No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force
Encyclopedia
No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force (Battle Axes) operates as a CAS
and air superiority unit. Based at Gwalior AFB, No.7 Squadron along with No. 1 Squadron IAF (Tigers), and No. 9 Squadron IAF (Wolf Pack), forms a part of No. 40 Wing IAF, Central Air Command.
(Battle-axe) and the symbolic number 7 attached to the shaft. Below this crest, on a scroll were the letters Shatrunjay (Close English Translation: Vanquisher of the enemy). This logo was officially approved by President
on 26 September 1960, and has adorned aircraft that No. 7 Squadron has flown since.
dive bombers. Sqn Ldr HN Chaudhary was the first Commanding Officer
and the personnel were drawn from No. 104 General Reconnaissance and 353 Squadron of RAF plus No. 3 (Calcutta) and No. 6 (Vizagapatnam) Coast Defence Flight, under Air Headquarters formation, order 268 on 19 November 1942. However, initially, the squadron operated Westland Wapiti
s until it could be armed with the Vultees.
The first missions flown by No. 7 Sqn was in Waziristan
in the North West Frontier Province in what is now Pakistan
in December 1943. The squadron has since flown with distinction in a number of conflicts, including 1965, 1971 conflicts, 199 Kargil War
.
, initially against Kenji
on Chindwin, and later against Japanese supply lines and army convoys along the Tiddim road. In December 1944, No. 7 Sqn moved to Peshawar
and converted to the Hurricane Mk.IIc
. By March 1945, the unit was back in the Burma Front, flying from Imphal, and later, from Magwe Airfield. It would later move to Samungli in June 1945. In November 1945, the Squadron moved to Gwalior, where it converted to Spitfire Mk.XIVs
, which it flew from December 1945 till July 1947, when the squadron converted to the Tempest Mk.II
.
For his contributions during WWII the then CO, Squadron Leader P.C. Lal
, would win the DFC
.
At the time of the partition
No. 7 was based at Risalpur
, having converted to the Tempest
in June 1947. No.7 Squadron was one of the units allocated to India after the division of the Assets between the two new nations of India and Pakistan. After partition, the unit moved to Agra
and was operational within two months of Independence.
The units first post-independence operations was in November 1947. In response to the tribal invasion of the Kashmir kingdom and subsequent accession by Maharaja Hari Singh
, India flew in troops and stationed fighter
s at Srinagar
. Tempests of 7 Squadron flew from Ambala
in support of Indian Ground troops in the decisive Battle of Shelatang, offensive missions against Uri
, Kotli
and Rawalkot
. The first fatality suffered was on 1 December 1947, when Fg Offr UA D'Cruz was shot down in his Harvard
and taken prisoner. He was later awarded the Kirti Chakra
(then Ashoka Chakra Cl. II) for his resilience in captivity. For his role in the initial days of operations, the CO Sqn Ldr Noronha was later awarded the Maha Vir Chakra
. Flt Lt BS Dogra received the Vir Chakra
for his sorties during the Battle of Shalateng.
The Squadron redeployed at Palam on a permanent basis in February 1948. Missions over J&K
from the Advanced Landing Ground at Amritsar
. These missions were flown in the Poonch
area and against Skardu
airfield, as well as the Tithwal area. Wg Cdr Ranjan Dutt along with some pilots of 7 Sqn flew to attack the bridge at Domel. The squadron would suffer two fatalities, Fg Offr Balwant Singh and Fg Offr DG Baptiste to ground fire.
In August 1948, the squadron set up base in Srinagar and provided support to the army operations near the Zoji La
pass. Gilgit
airfield was bombed by Tempests on 4 November 1948. For its role, No. 7 Sqn would win five Vir Chakras.
In January 1949,the Squadron moved to Palam where it was became the first unit in the IAF
to operate the Vampire
, which had arrived in November 1948. At that time the squadron was the first unit in the whole of Asia to operate Jet aircraft. The unit now operated one flight with three Vampires and the second flight with Tempests. After converting back to Spitfires in 1949, No. 7 converted to operating only the Vampires in 1951. During this time, No. 7 Sqn came to form the first aerobatics
team.
