Thread by @IAF_MCC

#Remembering1971: On 03 Dec 1971 at 1747 hours, PAF launched simultaneous attacks on a number of forward IAF bases at Srinagar, Amritsar & Pathankot.
Four of the attacking PAF aircraft were hit by Indian Air Defence, one each over Pathankot, Halwara, Amritsar & a B-57 near Agra.

On 3 Dec 1971 at 11:50 PM, IAF goes into action with retaliatory attacks on Pakistani Airfields.
IAF attacks Chanderi, Shorkot, Murid, Mianwali, Masroor, Risalwala, Changa Manga and Sargodha, hitting a no. of PAF aircraft on ground & sets petrol tanks on fire.
#Remembering1971

#Remebering1971 : Early hours of 04 Dec 1971, immediate Close Air Support missions were launched by IAF in support of No.35 Bde in the Hussainiwala area. The strike missions were flown by Su-7 aircrafts and several enemy tanks & gun positions were destroyed by IAF.

#Remembering1971: On 04 Dec 1971, IAF's Su-7s from Adampur attacked the intruding Pakistani forces close to Dera Baba Nanak area. In Rajasthan, Jaisalmer-based Hunters attacked enemy positions at Islamgarh to the north.

Prior to Indian troops advancing along the Barmer railway line, HF-24 from Uttarlai attacked enemy fortifications on the border at Ghazi camp. This was the only defensive position of the Pak Army, which then withdrew after the air attacks.

The enemy supply dumps at Changa Manga were attacked by An-12s at night (4/5 Dec), Six of them dropped 66x500 Ib bombs & 55x100 Ib bombs, starting a major conflagrations.

#Remembering1971: On 4 Dec 1971, IAFs Su-7, MiG-21 & Hunters attacked PAF airfields & radar stations in the West. The attack was continued throughout the day, IAF aircraft flew missions from against Peshawar & Kohat airbases in the north-west to Masroor in southern Sind.

Hunters from Jamnagar were over Karachi at 0850 hrs & caught the PAF defenses completely unaware, the attacks resulted in a number of PAF aircraft being destroyed on ground & oil tanks near Karachi set ablaze. IAF fighter-bombers also attacked Sargodha, Wagowal, Shorkot & Murid.

In the West, 13 PAF aircraft comprising 07 Sabres, 02 MiG-19, 01 Mirage-Il, 02 B-57 & a C-130 were destroyed on ground by IAF Hunter & Su-7, apart from one B-57 & F-104 shot down over Amritsar.
PAF lost 4 Sabres early in the day & 3 light aircraft were destroyed on the ground.

#Remembering1971: On the night of 4 Dec 1971, PAF mounted seven raids against Pathankot, Amritsar, Sirsa & Agra but with little effect. IAF Canberras again struck at PAF airfields & dropped a total of 202x1000 Ibs bombs in 35 missions.

Eight Canberras attacked Masroor in the afternoon & again at night, making a significant contribution towards the success of the Naval missile attack on Karachi harbour later the same night.

IAF raids were spread through the hours of darkness, keeping PAF grounded at Masroor airbase which controlled air defense of Karachi complex.
Su-7s & MiG-21s were employed for night attacks. A PAF F-104 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Amritsar & the pilot captured.

#Remembering1971:IAF counter-air Ops on 5 dec were limited to attacks on those PAF airfields which could be used to mount raids against #IndianArmy positions in the North. This led to PAF withdrawing many of its combat aircraft from forward airfields-Murid, Chander & Risalawala.

There was an appreciable decline in the no. of PAF air attacks on Indian ground forces from 6 Dec onwards. The long-range radar at Sakesar was also attacked by Hunters & Su-7s, one of the antennas being hit & the radar put off the air, not coming on again for the rest of the war.

#Remembering1971 - The IAF carried out intense air operations on 06 Dec 1971, 22 counter-air missions were mounted by the IAF in the west, attacking mainly Chander & Risalwala during daylight hours, while Sargodha & Chaklala were attacked by Su-7 at dusk.

Hunters from Pathankot struck the Attock Oil Refinery, 03 aircraft being airborne at 0741 hrs, leaving the refinery in flames.
08 Canberras of No. 35 Sqn attacked Drigh Road near Karachi, major PAF maintenance base. Hangers were hit & thick smoke was seen rising from this area.

In the east, an R/T intercept led to discovery of an improvised landing strip at Barisal, which was then attacked with bombs, guns & made unusable. The main counter-air effort continued to be bombing attacks on Tezgaon & Kurmitola airfields near Decca by IAF Hunter & MiG-21s.

More than 150 sorties were flown all along the border from Kargil in the North to Chor in the south. Attacks against Pak tanks, troops, and vehicles in the Longewala area continued throughout the day and HF-24 of No. 22 Squadron shot down one more Sabre over Chor.

Close Air Support missions by IAF were mounted in the Kasur, Jassar & Shakargarh area in support of XV & I corps. During the day, PAF lost three F-86s to ground fire in the 26 Div area.
Another day of victory for IAF & continued failures & set backs for Pakistan forces.