1965 war: We achieved air superiority in three days, says Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh

[Windjammer]

Seems the Indian Air Marshal has just come out of a coma.....after 50 years.
Ajai Shukla, who would hardly incline to be pro Pakistan as he never mentions the surrendering of the IAF Gnat, in the opening days of the war, gives account of the first three days.

On September 1, 1965, the IAF launched its first strikes against a Pakistani invasion at Chhamb, near Jammu. Foolishly, 12 obsolescent Vampires and 14 Mystere fighter-bombers were thrown in, which began shooting up Indian tanks from 20 Lancers, which was opposing the Pakistani advance. Twenty Lancers officers recount their relief when the PAF Sabres swooped down on the IAF, shooting down four Vampires. A shocked IAF grounded its Vampire and Toofani squadrons, reducing its strength by one-third. Clearly, this was not a day to be celebrated.

After a quiet September 2, the IAF claimed its first kill on September 3, when squadron leader Trevor Keelor, flying a Gnat fighter, hit a PAF Sabre. The IAF, in need of something to celebrate, announced a "kill" and awarded the pilot a Vir Chakra. In fact the IAF knows that the Pakistani pilot, flight lieutenant Yusuf Ali Khan, nursed his damaged Sabre back to Sargodha air base. Not until September 4 did an Indian pilot, squadron leader V S Pathania, shoot down a PAF Sabre. Perhaps that is the day to commemorate.

The next day, September 5, saw absolutely no action. On September 6, the PAF made its big move, launching multiple strikes against IAF bases to destroy aircraft on the ground and whittle away the IAF's numerical superiority. Indian accounts say 10 IAF fighters were destroyed on the ground at Pathankote, with another three damaged. Separately, hunters became the hunted, when two of the four IAF Hunter fighters patrolling over Halwara air base to ambush incoming Pakistani fighters were shot down by the Sabres when they arrived.


September 6 was also when Indian troops crossed the border at Amritsar and, taking the Pakistan Army by surprise, reached Lahore's outskirts. The official history recounts that this was achieved without IAF support, a devastating accusation endorsed by noted historian, John Fricker. In his authoritative work, Battle for Pakistan: The Air War of 1965, Mr Fricker writes: "Incredibly, the Indian offensive struggled on without any form of air support, and the IAF did not challenge the repeated ground attack sorties flown without loss by the PAF throughout the day." That evening, battered by the PAF and without a clear plan, Indian troops pulled back from the brink of a war-winning victory - the capture of Lahore.

September 7 saw a debacle in the eastern theatre, where the PAF had only a single squadron of Sabres. Early morning IAF raids on Chittagong and Jessore achieved nothing. However, a retaliatory PAF raid devastated the IAF's Kalaikunda base, in West Bengal, destroying 12 aircraft on the ground.
Ajai Shukla: The day nothing happened | Business Standard Column

Another one.

It was the first air battle between India and Pakistan. The Indian Air Force was numerically superior, with 28 combat squadrons to PAF's 11, but it was saddled with technologically inferior fighters. And, caught off-guard by the PAF offensive, India had lost 35 of its aircraft on the ground during pre-emptive strikes — one on Pathankot on September 6 and then on Kalaikunda, a day later.
IAF's latest history of its operations in the 1965 war acknowledges it "suffered disproportionately higher losses" than PAF.
IAF takes a candid look at the 1965 war - The Times of India

So the Indian commander wants us to believe that after loosing some 50 aircraft in the first three days of war, the IAF achieved air superiority.

 

[The Ultranationalist]

afterall it were pakistanis who lost 1950 sq km of their land and compared to that manage to capture on 500 sq km of the Indian land, helluva momins i say

 

[BABA AGHORI]

afterall it were pakistanis who lost 1950 sq km of their land and compared to that manage to capture on 500 sq km of the Indian land, helluva momins i say

They were marde momin so multiply 500sq km with 10 my friend . and this is how they won.

 

[punit]

What about the IAF 104 jets shot down as compared to 19 of PAF during the war.

If air superiority was achieved complete victory over Pakistan should not have a problem at all. India could have won the war.

This Air Marshal eager for fame is not being paid his pension correctly.

lol 19 vs 104 another Pakistani fable ! the same air marshal was in charge of IAF in 1971 war ! so don't bite more than u can chew !

considering the IAF was operating like a flying club in that war, maybe the esteemed Air |marshal has some dementia set in.

ok! how about Air marshal Noor Khan ! ask him about 1965 war ~!

 

[Hussain Farooqui]

When some Bharati planes were shot down in the war of 1971, the pilots parachuted and they all turned up to be Russians. The Bharati air force badly lacked in the training standards too. They then had to permit the Russian pilots to fly their fighter air crafts.