The Vampires were phased out in January 1958, when the new Hawker Hunter
s were inducted.
Although put on high alert during the Sino-Indian war
in 1962, the unit did not see any action in this conflict, mainly due to the government
's decision to limit the air force's role to supply and evacuation.
AFS. Already on a high alert, the unit flew its first offensive sorties on the morning of 6 September, against targets of opportunity. Through the day, the unit would fly twelve missions supporting the Indian Army
over the IB. The first fatality suffered was on the evening of the 6th, when a four ship formation was intercepted by PAF Sabres
over Taran Taran
. In the ensuing battle, Sqn
Sqn Ldr AK Rawlley's aircraft hit the ground and exploded.
On the same evening, Halwara Airfield was raided by a three ship formation from PAF No. 5 Sqn. At the time of the raid, No. 7 had two aircraft, Fg Offr PS Pingale and Fg Offr AR Ghandhi, flying on CAP over the airfield. Both were bounced by the Sabres. In the battle that followed, Pingale was shot down before he could give battle. Gandhi, however, was able to shoot down his adversary before his aircraft fell to the cannon shells of the two remaining Sabres. At about this time, Hunters from No. 27 Sqn returning from a sortie were directed to join the battle, which shot down one of the attackers. The remaining sabre, although claimed as a kill by the IAF, was able to make it back to base.
The No. 7 was to suffer two more fatalities the next day, when on a dawn strike against PAF Sargodha
, a five-ship formation was intercepted. Two of the unit, Sqn Ldr SB Bhagwat and Fg Offr JS Brar, were lost on that day.
Hunters from No. 7 Sqn, however, provided ground support
for the troops through the war, repeatedly hitting ground targets in support of the army offensives. It hit an ammunition train at Kasur on 8 September, and ground targets in the Lahore
area the next day. In a number of these missions, Hunters from different units flew together. On the night of 14 September, B-57
raid at Halwara destroyed two of the squadron's Hunters on the ground.
No. 7's next air-to-air kill was on 16 September, when Fg Offr PS Pingale shot down a F-86 Sabre over Tarn Tarn. His wingman Fg Offr Farokh Dara Bunsha from No. 20 Sqn was shot down and killed. Another aircraft fell on 20 September, when Fg Offr SK Sharma ejected from his badly damaged Hunter was over Kasur on 20 SeptemberSept 20. The unit however, lost Sqn Ldr DP Chatterjee, who had joined 7 Sqn on deputation from 20 Sqn was killed in the same battle.
Although the squadron's figures at the war are not impressive compared to what it would go on to achieve in six years, it remains true that it was seriously limited in its deep penetration strikes, operating ammunition-laden Hunters at maximum range in IAF's strike against bases as deep as PAF Sargodhahttp://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1965War/Chapter4.html,http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/hunter/history.html.. However, No. 7 squadron- along with the other squadrons operating the Hunter- proved to be invaluable in ground-attack roles. In total, the Battleaxes flew 453 sorties (including 109 CAP) amounting to nearly 333 Hours, expending 218 rockets and 13000 lbs of bombs. In the course of the war, the squadron flew a total of 128 strike missions and 46 Combat Air Patrol sorties. Three pilots were killed along with another two on deputation from 20 Sqn. Nine aircraft were lost in the course of the war. For their contribution, No. 7 was awarded 4 VrC
s (S Malik, AS Lamba, PS Pingale and AR Ghandhi) and five mentioned in dispatches
.
For its impressive record in the air as well as on ground, the squadron received commendations from the Prime Minister
L B Shastri
, the Defence Minister Shri YB Chavan and Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh
.
After the war No. 7 would move to Hindon AB
in November 1965 and also took on the role of Operational Conversion Unit
with the addition of a Hunter Trainer Flight. However, the unit was moved again in March 1969, this time to Bagdogra
.
.
