Flt Lt Samad Ali Changezi
By Yawar Mazhar and Usman Shabbir
PAF Base Masroor was a very important target for IAF attacks and used to come under regular night attacks by IAF Canberra Bombers. Due to the difficulty faced in launching missions from the base, while under attack at night, it was decided that two F-104 aircraft should be positioned at PAF Base Faisal for night Air Defence Missions as an alternate airfield.
On 16th December, 1971, Sqn Ldr Rashid Bhatti, along with Flt Lt Samad Changezi was detailed to move to PAF Base Faisal with two F-104A aircraft. These aircraft were out of those nine F-104 aircraft that came to Masroor from Jordan on 13th of December.
The Jordanian Starfighters lacked the special modifications, carried out by PAF on its Starfighters, enabling them to carry two Sidewinders on under wing weapon pylons in addition to two on the wingtips.
Due to lack of this modification, Bhatti and Samad had no choice, but to fly these aircraft for night air defence with guns only and carry fuel on wingtip tanks for extended range. The main idea being that at night PAF wanted the IAF raiding bombers to know that Starfighters are in the air leaving them with a very uncomfortable position to continue their planned attacks.
Both Bhatti and Samad took off from PAF Base Masroor for PAF Base Faisal on 16th December at 1600hrs. After landing at Faisal the pilots completed necessary operational requirement to organize the Air Defence Hut in tents and both aircraft were made ready for the night mission.
On 17th December, both pilots were told to come back to Masroor and while preparing to return they received instructions from Air Defence Command, to fly a CAP around Mirpur Khas and Chor area before landing back at Masroor.
Both pilots started a CAP in the designated area. Samad was flying the RJAF Starfighter with tail number 56-767 and Bhatti 56-839. After an hour, while both pilots were planning to return to Masroor for landing, they heard a call from Badin Radar Station, informing them of two bandits, flying at 10,000 ft and heading in their direction. The radar controller asked if they would like to engage them, Bhatti replied affirmative. Radar controller started passing on the instructions to establish contact with the bandits.
As Starfighter was approaching near the targets in battle formation, Samad who was on Bhatti’s left established contact with one of the IAF MiG-21s coming from opposite direction. Samad broke off from his lead and tried to manoeuvre behind this MiG-21.
Meanwhile Bhatti (lead) also picked up both the MiG-21s and tried to position behind them. Now the situation was such that Samad was behind one MiG-21 trying to close in within gun firing range (about 3500 ft) with the second MiG-21 trying to close in on Samad. At this time Bhatti saw the second MiG-21, while still diving and turning, fire one missile at a very high angle-off at Samad. This missile missed Samad’s aircraft. At this moment Bhatti called Samad that one MiG-21 is behind him and has fired a missile which was a miss. Bhatti told Samad to jettison his fuel tanks and go full afterburner (full throttle) and disengage. Since Samad was very excited trying to get within the gun firing range of the MiG-21 he ignored Bhatti or was not very attentive in the heat of the situation.
The second MiG-21 fired another missile which was a direct hit and Samad’s Starfighter exploded in the air. The pilot had no time to eject and was killed instantly. Bhatti by now had closed in behind this second MiG-21, but both the MiG-21s made a hard turn to the right and headed east towards their base. Due to low fuel and lack of any air-to-air missiles, Bhatti also turned towards own base and recovered at Masroor.
This was the third and final Starfighter loss of 1971 war.