 

[Foxtrot-Bravo]

Lol, Indians high on weed.

 

[Nefarious]

Astro Interstellar Vedic herbal overdose resulting in outrageous dillusions.

 

[Windjammer]

lol 19 vs 104 another Pakistani fable ! the same air marshal was in charge of IAF in 1971 war ! so don't bite more than u can chew !

And what did IAF exactly achieved in 1971 war. ???

ok! how about Air marshal Noor Khan ! ask him about 1965 war ~!

It was the IAF Air chief, who came to visit Nur Khan after the war.

 

[punit]

And what did IAF exactly achieved in 1971 war. ???
[quote[

ok! how about Air marshal Noor Khan ! ask him about 1965 war ~!

It was the IAF Air chief, who came to visit Nur Khan after the war.

[/QUOTE]
what IAF achieved in 1971 ? are u kidding !

 

[Windjammer]

It was the IAF Air chief, who came to visit Nur Khan after the war.

what IAF achieved in 1971 ? are u kidding ![/QUOTE]
No i am not kidding, do enlighten me before i give you something to ponder.

 

[zebra7]

Seems the Indian Air Marshal has just come out of a coma.....after 50 years.
Ajai Shukla, who would hardly incline to be pro Pakistan as he never mentions the surrendering of the IAF Gnat, in the opening days of the war, gives account of the first three days.



Another one.

So the Indian commander wants us to believe that after loosing some 50 aircraft in the first three days of war, the IAF achieved air superiority.

The PAF strike first thus have the element of surprise with them, thus was able to distroys several fighter planes on the ground first off gaurd and due to the fact that at that time there was very less shelter facility available. The prime objective of the PAF was to distroy the offensive and fighting power of IAF with the surprise wave of attack, taking example from the Israeli airforce operation against the egypt and syria. But the objective could not be obtained because PAF didn't press much effort and resources unlike the israeli which attained with agressive waves after waves attack with cleaver planning. Later IAF responded back with the retaliation attack and attain the air superiority in the air where it needed the most that is the battle ground.

Actually IAF was providing the air support to the ground troops and army with close air support and PAF was fighting its own war. If you praised PAF for fighting dogfight with IAF you are forgetting what was the effort of the PAF to provide the support the pakistani army and the pakisani navy. Its effort was less than 5% and most of its effort was the air defence or protecting itself aka more than 50%.

IAF had at that time much inferior fighter planes than the pakistani though they were in superior in number but a large chunk of its squardon have to deployed in eastern part of the country, so he numerical superiority was not much great than the pakistani airforce. But IAF displayed the professionalism to deny such deficiencies and came up with the great fight and support to the advancing army and attain air superiority in the air.
One of the great fighter plane was Su 7, the bomber and ground attack plane which Indira gandhi signed the deal wihout the concent or the choise of the IAF, which when indian pilots fly for the first time get there head beaten up and say Why this ? Why this ? A plane which was not egile could not move much sideways and could only fly straight and drop the unguided bombs and fire rocket. But when the war broke out IAF used it with great proficiency and if hunter won the battle of longiwala, Su 7 won the battle of usal attar.

 

[Windjammer]

@zebra7 , give it up dude, it's beyond your comprehension.
Firstly you are not even sure whether we are discussing the 1965 or 1971 war.

 

[zebra7]

@zebra7 , give it up dude, it's beyond your comprehension.
Firstly you are not even sure whether we are discussing the 1965 or 1971 war.[/QUOTE
That example is not for 65 or 71 its just for the general information

 

[Cash GK]

so that means he is big jaaz(jet with out wings) himself how many joint he does every day

 

[Myth_buster_1]

and guess what they have worlds best trained fighter pilots which sitting in there mirage IIIs can defete a malnutritioned short dark and illtrained IAF pilot even if he is sitting in a MKI, M2K, Mig-29 or even rafale even if IAF pilots have 3:1 numerical superiorty

IAF sucks really bad.. they are only good at two things... crashing jets or circling above air bases to clock flying hours..

 

[xperia]

lol 19 vs 104 another Pakistani fable ! the same air marshal was in charge of IAF in 1971 war ! so don't bite more than u can chew !


ok! how about Air marshal Noor Khan ! ask him about 1965 war ~!

Really?? Was he in charge of the IAF in both wars???hmmm so he is the one responsible for the pathetic performance of the IAF.Love u sir. Hamari dua hay k ap ainda be IAF ki command karain or unki waat lagwain
Sorry for my previous comment, Tea break karwao yar sir ko