Operations in 1971
Eastern Operations (Main article: East Pakistan Operations 1971)
Immediately following preemptive PAF strikes
on the western airfields, the first strikes were flown on the morning of 4 December against targets in East Pakistan
. Repeated strikes were carried out on airfields in Dacca as well as ground targets. One of these strikes destroyed the bridge over the River Teesta
. The first fatalities were suffered when an attack on a train at Lal Munir Hat came up against fierce ack ack
. Both of the two badly damaged Hunters eventually lost crossed the IB into friendly airspace. Fg Offr Andre Da Costa's Hunter went out of control and crashed, killing him. The Hunter leader, Sqn Ldr SK Gupta ejected safely over Baghdogra airfield. In total, No. 7 flew 40 sorties in the east before it was pulled out to the western theatre.
The unit flew to Hindon AB
on 6 December. The next day a flight of eight Hunters deployed at Nal. The squadron provided close support to the troops, repeatedly hitting Pakistan
i targets. In one of the first missions against Pakistani Tanks in Ganganagar
, a Hunter was lost to ground fire. The pilot, Wg Cdr Coelho, ejected over No Man's Land, but was taken prisoner before he could be found by India
n troops. Interdiction sorties were also flown against targets in the Suleimanke Headworks area. One of these missions on 9 December, flown by Fg Offr Diskhit, landed with the fuel gauges reading zero.
Towards the end of the war, the squadron moved to Pathankot
, where it stayed till the end of the war.
The unit was awarded Three VrCs, and one Vayu sena Medal. Three other pilots were mentioned in dispatches.
Conversion to the Mirage 2000 was carried out in June 1985, which are still operational. A detachment flying from Srinagar
operated over Ladakh
from middle of 1988.
In June 1987, during Operation Poomalai
, Four Mirage 2000s from No. 7, in anticipation of air opposition from the Sri Lankan Air Force, provided air-cover for the five An 32
detailed to airdrop food supplies over Jaffna
.
The Battle Axes were called into action again on 3 November 1988 during Operation Cactus
, when India responded to a plea for help by the Maldives
government following a military coup. While the Il-76
s of No.44 Squadron flew in troops from the Para brigade into the capital Male
, six Mirages operating from Trivandrum made several passes over the Islands in a show of force. Wg Cdr Vaidya led the first formation with Flt Lt R Nambiar over the Hulule airfield.
No. 7 squadron was back in action again in May 1999, called to assist the Army
in the area North, North-East of Kargil during Operation Vijay
. The Battle Axes at that time was under the command of Wg Cdr Sandeep Chabra. For the first time, the IAF had employed Precision guided munitions
to strike the supply lines of the entrenched enemy.
After the failure of the first strikes by Jaguar
s , the task was assigned to the Mirages. Flying from Adampur
AFB, Mirages of the No. 1 Sqn, No.7 Sqn and No.9 Sqn struck Tigerhill, Muntho Dhalo, Tololing
. Along with the LGBs, 1000lbers were also used. On one particular sortie, a Mirage came upon a Pakistani Army Helicopter, but did not engage as it was in the moment of crossing back over the LoC
.
Wg Cdr Chabra received the Yudh Seva Medal
(YSM). Wg Cdr R Nambiar, who was an experienced test pilot attached to 7 Squadron during the course of operations was awarded the Vayusena Medal (VM), having flown over 25 sorties during that period delivering PGMs in precision attacks. Sqn Ldr DB Patnaik, who flew on the strike against Tiger Hill
also received the VM. Sqn Ldr AS Heer, was awarded the VM, having shown considerable ingenuity to record the effects of the bomb-strikes. Sqn Ldr KI Ravi, who devised the adaptation of the 1000 lb bombs to the Mirage was also the VM.
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
and air superiority unit. Based at Gwalior AFB, No.7 Squadron along with No. 1 Squadron IAF (Tigers), and No. 9 Squadron IAF (Wolf Pack), forms a part of No. 40 Wing IAF, Central Air Command.
