‘Little Dragon’ MM Alam's World record stays unbeaten even after 53 years

[The Eagle]

MM Alam's World record stays unbeaten even after 53 years
3 Sep, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Legendary war hero MM Alam’s record of shooting down five Indian war planes in less than a minute remains unbeaten. Alam, nicknamed as ‘Little Dragon’ popularly, while piloting an F-86 Sabre, shot down five Indian war planes in less than a minute during 1965 Pak-India war and altogether, downed nine war planes in the aerial fighting.

MM Alam was the first ever fighter pilot for PAF , listed on top in the hall of famers list at the PAF Museum in Karachi. Alam is considered as a national hero for Pakistan, most significantly, for his remarkable show of brilliance in the war of 1965 he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat and also the BAR medal, private news channel reported.

The war hero was born on July 6, 1935, in Calcutta, India and was the eldest of 11 siblings. No one in his family before him had been part of the military, and in fact, he joined the armed forces against his father’s will.

In 1965, when India started war in the late mist dark night, Alam who was the first commanding officer of the first squadron of Assaults Mirage III, took his F-86 Sabre jet plane equipped with AIM-9 sidewinder missiles and fly over the skies of Sargodha to defeat the enemies who entered in Pakistani Air Space.

Here, MM Alam made the unforgettable history by knocking down nine Indian Fighter Jets “Hawker Hunters” in air to air combat despite Hawker Hunter superiority over F-86. He shot down as he sets an unbeaten world record by downing five Indian aircraft in thirty seconds. Alam announced to the radar controller that he had shot down nine IAF Air crafts and when Radio Pakistan announced his brilliance, people of Pakistan started rising the slogans of “Allah o Akbar”.

The Air Force legend was battling illness since December 2012, and was admitted to Pakistan Naval Station Shifa Hospital in Karachi. After a protracted illness, Alam died in Karachi on March 18, 2013. He was 77. He retired in 1982 as an Air Commodore. - APP

 

[war&peace]

What a legendary flying Ace

 

[SQ8]

The total number is diputed, but even the most conservative number still leave a feat of flying seldom matched during the times.

 

[Beskar]

"They are falling like little birds"

 

[MastanKhan]

What a legendary flying Ace

Hi,

His comments at 4:52 are extremely important---.

The lion effect can happen to either side in the first few sorties---depending on the results---.

 

[war&peace]

Hi,

His comments at 4:52 are extremely important---.

The lion effect can happen to either side in the first few sorties---depending on the results---.

Exactly,

 

[Jackdaws]

All soldiers who fight for their nation are worthy of respect. I am sure he was a great warrior.

 

[MastanKhan]

Exactly,

Hi,

If you noticed---the Sabre was superior overall due to its air to air missile---.

The 4 aircraft made a blunder in unison---ie---all turned in one direction.

That won't happen again---.

 

[M.AsfandYar]

Hi,

If you noticed---the Sabre was superior overall due to its air to air missile---.

The 4 aircraft made a blunder in unison---ie---all turned in one direction.

That won't happen again---.

I heard in another interview where he said they were unreliable.

 

[Raider 21]

Hi,

If you noticed---the Sabre was superior overall due to its air to air missile---.

The 4 aircraft made a blunder in unison---ie---all turned in one direction.

That won't happen again---.

They were shot down using guns (4 gun kills, 1 missile kill, 1 miss)....but yes the turns have helped in other engagements. In the 1980s, most of the PAF Viper kills from No.14 squadron were all achieved as their bandits turned in front of them....

 

[MastanKhan]

I heard in another interview where he said they were unreliable.

Hi,

The missiles---. No they were not---they did the job they were designed to---.

The first slammed int the ground because the target aircraft was too close to the ground---the second aircraft popped up and the missile hit---.

They were shot down using guns....but yes the turns have helped in other engagements. In the 1980s, most of the PAF Viper kills from No.14 squadron were all achieved as their bandits turned in front of them....

Hi,

Supposedly the first aircraft that was shot down was with the missile---. Two missiles gone---rest were by the guns.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Story_of_PAF_Heroes.html?id=6UGTygAACAAJ


I was 10 years old when I made my dad buy me this book at the Lahore Station book stall---in 1967---taking the 2 Dn Khyber mail to Khanewal.

 

[Psychic]

Hi,

The missiles---. No they were not---they did the job they were designed to---.

The first slammed int the ground because the target aircraft was too close to the ground---the second aircraft popped up and the missile hit---.



Hi,

Supposedly the first aircraft that was shot down was with the missile---. Two missiles gone---rest were by the guns.

I was 10 years old when I made my dad buy me this book at the Lahore Station book stall---.

They were shot down using guns (4 gun kills, 1 missile kill, 1 miss)....but yes the turns have helped in other engagements. In the 1980s, most of the PAF Viper kills from No.14 squadron were all achieved as their bandits turned in front of them....

2 gun kills are disputed since neither the wreckage fell in Pakistan nor was the loss admitted by the other side. Alam shot at all four airplanes though.
Indians claim the return of two damaged hunters from that formation. Probably it was 2 kills 2 damage in addition to the missile kill, because it is incomprehensible that the wreckage would fall outside Pakistani territory when they were deep inside Pakistan and flying not very high either.
Alam however is indisputably the highest scorer and a "master dogfighter" of the sub-continent.

The missiles---. No they were not---they did the job they were designed to---.

Those missiles had to be fired from only behind and that too when aircraft were not pulling more than 1g or so and even then, they had the tendency to follow the sun's glow or ground heat at low levels. Added range as compared to guns was a significant advantage though.

 

[war&peace]

Hi,

If you noticed---the Sabre was superior overall due to its air to air missile---.

The 4 aircraft made a blunder in unison---ie---all turned in one direction.

That won't happen again---.

Practice and exercise is one thing but when it come the real battle plans are often forgotten. It is like practicing bating in the net but then everything turns out to be different in the field.

 

[Areesh]

These are the confirmed kills of MM Alam

6 September 1965, 1× Hawker Hunter

• Squadron Leader Ajit Kumar Rawlley, No. 7 Sqn, KIA near Tarn Taran.

7 September 1965, 5× Hawker Hunters

• Squadron Leader Onkar Nath Kacker, No. 27 Sqn, POW

• Squadron Leader Suresh B Bhagwat, No. 7 Sqn
• Flying Officer Jagdev Singh Brar, No. 7 Sqn, KIA, near Sangla Hill
• Flying Officer Farokh Dara Bunsha, No. 7 Sqn, KIA, near Amritsar.

There can be more but these are the confirmed ones accepted by both sides.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Likes of MM Alam show that Pak can always fight her way out -even if the hurdles are as high as K2 - provided Iman and Ihlas are there!!!! At a time when the Muslim countries' forces -without any Iman and Ihlas whatsoever - were being beaten to death right and left, the Pak forces were an exception even at the time of debacles....