86, No.5 |
F/L Cecil Choudary |
Lahore |
|
16 -Sep-65 |
2 Hunters |
1 Hunter |
F-86, No.11 |
S/L M.M. Alam |
Halwara |
|
18 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
0 |
F-86, No.? |
F/L S.S. Hatmi |
Tarn Tarn |
|
19 -Sep-65 |
1 Gnat |
1 Gnat |
F-86, No.? |
S/L Saiful Azam |
Sialkot |
|
20 -Sep-65 |
1 Hunter |
1 Hunter |
F-86, No.? |
S/L Changezi |
Lahore |
|
20 -Sep-65 |
1 Hunter |
1 Hunter |
F-86, No.? |
F/L S.N.A. Jilani |
Lahore |
|
21 -Sep-65 |
1 Canberra |
1 Canberra |
F-104, No.9 |
W/C J.A. Khan |
Sargodha |
|
N/K |
1 Auster |
0 |
F-86, No.18 |
F/O Qais |
Badin |
|
Total |
35 Claimed Losses |
18 Official Losses |
– |
APPENDIX B
IAF CLAIMS VS. OFFICIAL LIST OF PAF LOSSES
Pakistan admits the loss of about 19 of its aircraft belonging to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). These are broken up into 13 F-86s, two F-104 Starfighters and four B-57 Canberras. There were losses from other wings, of which positive proof in terms of wreckage was recovered.
These include a Bell Helicopter and an Auster AOP aircraft of the Pakistan Army Aviation. This list is from John Fricker’s Battle for Pakistan, Ian Allan. Thanks to Rakesh Koshy for sending this list.
Table A: Indian Air Force Claims in the Air
Note: W/C – Wing Commander, S/L – Squadron Leader, F/L – Flight Lieutenant, F/O – Flying Officer
| Date | Aircraft Type | Pilot | Aircraft & Sqn. | Location |
|
03-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
S/L Trevor Keelor |
Gnat – No.23 Sqn |
Over Chamb |
|
04-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/L V.S. Pathania |
Gnat – No.23 Sqn |
Over Chamb |
|
06-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O A.R. Gandhi |
Hunter – No. 7 Sqn |
Halwara |
|
06-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/L D.N. Rathore |
Hunter – No.27 Sqn |
Halwara |
|
06-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O V.K. Neb |
Hunter – No.27 Sqn |
Halwara |
|
07-Sep |
F-104 Starfighter |
S/L A.B. Devayya |
Mystere – No.1 Sqn |
Sargodha |
|
07-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/L A.T. Cooke |
Hunter – No.14 Sqn |
Kalaikonda |
|
07-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O S.C. Mamgain |
Hunter – No.14 Sqn |
Kalaikonda |
|
14-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
W/C Bharat Singh |
Gnat – No.2 Sqn |
Lahore |
|
16-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O P.S. Pingale |
Hunter – No. 7 Sqn |
Khem Karan |
|
18-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
S/L A.S. Sandhu |
Gnat – No.23 Sqn |
Lahore |
|
19-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
S/L Denzil Keelor |
Gnat – No.9 Sqn |
Sialkot |
|
19-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O Vinay Kapila |
Gnat – No.9 Sqn |
Sialkot |
|
20-Sep |
F-86 Sabre |
F/O A.K. Mazumdar |
Gnat – No.2 Sqn |
Kasur |
Table B: Official List of Pakistani Losses
Note: W/C – Wing Commander, S/L – Squadron Leader, F/L – Flight Lieutenant, F/O – Flying Officer
| Date | Rank and Name of PAF Pilot, with Aircraft Type | Cause | Status | Target |
| 4-Sep | F/O N.M. Butt – F-86 | Shot down by F/L Pathania, piloting a Gnat | BO | Chamb |
| 6-Sep | S/L S.A. Rafique – F-86 | Shot down by F/O Gandhi, piloting a Hunter | Killed | Halwara |
| 6-Sep | F/L A.T.M. Aziz – F-86 | Crashed during night T-O | Killed | Tejgaon |
| 6-Sep | F/O Yunus Hussain – F-86 | Shot down by F/O V.K. Neb, piloting a Hunter | Killed | Halwara |
| 6-Sep | S/L S.A. Siddique and S/L A. Qureshi – B-57 |
Anti-Aircraft Fire | Killed | Jamnagar |
| 7-Sep | F/L Amjad Hussain – F-104 | Shot down by S/L Devayya, piloting a Mystere | BO | Sargodha |
| 7-Sep | None – F-86 Sabre | Destroyed on ground | — | Sargodha |
| 7-Sep | F/L Sikander Azam – F-86 | Crashed during night landing | Killed | Lahore |
| 7-Sep | F/L Afzal Khan – F-86 | Shot down by F/L A.T. Cooke, piloting a Hunter | Killed | Kalaikonda |
| 8-Sep | F/L Sadruddin – F-86 | Anti-Aircraft Fire | Ejected | Amritsar |
| 11-Sep | S/L M. Ahmed – F-86 | Anti-Aircraft Fire | Killed | Amritsar |
| 11-Sep | S/L Mohd Iqbal and F/L Saifuddin Lodhi – RB-57 |
Own Anti-Aircraft Fire | Killed | Amritsar |
| 13-Sep | S/L A.U. Ahmed – F-86 | Damaged in Train Blast | Killed | Ferozepur |
