Who Won the Air War in 1971?

[Vinod2070]

why not you bring BR page here?????/ because there is more losses.

It is not about numbers only. It is about the war objectives. What objectives did the PAF achieve?

Even if the Pakistani claim that the Indians lost more aircraft is accepted, does it suggest that the Pakistanis won the air war? The answer is a clear no. Because war, in the ultimate analysis, is not a numbers game. Winning a war has to do with achieving clear objectives. For the IAF, the aim was twofold: first, to prevent the PAF from messing with the Indian Army's advances, logistics and launching points; and second, to seriously impair Pakistan's capacity to wage war. The PAF's job was to do the opposite. The pre-emptive air strikes on 3rd December were aimed at knocking out a good part of the IAF while it was on the ground. This failed for the simple reason that the Indians had learnt their lessons of the 1965 war and had constructed fortified pens and bunkers to store their aircraft. More important, young IAF fliers proved they had the grit to go out and fight, even if it meant losing one's life.

By the end of the first week of the war, PAF fighters in the West appeared to have lost their will to fight. By this time, the IAF was repeatedly hitting secondary targets including railway yards, cantonments, bridges and other installations as well as providing close air support to the Army wherever it was required. The most dangerous were the close air support missions which involved flying low and exposing aircraft to intense ground fire. The IAF lost the most aircraft on these missions as is proved by the high losses suffered by IAF Sukhoi-7 and Hunter squadrons. But their pilots flew sortie after sortie keeping up with the Army and disrupting enemy troop and tank concentrations.

I am waiting for someone to answer the points raised by the original article rather than just go around some number claims.

 

[Kasrkin]

This failed for the simple reason that the Indians had learnt their lessons of the 1965 war and had constructed fortified pens and bunkers to store their aircraft. More important, young IAF fliers proved they had the grit to go out and fight, even if it meant losing one's life.

Well first of all, as you can see, this article is not exactly impartially written. Professional and neutral observers usually don’t make such remarks as "they didn't fear for their lives" etc because that is an obvious part of war. This piece is essential rhetorical, designed and intended to flare up the opinion and pride of a domestic audience.

Now as to the part about PAF initial strikes at IAF not being as devastating as in 1965, well I kind of agree to that. The IAF had worked hard to modernize their methods and ground crews after their humiliating performance in 1965, furthermore heavy amounts of foreign aid was also incoming over the years and helped them cope with what was still IMO the superior performance of PAF. Also while studying all this we should not forget that the IAF has always outnumbered the PAF in a ratio of 2:1 at least.

Now as to the PAF during 1971 lacking a higher direction in war, well that much is without doubt. Just like the whole of Pakistan, PAF too suffered to from a lack of clear objectives or vision. Pakistan as a whole let the enemy dictate to us the direction of the entire endeavor; ours were only ever knee jerk reactions which the superior Indian leadership (both civilian and military) had already taken into account before the initiation of hostilities. So to put it in simple words, we just played into their hands every step of the way; they have the initiative and they kept it till the end.

Upon that we were deluded, this whole time we thought that the Americans would not let India try anything too aggressive. The only political aims our leadership had in the war were domestic, i.e. to become Prime Minister. But I digress. There is no excuse for defeat. Our leadership was the worst we have ever had, and the Indians have hardly ever had better generals or a more politically secure civilian government. The PAF was naturally pretty confused, orders from the centre were senseless, often contradictory and obviously futile. An elaborate war plan with India didn’t exist and those that did were thrown out. Everything was shrouded in controversy. It should not be shocking to anyone that our performance suffered, however at the same time to say that “PAF fighters in the West had lost their will to fight” is pretty inaccurate and going over board; no doubt scores of shot down Indian jets and destroyed convoys can attest to that.

The PAF squadron in the East performed magnificently by all accounts, outnumbered almost 10:1 they put up a good show for themselves, accounting for many kills, in what many refer to as a ‘glorious last stand’ before their solitary airfield was finally disabled by the heavy IAF presence.