Crest
No. 7 Squadron Sqn has as its emblem two unfolded wings adorning a FarshaFarsha
The parashu is an Indian battle-axe. It is generally wielded with two hands but could also be used with only one.-Construction:The parashu could be double edged or bladed or single-bladed with a spike on the non cutting edge. It usually measures between 3 – 5 feet though some are as long as 7...
(Battle-axe) and the symbolic number 7 attached to the shaft. Below this crest, on a scroll were the letters Shatrunjay (Close English Translation: Vanquisher of the enemy). This logo was officially approved by President
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
on 26 September 1960, and has adorned aircraft that No. 7 Squadron has flown since.
History
No. 7 Squadron (Battle Axes) was raised on 1 December 1942 at Vizag equipped with Vultee VengeanceVultee A-31 Vengeance
The Vultee A-31 Vengeance was an American dive bomber of World War II, built by Vultee Aircraft. The Vengeance was not used in combat by US units, however it served with the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and Indian Air Force in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific.The...
dive bombers. Sqn Ldr HN Chaudhary was the first Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
and the personnel were drawn from No. 104 General Reconnaissance and 353 Squadron of RAF plus No. 3 (Calcutta) and No. 6 (Vizagapatnam) Coast Defence Flight, under Air Headquarters formation, order 268 on 19 November 1942. However, initially, the squadron operated Westland Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
s until it could be armed with the Vultees.
The first missions flown by No. 7 Sqn was in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
in the North West Frontier Province in what is now Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in December 1943. The squadron has since flown with distinction in a number of conflicts, including 1965, 1971 conflicts, 199 Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
.
Burma Operations
The Squadron was to see extensive action during Second World War. In its first tour of duty between March and September 1944, No. 7 flew a six aircraft detachment against Japanese targets during the Battle of ImphalBattle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
, initially against Kenji
Kenji
or Kenzi is a very common Japanese given name for boys.-Possible writings:Kenji can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:*賢二, "wise, second"*健二, "healthy, second"*健次, "healthy, next"*謙二, "modest, second"*研二, "research, second"...
on Chindwin, and later against Japanese supply lines and army convoys along the Tiddim road. In December 1944, No. 7 Sqn moved to Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
and converted to the Hurricane Mk.IIc
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
. By March 1945, the unit was back in the Burma Front, flying from Imphal, and later, from Magwe Airfield. It would later move to Samungli in June 1945. In November 1945, the Squadron moved to Gwalior, where it converted to Spitfire Mk.XIVs
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, which it flew from December 1945 till July 1947, when the squadron converted to the Tempest Mk.II
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
.
For his contributions during WWII the then CO, Squadron Leader P.C. Lal
Pratap Chandra Lal
Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal was the Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He served in the IAF from 1939 until his retirement in 1973. He served as CO of No. 7 Squadron, AOC-in-C of Western Air Command, VCAS and Managing Director of Hindustan...
, would win the DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
.
Independence and Kashmir Operations 1947-48
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
No. 7 was based at Risalpur
Risalpur
Risalpur is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 15 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin some 1014 feet above sea level, it is bounded on the south and west by the Kabul and...
, having converted to the Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
in June 1947. No.7 Squadron was one of the units allocated to India after the division of the Assets between the two new nations of India and Pakistan. After partition, the unit moved to Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and was operational within two months of Independence.
The units first post-independence operations was in November 1947. In response to the tribal invasion of the Kashmir kingdom and subsequent accession by Maharaja Hari Singh
Instrument of Accession
The Instrument of Accession was a legal document created in 1947 to enable each of the rulers of the princely states under British suzerainty to join one of the new dominions of India or Pakistan created by the Partition of British India.-Background:...
, India flew in troops and stationed fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
s at Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
. Tempests of 7 Squadron flew from Ambala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
in support of Indian Ground troops in the decisive Battle of Shelatang, offensive missions against Uri
Uri (India)
Uri is a town on the river Jhelum in the Baramulla district, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, and a sector named after the town. The town is very near the de-facto Pakistan border...
