Air Force Technical College

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AFTC Jalahalli

Overview

An Overview Air Force Technical College

Members of the 'Air-Nuts' modelling group in Banalore visit MiG-23MF SK-440 at the Air Force Technical College, located at Jalahalli.

From the Indian Air Force’s earliest years, it was clear that an important element in building it would be the establishment of a training centre for technicians and technical officers. The first such establishment in India (and indeed in South and South-East Asia) was set up in Jalahalli West, just outside Bangalore, in 1949. It was then known as the Technical Training Centre (TTC); sometimes also referred to (possibly erroneously) as the Technical Training College. When the TTC was first established the staff were mostly British.

De Havilland Vampire F.3 HB546 / VT-CXJ

1948 Air Force Technical College


De Havilland Vampire F.3 VT-CXJ/HB-546 in the unique 'Chakra' markings with the Battle Axe emblem on the nose (left), and how it was before when it sported the anonymous 'T-27' serial.

Eds Note: Since this is the last update of the year, we have gone thru all our entries and decided our 'WDY 2005'

For over four decades the Vampire airframe in the college was doing duty under a pseudonym T-27 . No one knew where the aircraft came from and no one knew about its past history. The aircraft had for a couple of decades done duty as the Gate Guardian at main guard room. All the years in the open has not done it much good. The aircraft's forward fuselage was disintegrating after exposure to years of sun and rain.

Hindustan HT-2s IX-502 & IX-506

1951 Air Force Technical College


Two views of HAL HT-2 IX-502 pole mounted at the Parade Ground. The aircraft is tethered to the ground with steel cables. The engine has been removed.

HAL Gnat [Cutaway]

1958 Air Force Technical College

The completely cutaway fuselage of the Gnat inside the Cutaway airframe shed.

It is easy to ignore the cutaway airframe of the Gnat inside the shelter where the MiG-21F-13 is stored. The MiG-21 due to its rarity as well as its lighting steals the show away from the rather sorry looking Gnat airframe.

HAL Gnat [E323]

1958 Air Force Technical College

Air Cmde PC Prasad, who organised the visit for the AirNuts group to AFTC seen here with Gnat E-323. Air Cmde Prasad is a Gnat Veteran from the late 60s.

It is inconceivable for any Air Force establishment with a decent collection of retired aircraft not to have the dimunitive Gnat. AFTC is no exception. HAL Gnat E-323 can be seen at the left flank of the Parade grounds at the College.

HAL Chetak [Z406]

1963 Air Force Technical College

HAL Chetak Z-406 is used for Helicopter related training with the AFTC.

Since the trainee officers at AFTC are also trained in the basics of helicopter maintenance, a Chetak helicopter Z-406 is in the collection of AFTC.

Prior to the Chetak, it is believed that a rare Sikorsky S-55 was based at AFTC for helicopter related training. But no trace of the aircraft exist today.

Z-406 was moved to outside area in Dec 2005.

It is not known as to when Z-406 came to AFTC but it is likely that the helicopter came here at the end of its TTL as it sports an early serial number.

MiG-21 F-13 Type-74 [BC817]

1963 Air Force Technical College

The 'Cut-away' MiG-21 F-13 Type-74 at the AFTC. The aircraft in question is BC-817,

MiG-21 FL Type-77s [C589 & C590]

1966 Air Force Technical College

MiG-21 FL C-589 sports the MOFTU emblem on the nose and desert camouflage. This was from 2003. Today, the aircraft is painted a drab grey.

Two of the aircraft that form the mainstay of ground instructions of AFTC are two MiG-21FLs serialled C-589 and C-590. The MiG-21s are probably from one of the first batches of FLs built by HAL around 1966-68 period. Not much is known of the provenance of the aircraft, but it is of note that both aircraft are in taxiable condition and undergo regular engine runs from time to time.

PZL TS-11 Iskras [W-1776 & W-1767]

1974 Air Force Technical College

The twin Iskra display form the main backdrop of the Parade ground at AFTC. W-1776 and W-1767 were pole mounted by the AFTC's in house personnel.

As soon as the Iskras were retired at Hakimpet in December 2004, A number of the withdrawn Iskras have been earmarked for various IAF establishments by Training Command. A number of these landed up in Bangalore.

Mikoyan MiG-23 MF [SK440]

1981 Air Force Technical College

MiG-23 MF SK-440 in the current grey scheme at AFTC Jalahalli.

The most 'modern' fighter in AFTC's collection is a MiG-23 MF fighter, also used as a Ground Instructional Airframe. The MiG-23 MF , SK-440 was in green-brown camoflage till end of 2003. Last flown by Flt Lt RS Jamdar in June 2000, it is believed to have been given to the college at about the same time. The aircraft was first noticed by Ashit Chakraborty and self at AFTC in October 2001, and later photographed by Shekar Rao in 2003.

Other Warbirds & Relics of AFTC

Various Air Force Technical College

This page covers various relics that can be found at AFTC as well as other aircraft that we have missed covering.

HPT-32 Deepak [z-2542] & HT-2 [IX-472]

Two aircraft that we missed seeing at AFTC Jalahalli are the HPT-32 Deepak [X-2542] and a third HT-2 [IX-472]. The aircraft is confirmed to be at AFTC and the HPT-32 can even be seen in a Google Earth Image at this link.

Engine Gallery

There is a 'engine gallery' at AFTC Jalahalli which features various working cutaway models of Aero Engines. The examples come from both Western as well as Russian sources. The following are the photographs of the engines seen at the AFTC's collection.

Warbirds of India

Overview

De Havilland Vampire F.3 HB546 / VT-CXJ

Hindustan HT-2s IX-502 & IX-506

HAL Gnat [Cutaway]

HAL Gnat [E323]

HAL Chetak [Z406]

MiG-21 F-13 Type-74 [BC817]

MiG-21 FL Type-77s [C589 & C590]

PZL TS-11 Iskras [W-1776 & W-1767]

Mikoyan MiG-23 MF [SK440]

Other Warbirds & Relics of AFTC

Indian Warbirds

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