So in conclusion it was a bad time for PAF (by PAF standards anyway) just like it was a horrible time for the entire nation. IMO they didn’t ‘fail’ in any sense that they were unable to achieve any particular or reasonable objective. The Indians may feel proud of the IAF, saying they backed their army much like the PAF did in 65…but if you go over professional evaluations you’d see that the IAF still didn’t compare to PAF’s furious onslaught against Indian land formations in 65, all the while out numbered by the IAF, when the Army leadership could field coherent war plans.

 

[Muradk]

It is not about numbers only. It is about the war objectives. What objectives did the PAF achieve?



I am waiting for someone to answer the points raised by the original article rather than just go around some number claims.

Well the topic is on who won the Air War in 1971.
for all you Indian friends says that we all know who won doesn't mean anything.
The Yankees made sure when they leave the continent they leave it in a state where war was eminent. How can you run 2 countries when there is a another country sitting between you. Hats of 2 Indian media they are learning fast from Fox news. last night in the news they said that it was Pakistan both times who attacked India first. I have had my share of war with 2 kills I can say that standing anywhere in the world that yes we did win the air war. And guys you took away East Pakistan wasn't that enough for you. so why don't we just cut the crap and except it our IAF has never shown us the correct figures when we had a claim they said no it landed now the Gnat I shot down there is no way in hell that the pilot could have land he had no canopy and my bullets hit the cockpit hitting the pilot as well. it fell in Indian Air Space and there was to much AAG fire I got a clean shot but the next day they said that the Gnat landed.
we can all indulge in this cat and mouse game but the truth is PAF did won the air battles.

 

[hasang20]

India media is too mind controlling of 62% of poor Indians

 

[Vinod2070]

^^ There is a big myth about the 1965 war in Pakistan.

For now I don't want to go there.

 

[Kasrkin]

Yes what a suprise.

 

[Vinod2070]

we can all indulge in this cat and mouse game but the truth is PAF did won the air battles.

And that is good enough!

The war was lost but the air battles were won? Really?

Why was the Pakistani armour pounded for 4 days by the IAF in Longewala without any PAF support if they were winning the war.

 

[linkinpark]

It still remains a mystery, if PAF has won air battle how did IAF achieved air superiority without which it couldn't have tied down Pakistan on the west front.

 

[Kasrkin]

Only little problem here is that the IAF did NOT achieve air superiority at any time (over the West). Perhaps you are new to this particular term my well-versed friend.

Why was the Pakistani armour pounded for 4 days by the IAF in Longewala without any PAF support if they were winning the war.

Impartial Links Please? Thanx

 

[Tornado]

The final tally of the 14-day 1971 war announced by Indian Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram, in the Parliament on Dec 18, 1971, puts Pakistani losses at 94 aircraft and Indian losses at 45 aircraft.The figure for kills was determined though very strict procedures and does not include damaged aircraft or probable kills. It has not been clear whether these claims refer to PAF losses alone or to all aircraft destroyed in combat or if they include the F-86Es captured at Tejgaon, which would make the numbers much higher. A breakdown of kills was never released officially, although a crude estimate of 75 kills mentioned the Official history of the 1971 war, would include 35 Pakistani aircraft lost to the air action and the rest destroyed on the ground.

