History always has answers to contemporary questions. 100 years on, the use of Air Power was beautifully explained in a note from Air Ministry on the distribution & employment of Air Force in India in 1921. "Indivisibility","technicality", "Moral effect", "Cost" #IAFHistory (1/5)
So beautifully has this one paragraph brought the dichotomy of a "small detachment" - its efficiency for the Army and its inefficiency for the Air Force. 2/
That the technical nature of the Air Force makes it "viable" or "efficient" when it is grouped in the "largest" possible unit rather than disperse them. 3/
Advantages and limitations of the utilization of an "aircraft". Another aspect that is not well understood by other Military establishments leads to unreasonable demands on the end use of aircraft. 4/
Not to be forgotten - the impact on the "Moral of the enemy" of using Airpower. And how inefficient use of Air power can actually be detrimental to the use of this very potent weapon. 5/
Lastly, the economic cost of using Air Power, which is a magnitude of an order different from other forces and therefore begs the question of optimum use. 6/
The foresight of this note leaves one in awe of the planners, especially given the context that the Air Force itself was barely a few years old and only the "use case" of the Air Forces at that time was one of "Support to the Army" or "Army cooperation". 7/7
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Republic Day Flypasts have enamoured our nation for decades. As we approach another such flypast, we look back at the first 50 years of #RepublicDay flypasts. Together the journey of flypasts is a mosaic of the country, its people, and the @IAF_MCC . #IAFHistory (1/30)
In 1950, IAF imposed a ban on flypasts, but for the momentous occasion, ACM Elmhirst allowed a 9 aircraft “loose” Liberator formation to do a flypast. The job fell on 5 Sqn, at Poona under the command of Wg Cdr HSR Gohel. 9 ac Lib formation would be a regular going forward. 2/
1951 saw a mixed formation of Harvard, Tempest, Vampire, Dakota& Libs of about 40 aircraft. The formation made the letters IAF with 23 aircraft from 3 & 4 Sqns and was led by Minoo Engineer. Minoo would take flypasts to a different level about two decades later. 3/
On 4 Nov 1963, an @IAF_MCC Mi-4 Helicopter of 105 HU with 9 onboard went down in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh killing 5 Armymen. Pilots survived to share the first-hand tales of a week-long survival that we relive today through their eyes. #IAFHistory (1/21)
Dibang valley boasts remarkable topography & biodiversity. Snow-capped mountains, lush tropical forests, wild grasslands, high-elevation lakes & raging rivers characterise this region. Post-1962 war, it was critical to service the frontier, Dibang Valley had no connectivity. 2/
Modern day Dibang Valley is the largest district of Arunachal Pradesh, spread over 9000 square km & is the most sparsely populated district in the country with less than 8,000 inhabitants. It is not tough to imagine how poorly connected the army posts would have been in 1963. 3/
The story of how the first chief of the @IAF_MCC came about to be decided on. A period of 30 days in June/July 1947, hectic negotiations and parleys, and a surprise twist by later to be @IAF_MCC's first Indian Chief Subroto Mukerjee. #IAFHistory (1/16)
Three questions needed answering - Will there be a chief for each service or one commander-in-chief? What rank will the officer tenant? Who will be the officer?
All of these were being deliberated in parallel and Air Mshl Hugh Walmsley, AOC-in-C India set the ball rolling 2/
On 1 July 47, he sent his recommendations to Loud Louis Mountbatten, though the ultimate decision rested with Nehru and Jinnah respectively. Also, a key influencer in the process was Claude Auchinleck, then Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. 3/
72 men, 22 of whom died in service. Battle-hardened over Germany, Arakan, Burma, NWFP, Kashmir War, Goa ops, 62, 65, 71 war. In 1971 –all AOC-in-Cs & all PSO’s to the chief – were from this single pilot course. This is the 4th pilot course (4 PC) of @IAF_MCC . #IAFHistory (1/19)
The first 22 officers commissioned in the IAF between 1932 and 1939 were all trained outside India as no facilities existed in India. Hence these officers did not carry any “course number”. In 1939, the govt took a call to raise an IAF Volunteer Reserve with WWII outbreak. 2/
1 & 2 PC had about 35 officers show up at Risalpur, the 1st IAF trg setup for pilots. But that was found inadequate, and a new school was setup at Walton, Lahore. It is here that 4 PC showed up, as the first course at the location 3/
The only station named as a “Staging Post” in the @IAF_MCC was the No. 1 Aircraft Staging Post at Car Nicobar in 1956. This is the fascinating read of how Car Nicobar was the only RAF base in independent India & later became an accidental IAF “Staging Post” #IAFHistory (1/23)
A Staging Post is simply an airstrip where transport aircraft can land. It can be a tiny airstrip used for refueling/ navigation or a large transport base. During WWII the RAF Transport Command set up 100s of Staging posts across the world from the US to the Far East. 2/
Back to Andaman. In 1858, the British setup Andaman & later in 1869 Nicobar (Nancowry Island) as penal colonies. Nicobar was shut down in 1888, but Port Blair persisted with a small presence. It was not intended to be a Military Post prior to WWII. 3/
@IAF_MCC Srinagar base (1 Wing) has repeatedly witnessed aerial combat in its 54 years of hosting fighter aircraft. It turns a page when 51 sqn winds down after its 37-year vigil. This thread is a chronicle of Srinagar’s unique tryst with fighter aircraft. #IAFHistory (1/30)
In ‘47, Srinagar had a fair-weather Kutcha grass strip of 1,500 yds used for light ac of Raja Hari Singh. At partition, Kashmir’s geo-loc & ltd rail/road links isolated the valley, enhancing the importance of the airstrip- placing it at the hub of efforts to save Kashmir.2/
Whilst IAF ops had started in Oct 47, an IAF establishment was placed here in May ’48. Spitfires, Tempests & Harvards of 7,8,10 & 101 Sqn operated throughout the war, moving out when the UN imposed a Ceasefire in '49. The Dakota (12 Sqn) story is here -3/