History of Indian Air Force

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Some more info on it...

The Royal Indian Air force was selected to be part of the Commonwealth Occupation forces in Japan after the end of WW II along with RAF, RAAF and USAAF units. No 4 sqn, “The Oorials” (a type of mountain Ram) was selected to represent India as part of that force. The sqn set sail with 12 Spifire FR Mk XIVe ac from Cochin aboard the light Carrier HMS Vengeance on 03 Apr 46. Enroute the boat picked up Nos 17 and 11 RAF sqns (also on Spitfire Mk XIVs) and a Royal Army AOP unit on Austers from Singapore (which necessitated the dumping overboard of nearly 30 lend lease FAA Corsairs and Hellcats). The sqn arrived at Iwakuni, Kyushu prefecture, Japan on 23 Apr and after transfer ashore on barges (there being no deck space to fly off) and some air tests and familiarization, flew to Miho on Japan’s main land on 07 May 46. The sqn flew patrols off the Korean peninsula to prevent illegal immigrants as also took part in fly pasts over Tokyo with Nos 76, 77 and 82 sqns RAAF on the P-51. The sqn departed Miho in end Jul 47 leaving all their Spitfires behind. The sqn’s ac were re painted in the standard post war overall silver finish with SEAC blue and sky roundels, while the RAF units retained their ac in temperate camouflage with SEAC white ID bands and blue/sky roundels. I always wanted to do the blue/sky roundels on a silver ac and the Spit XIV seemed the ideal choice. The ac I‘ve selected-RN 133 has quite a history behind it. Taken on charge by the RAF on 05 Jan 45 it arrived Bombay for 132 sqn RAF on 12 Apr 45 and was marked FF-B. It was handed over to the RIAF to No 4 sqn and shipped to Iwakuni. During an air test sortie in the hands of then Sqn Ldr Nur Khan (later Air Vice Marshall and Chief of the Pakistan Air Force) it suffered a tyre burst on landing on 28 Jul 47 and declared cat FA/Ac. Left behind with the rest of the Spitfires it was finally struck off the RAF register on 24 Jul 48. I have used the impeccable 1/48 Academy kit which was constructed by my friend and modeler Boban James. The construction was so good that hardly any finishing was required for painting. I used Testors acrylic aluminum overall and enamel flat black for the anti glare panel (although pics show that many 4 sqn Spits flew without the anti glare black panel). The decals were gifted by Phil Camp and from spares. Weathering was chalk pastels and a lead pencil was used for the panel lines and rivet heads.

 

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Hawker Tempest II

This is my diorama of a 7 Sqn (Battle axes) Tempest II, HA-426 in the original RAF scheme with sky fuselage band and white spinner. The aircraft carries the Battleaxe with wings markings under the windshield. I’ve also included a photograph of the ac at Jammu during the 1947-48 action to oust Pakistani invaders from Kashmir. Decals are Bright Spark and spares and the ac painted with enamels and weathered with pastels and silver paint. The rockets and rails are scratch built. The Bedford QL bowser is from the Airfix kit as are the ground figures. Other sundry eqpt is from the spares box, the brick wall is printed paper on foam and the sand bags are wheat flour hardened against bugs and stuff by a layer of Araldite. The scatter material is railway scenics while the base is card. The second Tempest is in the scheme of the first refurbished batch by Hawkers. It’s overall silver with the brief ‘Chakra’ markings that lasted till 1948. The fin flash is with saffron forward as opposed to the camouflaged ac. Subsequently all IAF ac reverted to green forward. The kit is OOB except for stenciling and squadron canopy.

 

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My 250th Post

 

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Dassault Ouragon

The prototype Marcel Dassault, (today Dassault Aviation) Ouragon (Hurricane) made its first flight in Feb 49. The aircraft was designed specifically as a light weight fighter around the RR Nene and four 20 mm cannon. Gaining distinction as the first post war French jet fighter to enter service, around 200 examples entered service mostly with the Armee de l’ Air, the Israeli AF and the Indian AF. The Indian AF selected the Ouragon even as the force equipped with the HAL assembled Vampire FB 52. It was a deliberate decision to diversify the force’s dependence on British weapon systems. Apparently there was some uncertainty about Venoms from Britain and Saber Mk30s from Australia. The Indian Ouragons were named ‘Toofani’, a simple Hindustani translation of the term. India ordered a total of 71 in 1953 plus 33 in 1957 which equipped five Squadrons, including 29 “the scorpions” one of whose aircraft is modeled here. The Toofani saw considerable action in the 1961 eviction of the Portuguese conclave at Goa, where, Toofanis of 4 Squadron attacked the Portuguese fort at Diu with rockets, the fort’s arsenal being blown up in the action. Toofanis also attacked the Runway at Diu with 1000 lb bombs. Beginning from 1966 the Toofani was phased out with the last 75 aircraft being flown to a scrap yard at Kanpur in July 72. This was a kit gifted to me by fellow modelers of IPMS Pretoria in semi made form, i,e, there were no plans, decals, and most of the parts had been painted on the sprue for the Israeli desert scheme. Some were even missing. Its pretty much Out-Of-the-Box, except for the Indian AF decals from Bright Spark UK, also gifted by another modeler (you just don’t get any Indian decals) and the hand painted scorpion. The silver is standard multi shaded with matt and gloss portions. I chose the 29 Squadron aircraft because of the fabulous golden scorpion that adorned their aircraft. Some pictures also suggest that some of these scorpions may be some other colour. Like all French aircraft of that era, large portions of the fuselage and control surfaces were painted red.

 

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All the above are French Fighters

 

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This line up of Toofanis, from No.8 Eight Pursoot Squadron, at Ambala in late 1956, were the first four aircraft in IAF service. The No.8 Squadron became the first of three squadrons to re-equip with the Toofani starting in October 1953. IC554 can be seen today in the IAF Museum.