IAF Air to Air claims Dec 1971 – Confirmed Kills​

Date- Kill- Aircraft- Sqn- Claimant- Sector/AB - Victim/Comments
22 Nov 71 F-86E Gnat F.1 22 F/L R A Massey Boyra W/C Chaudhary (14 sqn) / BO over EP
22 Nov 71 F-86E Gnat F.1 22 F/L M A Ganapathy Boyra F/O Khalil Ahmed (14 sqn) / POW
22 Nov 71 F-86E Gnat F.1 22 F/O D Lazarus Boyra F/L Pervez Quereshi (14 sqn) / POW
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter 20 W/C C V Parker Peshawar Not listed as confirmed by No.20 sqn
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter 17 W/C N Chatrat Dacca F/L Saeed Afzal Khan (14 sqn) / KIA
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter 17 F/L V K Neb Dacca W/C S M Ahmed (14 sqn) / KIA
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter 14 W/C R Sundaresan Dacca S/L Dilawar Hussain (14 sqn)
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter 37 F/O H Masand Dacca F/O Sajjad Noor (14 sqn)
04 Dec 71 F-86E Hunter ?? F/O S Jayendra Dacca 14 sqn
04 Dec 71 ?Mirage III or F-86 Hunter 27 F/O Sudhir Tyagi Murid ?5 sqn
05 Dec 71 F-86E HF-24 Mk.1 220 S/L K K Bakshi Nayachor
06 Dec 71 F-86 Gnat F.1 18 S/L V S Pathania Srinagar
07 Dec 71 F-86E (t/n 4030) Hunter ?7 ? Khushalgarh F/O Hamid Khawaja (17 sqn) Pilot crashed while chasing Hunter, acc. to the PAF.
10 Dec 71 F-86E (t/n 3856) Hunter 20 S/L R N Bharadwaj Chamb S/L Aslam Chaudhry / KIA
12 Dec 71 F-6 (t/n 1703) Su-7BMK 32 F/L S S Malhotra Mianwalli F/L Ejazuddin (23 sqn) / BO
12 Dec 71 F-104A (s/n 56-773) MiG-21FL 47 F/L B B Soni Jamnagar W/C M L Middlecoat (9 sqn) / KIA
13 Dec 71 F-86 Hunter OCU F/L K S Suresh Talhar
13 Dec 71 F-86 Hunter OCU S/L F J Mehta Talhar F/O N N A Baig (19 sqn)
W/C M N Singh
15 Dec 71 2x F-86 Hunter T.66 OCU S/L F J Mehta Nayachor Maneuver kill. Both targets flew into the ground.
16 Dec 71 F-6 MiG-21FL 29 F/L S B Shah Nayachor Escort mission
16 Dec 71 F-6 MiG-21FL 29 F/L S B Shah ?Uttarlai Wreckage found by Indian
Army .
17 Dec 71 F-104A MiG-21FL 29 S/L I S Bindra Uttarlai 9 sqn (RJAF)
17 Dec 71 F-6 Su-7BMK ? ? Shakargarh From Official history [1]
17 Dec 71 F-104A MiG-21FL 29 F/L Niraj Kukreja Nayachor 9 sqn (RJAF)
17 Dec 71 F-104A (s/n 56-787) MiG-21FL 29 F/L AK.Datta Nayachor F/L Samad Changezi (9 sqn) / KIA
Dec 71 2x 0-1 Hunter ? ? ? Confirmed from PAF chronicler.

IAF Air to Air claims Dec 1971 - Damage, Probables and Close calls​

Date- Target- Aircraft- Sqn- Claimant- Sector/AB- Comments
4 Dec 1971 Mirage-IIIEP Gnat F.1 29 ? Amritsar Mirage claimed as hit. Probable.
4 Dec 1971 F-104A Gnat F.1 2 W/C Johnny Greene Amritsar Intercepted and photographed. No claim.
4 Dec 1971 F-86 Hunter 20 F/O K P Murlidharan Peshawar Probable kill claimed by No.20 sqn but unlikely. Pilot was firing at target but was eventually SD and KIA.
4 Dec 1971 F-86 Hunter 20 S/L K N Bajpai Peshawar Aircombat with target attacked and result unknown.
4 Dec 1971 F-86E MiG-21FL 30 ? Kalaikunda Probable. No claims.
4 Dec 1971 F-86 Hunter 20 W/C C V Parker --- Not claimed by squadron but
mentioned in citation. Damage claim but write off unlikely.
4 Dec 1971 F-86E ( t/n 1689) Hunter 20 W/C C V Parker Peshawar F/L Nayyar Iqbal / KIA (17 sqn). Listed as accident during raid, by Pakistan.
4 Dec 1971 F-86 Hunter 20 F/L C S Dhillon >40 nm from Peshawar 5 min aircombat. Probable kill.
4 Dec 1971 Mirage-IIIEP Hunter 27 F/O Sudhir Tyagi Murid Target claimed damaged in citation.
8 Dec 1971 F-6 (t/n 1508) Su-7BMK (s/n B-910) 26 F/L R G Kadam Risalwala
F/L AJ Siddqui* (23 sqn) is claimed by the PAF to have been shot while chasing this formation. The pilots of both sides were KIA.
9 Dec 1971 Mirage-IIIEP MiG-21FL 1 ? Pathankot 2 K-13 AAMs were launched
and a proximity hit recorded. Target disappeared from radar. Listed as 'Probable'
>9 Dec 1971 F-86 MiG-21FL TACDE W/C T J Master ?Escort K-13 launched and claimed to hit wing of target. Pilot B/O reported.
12 Dec 1971 F-86 HF-24 Mk.1 10 F/O Sreekanth or S/L Brian de Magry Nayachor Engagement inconclusive.
12 Dec 71 F-104A or F- 86 MiG-21FL 47 S/L V Kapila Badin F-104A mentioned in official records as seen crashing but more likely, probable. Rockets
were fired at aerial target.
12 Dec 1971 F-104A MiG-21FL 47 F/L Saigal Jamnagar K-13 launched. Claimed hit .
14 Dec 1971 F-86E Gnat F.1 18 F/O N S Sekhon Srinagar 1 F-86 claimed as shot and 1 damaged, initially but claim seems to have been revised to
no kills.
17 Dec 1971 F-104A MiG-21FL 29 F/L S B Shah ?Uttarlai K-13 launched and observed to hit. Probable.