| 14-Sep | F/L Sheik and F/L B.A. Choudary – B-57 |
Anti-Aircraft Fire | POW | Adampur |
| 16-Sep | F/O Shaukat – F-86 | Shot down by F/O Pingale, piloting a Hunter | POW | Halwara |
| 17-Sep | F/L. M.A. Butt and F/O K. U. Zaman – B-57 |
? | Killed | Risalpur |
| 17-Sep | F/O G.O. Abbassi – F-104 | Undershot runway and then crashed | Ejected | Sargodha |
| 19-Sep | F/L S.M. Ahmed – F-86 | Crashed after damage in air combat with S/L Trevor Keelor and F/O Kapila, piloting Gnats | Ejected | Sargodha |
| 20-Sep | F/L A.H. Malik – F-86 | Shot down by F/O Mazumdar, piloting a Gnat | Ejected |
Khem Karan |
APPENDIX C
LIST OF INDIAN PILOTS – KILLED, POW OR EJECTED SAFELY
Note: ES – Ejected Safely, POW – Prisoner of War
| Rank & Pilot’s Name | Sqn No. | Date | Aircraft & Cause | Status |
|
Sqn. Ldr. M.J. Marston |
10 | 10 Sept | Vampire, shot up on ground | Killed |
|
Sqn. Ldr. O.N. Kacker |
27 | 07 Sept | Hunter, shot down | POW |
|
Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya |
1 | 07 Sept | Mystere, shot down by F-104 | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. R.K. Uppal | 1 | 11 Sept | Mystere, shot down by anti-aircraft | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. N.K. Malik | 2 | 14 Sept | Gnat, died of wounds after aircraft landed | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. Jasbir Singh | 3 | 07 Sept | Mystere, shot down by anti-aircraft | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. A.K. Rawlley | 7 | 06 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. S.B. Bhagwat | 7 | 07 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. D.P. Chatterjee | 7 | 20 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Sqn. Ldr. B.S. Sikand | 2 | 03 Sept | Gnat, force landed in Pak territory | POW |
| Flt. Lt. P.S. Pingale | 7 | 06 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | ES |
| Flt. Lt. S.K. Sharma | 7 | 20 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | ES |
| Flt. Lt. G.S. Ahuja | 27 | 09 Sept | Hunter, shot down by anti-aircraft | Killed |
| Flt. Lt. A.N.Kale | 2 | 13 Sept | Gnat, ejected after damage by Sabre | ES |
| Flt. Lt. T.K. Chaudhary | 27 | 15 Sept | Hunter, shot down by anti-aircraft | Killed |
| Flt. Lt. V.M. Joshi | 220 | 01 Sept | Vampire, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Flt. Lt. Babul Guha | 1 | 07 Sept | Mystere, lost over Sargodha | Killed |
| Flt. Lt. K.C. Cariappa | 20 | 22 Sept | Hunter, lost to anti-aircraft fire | POW |
| Flt. Lt. T.S. Sethi | 31 | 13 Sept | Mystere, Shot down by AA Fire | Killed |
| Flt. Lt. M.M. Lowe | 5 | 21 Sept | Canberra, shot down by F-104 | POW |
| Flt. Lt. L. Sadarangani | 8 | 13 Sept | Mystere, Shot down by anti-aircraft | POW |
| Flt. Lt. V.M. Mayadev | 9 | 19 Sept | Gnat, shot down by F-86 | POW |
| Fg. Off. A.R. Gandhi | 7 | 06 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | ES |
| Fg. Off. J.S. Brar | 7 | 07 Sept | Hunter, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Fg. Off. P.R. Ramchandani | 3 | 26 Sept | ?, died after the war | Killed |
| Fg. Off. K.K. Kapur | 5 | 21 Sept | Navigator to M.M. Lowe’s Canberra | Killed |
| Fg. Off. F.D. Bunsha | 7 | 16 Sept | Hunter, shot down | Killed |
| Fg. Off. S. Bharadwaj | 45 | 01 Sept | Vampire, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Fg. Off. A.K.Bhagwagar | 45 | 01 Sept | Vampire, shot down by F-86 | Killed |
| Fg. Off. S.V.Pathak | 220 | 01 Sept | Vampire, shot down by F-86 | ES |
| Fg. Off. D.P. Chinoy | ? | 10 Sept | Mystere, shot down by anti-aircraft | ES |
| Fg. Off. M.V. Singh | 7 | 8 Sept | Hunter, shot down by anti-aircraft | POW |
SUMMARY:
| No. of pilots taken POW |
7 |
| No. of pilots ejected safely |
6 |
| No. of pilots killed involving loss of aircraft |
17 |
| Aircrew killed |
1 |
| Pilots killed not involving aircraft loss |
1 |
| TOTAL AIRCREW KILLED AND POW |
26 |
APPENDIX D
The 1965 Indo-Pak Air War saw the Indian Air Force (IAF) getting involved in the heaviest fighting since World War II. A trend in the awards too was noticeable. All fighter pilots who had air-to-air kills were awarded with the Vir Chakra. Most of the Commanding Officers of the squadrons involved in the attack too were decorated.