, Kotli
Kotli
Kotli is the chief town of Kotli District, in the Pakistani-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Kotli is linked with Mirpur by two metalled roads, one via Rajdhani, and the other via Charhoi...
and Rawalkot
Rawalkot
Rawalkot is a village development committee in Dailekh District in the Bheri Zone of western-central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4037 people living in 769 individual households.-External links:*...
. The first fatality suffered was on 1 December 1947, when Fg Offr UA D'Cruz was shot down in his Harvard
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
and taken prisoner. He was later awarded the Kirti Chakra
Kirti Chakra
The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
(then Ashoka Chakra Cl. II) for his resilience in captivity. For his role in the initial days of operations, the CO Sqn Ldr Noronha was later awarded the Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
. Flt Lt BS Dogra received the Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
for his sorties during the Battle of Shalateng.
The Squadron redeployed at Palam on a permanent basis in February 1948. Missions over J&K
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
from the Advanced Landing Ground at Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. These missions were flown in the Poonch
Poonch
Poonch is a town and a municipal committee in Poonch District in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Based on the Mahābhārata evidence, and the evidence from 7th Chinese traveler Xuanzang, the districts of Poonch along with Rajauri and Abhisara had been under the sway of the Republican Kambojas...
area and against Skardu
Skardu
Skardu , is the main town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan....
airfield, as well as the Tithwal area. Wg Cdr Ranjan Dutt along with some pilots of 7 Sqn flew to attack the bridge at Domel. The squadron would suffer two fatalities, Fg Offr Balwant Singh and Fg Offr DG Baptiste to ground fire.
In August 1948, the squadron set up base in Srinagar and provided support to the army operations near the Zoji La
Zoji La
Zoji La is a high mountain pass in India, located on the Indian National Highway 1 between Srinagar and Leh in the western section of the Himalayan mountain range. Though often referred to as Zojila Pass in the foreign press, the correct English translation is Zoji Pass or simply Zojila, since...
pass. Gilgit
Gilgit Airport
Gilgit Airport is a small domestic airport situated 1.25 nm east of Gilgit, a city in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The city of Gilgit is one of the two major hubs for all mountaineering expeditions in the Northern Areas of Pakistan...
airfield was bombed by Tempests on 4 November 1948. For its role, No. 7 Sqn would win five Vir Chakras.
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
to operate the Vampire
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
, which had arrived in November 1948. At that time the squadron was the first unit in the whole of Asia to operate Jet aircraft. The unit now operated one flight with three Vampires and the second flight with Tempests. After converting back to Spitfires in 1949, No. 7 converted to operating only the Vampires in 1951. During this time, No. 7 Sqn came to form the first aerobatics
Aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...
team.
The Vampires were phased out in January 1958, when the new Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s were inducted.
Although put on high alert during the Sino-Indian war
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
in 1962, the unit did not see any action in this conflict, mainly due to the government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
's decision to limit the air force's role to supply and evacuation.
Indo-Pakistan War 1965
At the onset of the war, the squadron was based at HalwaraHalwara
Halwara is a township in Punjab state in India. Located in the Ludhiana District close to Village Toosa , Halwara lies on the Mullanpur-Raikot road...
AFS. Already on a high alert, the unit flew its first offensive sorties on the morning of 6 September, against targets of opportunity. Through the day, the unit would fly twelve missions supporting the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
over the IB. The first fatality suffered was on the evening of the 6th, when a four ship formation was intercepted by PAF Sabres
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
over Taran Taran
Taran Taran
Taran Taran can refer to:* Tarn Taran, a place in Punjab, India* Taran Taran, Pakistan, a place in Punjab, Pakistan* Taran Svami the founder of Taran Panth...
. In the ensuing battle, Sqn
Sqn Ldr AK Rawlley's aircraft hit the ground and exploded.
