Official and Unofficial Aviation Art

[air marshal]

F-16 Acrobat: An F-16 from No. 11 Squadron 'Arrows' performs aerobatics in Izmir Airshow 2011, Turkey.

 

[air marshal]

ROAR OF THUNDER: A JF-17 Thunder aircraft takes off for routine mission, breaking the spell of morning silence with roar of afterburner.

 

[air marshal]

SKYBOLT BREAKS OFF: The sketch shows a formation of PAF F-7P 'Skybolt' aircrafts breaking off during a routine training mission.

 

[air marshal]

MODIFIED FOR AERIAL REFUELING: PAF's first Mirage III prototype modified to make it capable of aerial refueling takes off for first air to air refueling demonstration. Air to air refueling probe is visible on the fuselage of the aircraft. Addition of the capability of aerial refueling has enhanced operational effectiveness of PAF to a great extent.

 

[air marshal]

FIRST AERIAL KILL - April 10, 1959: First PAF aircraft to shoot down an enemy aircraft was F-86F Sabre, serial# 55-5005 of No.15 Squadron 'Cobras". Flight Lieutenant M. Yunis, Sabre pilot downs an Indian Air Force 'Canberra' when it was on a photo reconnaissance mission high over Rawalpindi area on 10th April 1959, 'An Eid Day'. Air Defence Controller for this sortie was Pilot Officer Rab Nawaz.

 

[air marshal]

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE VIII, RPAF 1947 - No. 9 Squadron 'Griffins': No. 9 Squadron (after independence becoming a Pakistani unit) had converted onto the famous WW II Spitfire in 1945. It was powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin 66 V 12 Cyliner liquid cooled engine. Armed with 4 x 20 mm cannons, it could fly at maximum speed of 404 MPH. It flew in the battle of Britain, in Africa, and Asia during the War. No. 9 squadron continued to fly Spitfires from August to December 1947.

 

[air marshal]

PAF F-16D BLOCK 52 FROM NO. 5 'FALCONS' SQUADRON: Sketch depicts a newly delivered F-16D Block 52+ from No. 5 'Falcons' Squadron taking off for routine training mission from home base, PAF Jacobabad.

 

[air marshal]

Aviation Art by Awais Lali

Illustrations: Pakistan Air Force at War
PAF Falcons - Picture Gallery - Aviation Art by Awais Lali

THERES BUT TO DO OR DIE: On September 6, 1965 Sqn Ldr. Sarfaraz Ahmad Rafiqui, the fearsome Squadron Commander of No. 5 Squadron Sargodha, led a three ship raid against the heavily defended IAF airfield at Halwara with Flt Lts. Cecil Chodhary and Younas Hussain as his wingmen. The plan was to send eight F-86 Sabre aircrafts but due to maintenance problem only three were available and they were one hour late from the actual plan of simultaneous attack on different IAF airfields and hence lost the element of surprise. The formation was intercepted by two pairs of Hunters one from No.7 Squadron and other from No.27 Squadron. Rafiqui immediately broke and pounced on one of the pairs and shot down a Hunter. He was abot to shoot the other Hunter when he found his guns jammed and called Cecil to take lead and decided to cover his six as wingman. As he was doing so, the hunter at target didnt let the opportunity go and attacked Rafiqui but in turn was shot down by Cecil. The painting shows Rafiquis Sabre after shooting down Hunter ( wreck can be seen in the background) and Cecil Chodhary shooting down the other Hunter. After some time, Rafiqui and Younas (seen in the background) would be shot down by the other two hunters and hence to mark the end of a heroic encounter faught over the enemy's home.

Rafiqui and Younas were martyred and were awarded with gallantry Sitara-e-Jurrat for the act of extreme sacrifice.

 

[air marshal]

FIRST SHOT - September 6, 1965 - 0525 Hours: Dawn, 6 September, 1965. Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan in F-104 A Starfighter destroys a Mystere IV and damages another, to mark the start of Indo-Pak War over West Pakistan. India started the war over West Pakistan with an attack by a formation of four Mystere IV aircrafts .These aircrafts crossed the international border and attacked a train near Wazirabad. Flt Lt. Aftab Alam Khan was on a routine morning combat air patrol (CAP) mission in Chamb/Mangla area when he was directed by the controler at Sakesar Flt Lt. Farooq Haider to intercept the intruders. First contact with enemy was made as he passed head on through the Mystere formation. In the ensuing combat that followed at tree top level, he skillfully outmanoeuvered the opponents to destroy one Mystere and damage another. The remaining members of the formation managed to slip away in poor light conditions, only to tell the tale of 'dreaded F-104 and the deadly Sidewinder'. Apart from being the first encounter to start the war in earnest, the engagement was significant in many respects. It marked the new era of dogfighting at very low altitude. It was also the first combat kill by any Mach 2 aircraft, and the first missile kill for the Pakistan Air Force.

 

[air marshal]

END OF A NIGHT INTRUDER: In the closing days of September 65 War an Indian Canberra on a night bombing raid against Sargodha was shot down by an F-104 pilot near the border and its pilot who ejected was captured. The area was brightly lit up when the abandoned spiralling Canberra, hit at 30,000 feet, reflected light off a layer of clouds at 10,000 feet. The Pilot of F-104 was Squadron Leader Jamal A Khan (later CAS) an controller Squadron Leader Anwar from Sakesar Radar. This is said to be the only missile kill at night in actual combat by an F-104 Star Fighter, anywhere in the world.

 

[air marshal]

VAMPIRE HUNT: PAF scored its first victories in 1965 on 1st September when four Indian Vampire fighters, which were attacking Pakistani troops in Chamb, were shot down by two F-86 Sabres flown by Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Rfiqui and Flight Lieutenant Imtiaz Bhatti, two by each pilot. No Vampires were seen again for the remainder of the 1965 War. Controller on Radar during this interception was Flight Lieutenant Farooq from Sakesar.

 

[air marshal]

F-86 SHOOTS A MYSTERE DOWN - September 7, 1965 - 1548 Hours: Flt Lt. A.H. Malik destroys an IAF Mystere near Sargodha. Flt Lt. Goha, the Mystere pilot was killed in this encounter. In the background, Flg Off. Khalid Iqbal is chasing another Mystere.

 

[air marshal]

Aviation Art by Awais Lali

Illustrations: PAF and the Afghan War
PAF Falcons - Picture Gallery - Aviation Art by Awais Lali

F-16 DESTROYS AN INTRUDER DURING AFGHAN WAR - MAY 17, 1986: Painting shows an F-16 piloted by Squadron Leader A Hameed Qadri of No. 9 Squadron 'Griffins' after shooting down an Afghan SU-22 by AIM-9L Sidewinder Missile. Missile just hit its target which turned into a fire ball. In background Qadri's No.2 Squadron Leader Yousaf Chaudhry is seen manouevering his aircraft to get the sight of other SU-22 present in the area. The encounter took place at 16000 feet over Parachinar.

 

[air marshal]

Aviation Art by Group Captain Syed Masood Akhtar Hussaini
PAF Falcons - Picture Gallery - Aviation Art by Group Captain Syed Masood Akhtar Hussaini

PAF Over the Years By S M A Hussaini - Third Edition published in 2010 - Front side

 

[humza_313]

Have some new images to share.. Will upload ASAP.