PAF AAA and Ground Fire Losses​

Date- Target- Victim / Status- Cause- Sector / Claimant
3 Dec 1971 F-104A Claim [1] AAA Amritsar
3 Dec 1971 B-57B Unknown / KIA [44] 3x SA-2 Halwara (crashed in Pakistan)
4 Dec 1971 B-57B Claim [1] AAA Amritsar
5 Dec 1971 F-104A (s/n 804) S/L Amjad Khan / POW AAA Amritsar / Hav T C Ramaswamy, 27 AD Regt
5 Dec 1971 B-57B Claimed hit but unlikely AAA Amritsar F/L Javed Iqbal / KIA
6 Dec 1971 B-57B F/L G M Malik / KIA AAA Amritsar / Hav Gopala Krishnan, 27
AD Regt S/L I Hameed / KIA
6 Dec 1971 B-57B S/L Z Ahmed / KIA AAA Bhuj S/L Khusro / KIA
6 Dec 1971 B-57B (t/n 3939) S/L Peter Christy / KIA AAA Jamnagar
6 Dec 1971 3x F-86 Claim [1] Small Arms fire ?Chamb / 26 Division
7 Dec 1971 F-6 (t/n 4110) F/L Wajid Ali Khan / POW LMG Marala / Naik Bal Bahadur, 29 AD Regt
7 Dec 1971 F-86F (t/n 1657) S/L Cecil Choudhry / BO AAA Zafarwal / Claimed by Pakistan as fratricide
7 Dec 1971 F-86 Claim AAA
8 Dec 1971 F-86F F/L Fazal Elahi / KIA AAA Zafarwal / Hav Uttam Jawalge, 501AD Grp
9 Dec 1971 F-104A Claim [1] Naval airdefence Okha
10 Dec 1971 Mirage-III Claim AAA Pathankot
11 Dec 1971 F-6 F/L Shahid Raza / KIA AAA Shakar Garh / Hav M Kycharala, 45 AD Regt
11 Dec 1971 F-86 Claim AAA Amritsar
14 Dec 1971 Mirage-III Claimed 'hit' AAA Jammu
17 Dec 1971 F-6 Claim [1] AAA Shakargarh