On the same evening, Halwara Airfield was raided by a three ship formation from PAF No. 5 Sqn. At the time of the raid, No. 7 had two aircraft, Fg Offr PS Pingale and Fg Offr AR Ghandhi, flying on CAP over the airfield. Both were bounced by the Sabres. In the battle that followed, Pingale was shot down before he could give battle. Gandhi, however, was able to shoot down his adversary before his aircraft fell to the cannon shells of the two remaining Sabres. At about this time, Hunters from No. 27 Sqn returning from a sortie were directed to join the battle, which shot down one of the attackers. The remaining sabre, although claimed as a kill by the IAF, was able to make it back to base.
The No. 7 was to suffer two more fatalities the next day, when on a dawn strike against PAF Sargodha
Sargodha
Sargodha is a city in the Sargodha District of Punjab province, Pakistan.Sargodha is located in the northwest of Pakistan. It is the eleventh largest city of Pakistan and also known as Pakistan's best citrus-producing area. It is an agricultural trade centre with various industries...
, a five-ship formation was intercepted. Two of the unit, Sqn Ldr SB Bhagwat and Fg Offr JS Brar, were lost on that day.
Hunters from No. 7 Sqn, however, provided ground support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
for the troops through the war, repeatedly hitting ground targets in support of the army offensives. It hit an ammunition train at Kasur on 8 September, and ground targets in the Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
area the next day. In a number of these missions, Hunters from different units flew together. On the night of 14 September, B-57
B-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
raid at Halwara destroyed two of the squadron's Hunters on the ground.
No. 7's next air-to-air kill was on 16 September, when Fg Offr PS Pingale shot down a F-86 Sabre over Tarn Tarn. His wingman Fg Offr Farokh Dara Bunsha from No. 20 Sqn was shot down and killed. Another aircraft fell on 20 September, when Fg Offr SK Sharma ejected from his badly damaged Hunter was over Kasur on 20 SeptemberSept 20. The unit however, lost Sqn Ldr DP Chatterjee, who had joined 7 Sqn on deputation from 20 Sqn was killed in the same battle.
Although the squadron's figures at the war are not impressive compared to what it would go on to achieve in six years, it remains true that it was seriously limited in its deep penetration strikes, operating ammunition-laden Hunters at maximum range in IAF's strike against bases as deep as PAF Sargodhahttp://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1965War/Chapter4.html,http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/hunter/history.html.. However, No. 7 squadron- along with the other squadrons operating the Hunter- proved to be invaluable in ground-attack roles. In total, the Battleaxes flew 453 sorties (including 109 CAP) amounting to nearly 333 Hours, expending 218 rockets and 13000 lbs of bombs. In the course of the war, the squadron flew a total of 128 strike missions and 46 Combat Air Patrol sorties. Three pilots were killed along with another two on deputation from 20 Sqn. Nine aircraft were lost in the course of the war. For their contribution, No. 7 was awarded 4 VrC
VRC
VRC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:*Vaccine Research Center*Vancouver Rowing Club, formed in 1886*Vertical redundancy check*Veteran Reserve Corps*Victoria Racing Club...
s (S Malik, AS Lamba, PS Pingale and AR Ghandhi) and five mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
.
For its impressive record in the air as well as on ground, the squadron received commendations from the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
L B Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Srivastava Shastri was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India and a significant figure in the Indian independence movement.-Early life:...
, the Defence Minister Shri YB Chavan and Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh
Arjan Singh
Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal, to which he was promoted in 2002. He was born in the Punjab town of Lyallpur, British India, into a Aulakh family...
.
After the war No. 7 would move to Hindon AB
Hindon Air Force Station
Hindon Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base under the Western Air Command . It is located near Ghaziabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the National Capital Region on the outskirts of Delhi, close to the Hindon River...
in November 1965 and also took on the role of Operational Conversion Unit
Operational Conversion Unit
An Operational Conversion Unit is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. OCUs teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and...
with the addition of a Hunter Trainer Flight. However, the unit was moved again in March 1969, this time to Bagdogra
Bagdogra
Bagdogra is a small town in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, which is surrounded by tea gardens. Bagdogra is well connected by rail and air to the rest of the country. Bagdogra Airport is the only airport in North Bengal, which is now an International Airport. -References:...
