Warbirds of India

Mi-8 Z-1381, which was handed over to Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, being towed to the college on January 16, 2004. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

In January 2004, a decommissioned Mil Mi-8 Z1381was presented to the Punjab Engineering College by the 3 Base Repair Depot of Chandigarh. The Mi-8 was from the one of very first batch acquired by the Indian Air Force in 1971 which had neared the end of its total technical life. The move to present this helicopter was initiated by one of the AOCs of 3 BRD, Air Cmde Parasher who retired in 2002.

Auster Aiglet VT-DYU in the Aerolabs of the PEC . The aircraft looks in impeccable condition. Photo Courtesy : PEC Website

AVM Harjinder Singh also bestowed two light aircraft to the PEC. Auster Aiglet VT-DYU, which was his personal aircraft and IAF Kanpur I [BR-570], which was designed and built by him during his tenure as the AOC-in-C Maintenance Command.

Joint Warbird Discovery of the Year 2004

A photo by Rishi shows IAF Kanpur I [BR460] with the roundel and the official IAF serial painted under its starboard wing. Photo Courtesy : PEC Website

The other aircraft in the aero labs is a more historical airframe. The IAF Kanpur I. The Kanpur 1 had been indigenously designed and built by technicians of the IAF Maintainance Command, under the able guidance of AVM Harjinder Singh in 1958. Group Captain Kapil Bhargava has written much about this aircraft in his article "The IAF as an Aircraft Manufacturer". At the time of its manufacture, even Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) did not have a light aircraft design in its name!.

Prof Sharma of the Aeronautical Engineering Department instructs Students of the Punjab Engineering college on the Supermarine Spitfire XVIII airframe. Photo Courtesy : India Today

On the face of it, being Alma Mater of US astronaut Kalpana Chawla is the most well known claim to fame for Aeronautical Engineering department of Punjab Engineering College [http://www.pec.ac.in] at Chandigarh. But, not many know that the department has in it's inventory a prized possession - a Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIII. This is believed to be the only intact aircraft of Spitfire in the whole of South-East Asia. No wonder, the plane continues to fascinate the Vintage aircraft collectors abroad.