IAF Air to Ground kills Dec 1971 - Pakistani losses due to Air to Ground Action​

DATE- KILL- AIRCRAFT- SQN- CLAIMANT- Sector/AB- COMMENTS
4 Dec 1971 3x Pilatus PC- 3 MiG-21FL 28 W/C B K Bishnoi Tejgaon Identified as light aircraft. Wreckage photographed.
4 Dec 1971 DHC-6 Twin Otter MiG-21FL 28 W/C B K Bishnoi Tejgaon
Solitary DHC-6 in East Pakistan. Wreckage photographed
4 Dec 1971 F-86F in Pen (t/n 1187) Hunter 20 F/L A A Rozario Murid Admitted by Pakistan
4 Dec 1971 2x F-86 Hunter 20 W/C CV Parker VM Peshawar Claimed as decoys by Pakistan but thick black smoke was noticed.
4 Dec 1971 B-57B Su-7BMK 32 F/O A Sathaye Shorkot Two B-57Bs were targeted while being refueled. Photographed by W/C Mangat.
4 Dec 1971 Mirage-III Su-7BMK 32 F/O A Sathaye Shorkot Claim [2] but not mentioned in leader's own account.
4 Dec 1971 3x F-86 Su-7BMK 32 S/L VK Bhatia Shorkot Confirmed from gun camera footage. 1st attack.
4 Dec 1971 C-130 Hunter 20 Lt Arun Prakash, Navy, EX (P) Chakala 3 C-130 were spotted and all three were hit. 1 C-130 confirmed destroyed, 2 damaged.
4 Dec 1971 3x F-86E* Su-7BMK 221 ?W/C A Sridharan Tejgaon Possibly includes RT-33s.
4 Dec 1971 ?Bristol-170 Su-7BMK 221 ?W/C A Sridharan Tejgaon or Kurmitola
4 Dec 1971 Mirage-III or F-104A Hunter 20 F/O S Balasubramanian Murid
Attackers got airborne at 1035 hrs. Burning wreckage confirmed by Su-7 photorecce at 1200 hrs. The kill was described as a 'needle
nosed' aircraft.
4 Dec 1971 2x F-86 Hunter OCU Unknown Masroor 8 total claims by sqn on
Masroor strikes. Strikes were on 4 and 5 Dec. 4/5 Dec 3x B-57B 1971 3x F-86
Hunter OCU W/C D M Conquest Masroor Credited with destroying 6 aircraft on the ground in citation.
5 Dec 1971 C-130 Hunter 20 Lt Arun Prakash, Navy, EX (P) Mianwali Aircraft was being loaded with troops.
5 Dec 1971 Beech Queen Air (USAF) Hunter 20 F/O B C Karambaya Chakala
The most prolific kill of the war. This was Brig. Gen Chuck Yeager's personal
aircraft.
5 Dec 1971 C-130 Hunter 20 F/L S S Gahlaut Chakala Shared kill S/L Bharadwaj VM 5 Dec 1971 DHC-6 Twin Otter Hunter 20 F/L S S Gahlaut
Chakala Shared kill. Admitted by Pakistan (Radio).
6 Dec 1971 RB-57D (t/n 3934) Canberra 35 W/C K K Badhwar Masroor dmitted by Pakistan. Last remaining Elint RB-57D.
8 Dec 1971 5x F-86F ( t/ns 1095 ,3839,3848 ,3851, 4018 ) Hunter ?20 Unknown Murid All destroyed aircraft were fully armed and four were in
Pens. Loss admitted by Pakistan but no respective IAF accounts discovered.
8 Dec 1971 3x F-6 Su-7BMK ? ? Risalewala 2 Confirmed C-130
8 Dec 1971 Light aircraft Su-7BMK ? ? Risalewala F/O B C Karambaya
8 Dec 1971 2x F-6 Hunter 20 F/L A L Deoskar Murid The Hunters attacked
aircraft being pushed into Pens. No mention in PAF accounts.
8 Dec 1971 Transport (?Bristol 170) Hunter 20 S/L Bharadwaj VM Murid First pass of attack.
9 Dec 1971 Light aircraft ? ? ? Nawabshah 11/12 Dec 1971 Light aircraft Canberra 16 ?W/C Gautam Tejgaon Destroyed in proximity blast of 4000 lb bomb.
16 Dec 1971 11x F-86E* ---- 28 W/C B K Bishnoi Tezgaon Disabled by PAF after permanent destruction of runway by MiG-21FLs. Five F-86s were recovered by India for Bangladesh.