.
Bangladesh War, 1971
No. 7 is probably the only unit to have flown both in the Eastern and Western theaters during the warIndo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
.
Operations in 1971
Eastern Operations (Main article: East Pakistan Operations 1971)
Immediately following preemptive PAF strikes
Operation Chengiz Khan
Operation Chengiz Khan was the code name assigned to the pre-emptive strikes carried out by the Pakistani Air Force on the forward airbases and radar installations of the Indian Air Force on the evening of 3 December 1971, and marked the formal initiation of hostilities of the Indo-Pakistani war...
on the western airfields, the first strikes were flown on the morning of 4 December against targets in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. Repeated strikes were carried out on airfields in Dacca as well as ground targets. One of these strikes destroyed the bridge over the River Teesta
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
. The first fatalities were suffered when an attack on a train at Lal Munir Hat came up against fierce ack ack
Ack Ack
Ack Ack may refer to:* Anti-aircraft warfare* Ack Ack , American Hall of Fame racehorse...
. Both of the two badly damaged Hunters eventually lost crossed the IB into friendly airspace. Fg Offr Andre Da Costa's Hunter went out of control and crashed, killing him. The Hunter leader, Sqn Ldr SK Gupta ejected safely over Baghdogra airfield. In total, No. 7 flew 40 sorties in the east before it was pulled out to the western theatre.
The unit flew to Hindon AB
Hindon Air Force Station
Hindon Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base under the Western Air Command . It is located near Ghaziabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the National Capital Region on the outskirts of Delhi, close to the Hindon River...
on 6 December. The next day a flight of eight Hunters deployed at Nal. The squadron provided close support to the troops, repeatedly hitting Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i targets. In one of the first missions against Pakistani Tanks in Ganganagar
Ganganagar
Sri Ganganagar , also called Ganganagar , is the northernmost city of Rajasthan in western India. It is the administrative headquarters of Ganganagar District.-History:...
, a Hunter was lost to ground fire. The pilot, Wg Cdr Coelho, ejected over No Man's Land, but was taken prisoner before he could be found by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n troops. Interdiction sorties were also flown against targets in the Suleimanke Headworks area. One of these missions on 9 December, flown by Fg Offr Diskhit, landed with the fuel gauges reading zero.
Towards the end of the war, the squadron moved to Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
, where it stayed till the end of the war.
The unit was awarded Three VrCs, and one Vayu sena Medal. Three other pilots were mentioned in dispatches.
After Bangladesh
After the end of the war, the unit moved to Nal, and then to Palam in 1972. Between 1973 and 1974, the unit started converting to the Mig-21MF which was operated till 1980, when Mig-21M were brought in.Conversion to the Mirage 2000 was carried out in June 1985, which are still operational. A detachment flying from Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
operated over Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
from middle of 1988.
In June 1987, during Operation Poomalai
Operation Poomalai
Operation Poomalai or Eagle Mission 4 was the codename assigned to a mission undertaken by the Indian Air Force to airdrop supplies over the besieged town of Jaffna in Sri Lanka on 4 June 1987 in support of Tamil Tigers during the Sri Lankan Civil War....
, Four Mirage 2000s from No. 7, in anticipation of air opposition from the Sri Lankan Air Force, provided air-cover for the five An 32
Antonov An-32
The Antonov An-32 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft.-Design and development:The An-32 is basically a re-engined An-26. The launch customer was the Indian Air Force, which ordered this aircraft partly due to good relations between then USSR leader Leonid Brezhnev and then...
detailed to airdrop food supplies over Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
.
The Battle Axes were called into action again on 3 November 1988 during Operation Cactus
Operation Cactus
The 1988 Maldives coup d'état, whose rescue efforts were code-named Operation Sandhya by the Indian armed forces, was the attempt by a group of Maldivians led by Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by about 80 armed mercenaries of a Tamil secessionist organisation from Sri Lanka, the People's Liberation...