Of the 44 Vir Chakras that were awarded to IAF personnel, one of them was for the Kutch operations in April ’65, well before the start of full fledged hostilities in September ’65. Interestingly, one of the MVCs was awarded 23 years after the conflict in 1988*.
The following is the IAF Order of Battle in the 1965 War. The list is only indicative and not accurate. Only combat units are included in the list. Wherever a ‘Dett’ is mentioned, it should be taken that a detachment of four to six aircraft has been deputed. The Names of the Officer Commanding (OC) are given in the parenthesis. This page employs Dynamic HTML and collapsible bullets.
| Mysteres: No. 1 Sqn No. 3 Sqn No. 8 Sqn No. 31 Sqn No. 32 Sqn |
Hunters: No. 7 Sqn No. 27 Sqn No. 20 Sqn No. 14 Sqn (East) No. 17 Sqn (East) No. 37 Sqn (East) |
Gnats: No. 2 Sqn No. 9 Sqn No. 23 Sqn |
| Canberra: No. 5 Sqn No. 16 Sqn (East) No. 35 Sqn No. 106 SPR Sqn Jet Bomber Conversion Unit |
Other Types: No. 28 Sqn – MiG-21 No. 45/220 Sqn – Vampire No. 24 Sqn – Vampire (East) No. 4 Sqn – Ouragan (East) |
- Western Air Command (AVM R. Rajaram)
- Pathankot (Gp. Capt. Roshan Suri)
- No.28 MiG-21 (Small Dett: 2) (Wg. Cdr. MSD Wollen) >>> Moved to Adampur
- No.45/No.220 Vampire (Sqn. Ldr. SK Dahar) >>> Moved to Hindon
- No.3 Mystere (Wg. Cdr. Paul Roby)
- No.31 Mystere (Wg. Cdr. WM Goodman)
- No.23 Gnat (Dett: 8 under S/L J W Greene)
- Halwara (Gp. Capt. GKK John)
- No.7 Hunter (Wg. Cdr. ATRH Zachariah)
- No.27 Hunter (Wg. Cdr. Jog)
- No.20 Hunter (Dett: 4-6 under S/L B K Bishnoi att to No.7 Later)
- No.2 Gnat (Dett: 4 under S/L R Dhawan – Later W/C Bharat Singh)
- Adampur (Gp. Capt. WVA Lloyd)
- No.1 Mystere (Wg. Cdr. OP Taneja)
- No.8 Mystere (Wg. Cdr. Milikins)
- No.28 MiG-21 (Dett: 4)
- Ambala (Gp. Capt. DE Bouchier)
- No.2 Gnat (Main Dett: 8) (Wg. Cdr. Bharat Singh)
- No.23 Gnat (Main Dett.) (Wg. Cdr. S. Raghavendran)
- Agra
- No.5 Canberra (Wg. Cdr. PP Singh)
- No.35 Canberra (Wg. Cdr. Bakshish Singh)
- No.2 Gnat (Dett: 4)
- Hindon
- No.20 Hunter (Main Dett.) (Wg. Cdr. Amrit Lal Bajaj)
- Pathankot (Gp. Capt. Roshan Suri)
- Eastern Air Command (AVM Shivdev Singh)
- Kalaikonda (Gp. Capt. MB Naik)
- No.14 Hunter (Wg. Cdr. DA La Fontaine)
- No.16 Canberra (Wg. Cdr. PM Wilson) >>> Moved to WAC Agra
- No.24 Vampire (Sqn. Ldr. M. Banerji)
- Baghdogra (Wg. Cdr. MB Singh)
- Hashimara
- No.4 Ouragan (Sqn. Ldr. MM Singh)
- Chabua
- No.17 Hunter
- Gauhati
- No.37 Hunter (Wg. Cdr. McNeil) >>> Moved to WAC
- Kalaikonda (Gp. Capt. MB Naik)
Notes:
1. No.45/220 Vampire squadron was an amalgamated unit with 16 Vampires under the command of a Sqn. Ldr.
2. No.28 MiG-21 squadron had only nine aircraft as establishment.