IAF Air to Ground kills Dec 1971 - Damage and Probables​

Date- Target- Aircraft- Sqn- Pilot- Sector/AB- Comments
4 Dec 1971 Blast Pen Su-7BMK 32 F/O A Sathaye Shorkot Destroyed
4 Dec 1971 3x F-86 Su-7BMK 32 S/L VK Bhatia Shorkot 2nd Attack. Claimed
destroyed and listed as probable. Gun camera was ineffective in fading light.
Lt Arun Prakash, Navy, EX (P)
4 Dec 1971 2x C-130 Hunter 20 F/O BC Karambaya Chakala Damaged
5 Dec 1971 Aircraft in Blast Pen Hunter 20 F/O S Balasubramanian Mianwali
Pilot fired into the open mouth of the pen and black smoke of aircraft on fire was observed. 1430 hrs.
5 Dec 1971 B-57B ? ? ? Shorkot Probable (official history/ records)
6/7 Dec 1971 Hangar Canberra 35 ? Drigh Road (Karachi) Smoke from aircraft fires noted. F/L AA Rozario
7 Dec 1971 Aircraft in Hangar Hunter 20 F/O R Demonte Kohat 400 rounds of 30 mm HE were put into a large hangar which thus emitted black smoke, indicating aircraft fires.
8 Dec 1971 C-130 Hunter 20 Lt Arun Prakash, Navy, EX (P) Chakala
Described as Arun's "Lobster thermidor". Damage to wing and tail
sections.
8 Dec 1971 Hangar Su-7BMK 32 S/L VK Bhatia Shorkot 57mm rockets were used to destroy the Hangar
8 Dec 1971 B-57B ( s/n 3945) ? ?20 ? Murid Claimed by Pakistan to have
"caught fire" while "servicing'.

IAF Air to Ground kills Dec 1971 – Decoys​

Both the IAF and PAF were known to have deployed several decoys in the form of dummy and retired aircraft. While it was highly convenient to claim that destroyed or attacked aircraft on the ground were actually decoys, it must be mentioned that through extremely strict standards of observation and
reconnaissance plus pre and post-war intelligence, the IAF never claimed any as actual kills. In some cases they were identifiable before being attacked and in others, they did not display the thick black smoke expected.
Date- Decoy type -Aircraft- Sqn- Pilot- Sector/AB- Comments
4 Dec 1971 F-86 decoys ? ?28 ? Kurmitola Photographed. Kurmitola mostly had dummy aircraft.
5 Dec 1971 3x F-86 decoys Hunter 27 ? Masroor Destroyed but noted as
decoys. No kills claimed.
7 Dec 1971 2x F-86 Decoys Hunter 20 W/C CV Parker Murid Destroyed but explosion pattern confirmed them as decoys. No kills were claimed.
8 Dec 1971 7x F-6 decoys Su-7BMK 32 S/L VK Bhatia Shorkot Identified and Ignored.

 

[Zovc]

^ lol... IAF facts and figures are OFCOURSE biased.

Here watch this video:

The pilots being interviewed are from No. 19 Sqn commanded by Sajjad (Nosy) Haider. The pilots from this No .19 Sqn had every reason to brag as they did not lose a single aircraft throughout the war! The Sqn was credited with destroying almost all the heavy equipment of 15th Infantry Div commanded Maj Gen Naranjan Prasad during his advanced to Lahore in 1965 war. On top of that the Sqn also destroyed close to 14 IAF aircraft on the ground during the renowned Pathankot raid!

IAF had claimed before this interview that the Sdqr Leader and two of his men had been shot down and killed.

 

[Muradk]

And that is good enough!

The war was lost but the air battles were won? Really?

Why was the Pakistani armour pounded for 4 days by the IAF in Longewala without any PAF support if they were winning the war.

