EGO WHILE IT DEFINES A FIGHTER PILOT, IT MAY ALSO KILL HIM.
THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE REGARGING HIM AND ME ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY.
SO HERE IT GOES.
The date was 11th April 1970, the venue NO.14 Squadron at PAF base Dhaka and the mission 1 vs 1 ACM on F-86 saber jets. Now Jamal is writting this article he says that I just got promoted and had 400hr of Saber flying under my belt, I was convinced no sierra Oscar Bravo could ever get the better of me in 1 vs 1 Air combat in my beloved Saber.This mission was my last sortie as I received my posting orders to go back for FIS. My No2
( which was I ) was a friend of mine who just joined the squadron and who also considered himself as the righful successor to the Red barron. This mission to pharse is urdu
( To separate milk from water )and comming out as the second best in the air comabt was not an option for either of us.
The Combat commenced at 25,000 feet from line abreast position that is from position of equal advantage. It rapidly degenerated into a slow speed canopy to canopy scissor manoeuver.I am refereing to a period when Air to Air missile has serious limitations and guns/canons was the most effective means to shoot down the adversary in air combat. To achive a gun kill one had to manoeuver and stay behind the apponent inside 400 yards long enough to expose valid gun cammera cine on him. Pilots of relatively similar skills in similar one verses one combat would invariably end up in slow speed scissors and the eventualy victory would be achived by the one more proficient in slow speed handling. Both of us were equally matched a stalemate was the most likely result.
With both of us locked into slow speed scissors alternating with low G barrel rolls, height loss was inevitable. The hard deck of 10,000ft was busted but despite the brefing that all combat manoeuvering was to cease below it the fight continued with neither managing a decisive advantage. Eventually we were literally at tree top level ans still the duel was raging.
Finally my No2 gave a frantic call to me to watch out for the ground. Only that did I relise that grave danger to which I had exposed myself amd my colleague and how close we had come to becoming a set of statictics in the PAF's list of fatal accidents. I called off the fight, Drained of energy and fuel, we headed back to base for an uneventful landing.
After landing on the tarmac No2 approched me with a malicious grin on his face." what the hell were you trying to prove you maniacal idiot" he scremed
" If I had not warned you both of us would have hit the ground" he added " why did you not remind me earlier" I feebly countred." because you were the bloddy supreme leader and remember you are not the only jackass with an ego bigger than his brains" he replied " and besides I did not want to be the one to chicken out" he concluded I agreed with his sentiments.
This episode brought out some valuable lessons for me and I dare say both of us. First while an ego to match is an absolute pre requisite for a fighter pilot, If not kept under control it would soon lead to his demise. Ego must be tampered with sound judgement, Second being a learder does not automaticlally confer superior wisdom.
This is one lesson I faithfully applied as I moved up in service
.
Author Jamal(R).
Thank you very much for your input. This will be appreciated so much.
My cousin was retired PN but unfortunately passed away very suddenly last year.