, when India responded to a plea for help by the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
government following a military coup. While the Il-76
Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
s of No.44 Squadron flew in troops from the Para brigade into the capital Male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
, six Mirages operating from Trivandrum made several passes over the Islands in a show of force. Wg Cdr Vaidya led the first formation with Flt Lt R Nambiar over the Hulule airfield.
Kargil Operations in May 1999 - Op Safed Sagar
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in the area North, North-East of Kargil during Operation Vijay
Operation Vijay (1999)
In the 1999 Kargil Conflict between India and Pakistan, Operation Vijay was the name of the successful Indian operation to push back the infiltrators from the Kargil Sector...
. The Battle Axes at that time was under the command of Wg Cdr Sandeep Chabra. For the first time, the IAF had employed Precision guided munitions
Laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...
to strike the supply lines of the entrenched enemy.
After the failure of the first strikes by Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
s , the task was assigned to the Mirages. Flying from Adampur
Adampur
Adampur is a city and a municipal council in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Geography:Adampur Doaba is located at . It has an average elevation of 233 metres . The nearest hill station is Dharamshala which is the headquarters of the Dalai Lama...
AFB, Mirages of the No. 1 Sqn, No.7 Sqn and No.9 Sqn struck Tigerhill, Muntho Dhalo, Tololing
Battle of Tololing
The Battle of Tololing was one of the pivotal battles in the Kargil War between India's armed forces and troops from the Northern Light Infantry who were aided by other Pakistan backed irregulars in 1999. The Tololing is a dominant position overlooking the Srinagar - Leh Highway and was a vital link...
. Along with the LGBs, 1000lbers were also used. On one particular sortie, a Mirage came upon a Pakistani Army Helicopter, but did not engage as it was in the moment of crossing back over the LoC
Line of Control
The term Line of Control refers to the military control line between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir—a line which, to this day, does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary but is the de facto border...
.
Wg Cdr Chabra received the Yudh Seva Medal
Yudh Seva Medal
Yudh Seva Medal is one of India's military decorations for Wartime Distinguished Service. It is awarded for a high degree of distinguished services in an operational context. "Operation context" includes times of war, conflict, or hostilities. The award is a Wartime equivalent of Vishisht Seva...
(YSM). Wg Cdr R Nambiar, who was an experienced test pilot attached to 7 Squadron during the course of operations was awarded the Vayusena Medal (VM), having flown over 25 sorties during that period delivering PGMs in precision attacks. Sqn Ldr DB Patnaik, who flew on the strike against Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill may mean*Tiger Hill, Suzhou at Suzhou in People's Republic of China*Tiger Hill, Darjeeling at Darjeeling in India*Tiger Hill, Fraserburgh a large sand dune in Fraserburgh.*Tiger Hill, Kargil near the Kargil region of Indian-Kashmir...
also received the VM. Sqn Ldr AS Heer, was awarded the VM, having shown considerable ingenuity to record the effects of the bomb-strikes. Sqn Ldr KI Ravi, who devised the adaptation of the 1000 lb bombs to the Mirage was also the VM.
Operation Parakram
In 2002 Mirage-2000s from the squadron used Precision Guided Munitions to destroy posts captured by Pakistan Army in the Machal sector of the LoC..See also
- First Kashmir War
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1965Indo-Pakistani War of 1965The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971Indo-Pakistani War of 1971The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
- East Pakistan Operations 1971
- Kargil WarKargil WarThe Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
- Operation Safed SagarOperation Safed SagarOperation Safed Sagar was the codename assigned to the Indian Air Force's strike to support the Ground troops during Operation Vijay that was aimed to flush out Regular and Irregular troops of the Pakistani Army from vacated Indian Positions in the Kargil sector along the Line of Control...
External links
- No.7 Squadron, Indian Air Force webpage at Bharat RakshakBharat RakshakBharat Rakshak is a website devoted to discussing India's military affairs. It was started and is run by military enthusiasts.- History :...
- Official website of the Indian Air Force