We all have gone through this thread a 100 times but again I will repeat , we the PAF were attacking IAF FOB and regular bases. We told the Army that we are right now trying to take out as many bases we can so they ( PAK Army) doesn't get pounded but a few generals thought they could do what Romel did in Africa but Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state is a total different land scape and different sand. It was a bad move PAF on the 4th and 5th were neck to neck in Dog Fights, buy the time we got the message it was to late plus we didn't have the capacity fuel wise to go over them and dog fight. if we would have all your hunters would have gone down WHY? All the hunter pilots except there OC all the pilots were rockiess. They missed the first time but they did'nt miss the tanks the second time. Pak Army went out of water and fuel my brother who was in Army Aviation dropped water and fuel over them by Bird Dog

 

[RedBaron]

It is ABOUT 1971.General came here in 1971 not in 1965.We did win in 1965 too.
-
Chuck Yeager and the Pakistan Air Force
An Excerpt from Yeager,
the Autobiography of General (Retd.) Chuck E. Yeager (USAF)

...
India flew numerous raids against the Pakistani air fields with brand new
SU-7 bombers being escorted in with MiG 21s. On one of those raids, they
clobbered my small Beech Queen Air that had U.S. Army markings and a big
American flag painted on the tail. I had it parked at the Islamabad
airport, and I remember sitting on my front porch on the second day of the
war, thinking that maybe I ought to move that airplane down to the Iranian
border, out of range of the Indian bombers, when the damned air-raid siren
went off, and a couple of Indian jets came streaking in overhead. A moment
later, I saw a column of black smoke rising from the air field. My Beech
Queen was totaled. It was the Indian way of giving Uncle Sam the finger.
...

Copyright © 1985 by Yeager Inc.

The full story behind the funny Beechcraft incident can be found in the article The right stuff in the wrong place - Chuck Yeager's crash landing in Pakistan

Washington Monthly, Oct, 1985, by Edward C. Ingraham

The right stuff in the wrong place - Chuck Yeager's crash landing in Pakistan | Washington Monthly | Find Articles at BNET

Mr Yeager, like many Americans at the time, viewed India as a commie-in-waiting due to its Soviet leanings, hence his views may be biased a bit.

 

[Patriot]

The full story behind the funny Beechcraft incident can be found in the article The right stuff in the wrong place - Chuck Yeager's crash landing in Pakistan

Washington Monthly, Oct, 1985, by Edward C. Ingraham

The right stuff in the wrong place - Chuck Yeager's crash landing in Pakistan | Washington Monthly | Find Articles at BNET

Mr Yeager, like many Americans at the time, viewed India as a commie-in-waiting due to its Soviet leanings, hence his views may be biased a bit.

Actually, he was not biased.Sir Muradk can confirm that PAF showed him all serial numbers and stuff (Muradk is former senior PAF Pilot and PAF General)
Thanks,
Saad

 

[RedBaron]

And that is good enough!

The war was lost but the air battles were won? Really?

Why was the Pakistani armour pounded for 4 days by the IAF in Longewala without any PAF support if they were winning the war.

The simple answer is IAF had a field day with absolutely no PAF presence during the Longewala operations.

An extract from Brig ZA Khan's "The Way It was":
The PAF was blamed for not providing the promised air support and jeopardising the whole operation. My younger brother, Squadron Leader Shuaib Alam was posted at the Air Headquarters, after the ceasefire I asked him why the air force had not provided the air support. He told me that the only airfield from which the air support could be provided was the Jacobabad airfield which was manned and equipped to receive aircraft. Aircraft from a squadron were earmarked but the necessary orders for them to move to Jacobabad were not issued by the C-in-C of the Air Force. The C-in-C, PAF is on record to have said that he met Lieutenant General Gul Hassan on 4 December and told him that he was not informed about the 18 Division plans and therefore air support could not be provided, with Jacobabad ready to receive aircraft the support could have been provided on 4 December or later from bases other than Jacobabad but no effort was made. When the Indian missile boats approached Karachi and were spotted by a PIA Fokker, the Navy asked for an air attack, the PAF Base commander got the aircraft ready and asked Air Marshal Rahim Khan for approval, he told the Base Commander to tell the Navy to fight its own battle, in the desert, too, he left the army to fight its own battle.

Brig ZA Khan commanded an Armoured Regiment (38 Cavalry) that was part of 18 Division which had the mandate to capture and hold Longewala. The full extract can be found here: THE WAY IT WAS - 1

I have to say that Brig Khan's account itself is controversial. See: Letter

But nobody disputes the fact that PAF played no part in the Longewala episode.