Warbirds of India

Douglas Dakota VT-CYT of the Birla foundation on display at BITS. The aircraft is in good condition and is well preserved. The undercarriage raised on specially built stilts to look after the tyres.

Pilani is the place for the Birla Institute of Science and Technology, or BITS as it is more famously known in India. It is one of most premier Engineering institutes in India. The Birla Industrial group has invested a lot in this place, also maintaining a Science and Technology Museum here.

Outside the museum on display is a Douglas Dakota C-47 [VT-CYT]. VT-CYT is one of the aircraft used by Birla Industries - and finally retired for preservation at the BITS. Its the third Dakota preserved by the Birlas at locations where they have an industrial presence. The other two are at Dharmasthala and Birlagram.

Hawker Hunter BA-237 on display near the Vijay Stambh on Jaisalmer Air Field. Pic Courtesy : Jagan Pillarisetti and Kaleido India

Jaisalmer is located nearly 250km from Jodhpur in a North Westerly direction. It rose to fame in the 1971 War, when it was the staging airbase for the Hunters that decimated a Pakistani Tank thrust at Longewala. At that time the airfield was less than an year old, and had a fleet of four Hunter F56s and two Hunter T66s operating. Today, its a major Air Base, home to 41st Wing, with a huge runway and a network of shelters. ers operating from the Jaisalmer base blunted the offensive of the Pakistani army. From its humble beginings, this airfield was developed into a fullfledged Airforce Station.

The board giving the type history and the performance specifications of the Ajeet. Pic Courtesy : Rishu Mandolia

The city of Ajmer is located in Ajmer District adjoining Jaipur. A holy place for Muslims once in a year, Ajmer is home to the Mayo College which is considered as one of the premier educational institutions in Rajasthan.

Mayo College has on its premises a HAL Ajeet serialled E-1059. The aircraft is on display in a barbed wire enclosure with a board giving the type's background and performance particulars. Rishu Mandolia, who runs a website on the Mayo College has sent in these pictures of the HAL Ajeet.

Jodhpur saw a plethora of training institutions in its time. The RAF had its No.1 Elementary Flying Training School (No.2 EFTS) during WW2 which imparted training in the Fairchild Cornell aircraft. Later on, No.2 Air Force Academy was set up by the IAF after Independence which used the Percival Prentice, and Harvard aircraft to provide the flying training. No.2 AFA was later redesignated as Air Force Flying College (AFFC) to impart advanced training on the Harvard.

HAL HF-24 Marut D 1198 at the Jodhpur Air Force Station. This Marut is maintained in a much better condition . Pic Courtesy :Simon Watson

Uttarlai airfield was first set up just before the 71 War. It was one of the forward airfields that provided facilities to the HF-24 Maruts, Gnats, Hunters and MiGs during the war. The airfield continued in service even after the war and is today a major airbase. The HF-24 Maruts flew for the first time in combat from this airbase. Today an example of the HF-24 can be seen as the gate guardian at the Airbase.

The Uttarlai War Memorial dedicated to Flt Lt P V Apte. The Hawker Hunter can be seen in the background. Pic Courtesy : Indian Air Force.

Nal Airfield is in Bikaner district, from which IAF aircraft operated. A surprise warbird is in Karn Mahal in Junagarh Fort in Bikaner town has a museum which has on display a De Havilland DH 9 biplane. Karn Mahal had another two DH 9s stored away.

Unarguably, the oldest warbird in India, this DH-9 preserved in the Bikaner Karn Mahal Palace is one of the least known aircraft, and in private hands. Pic Courtesy : Jet Wings Magazine

Recently Hans van Herk visited Bikaner and found the DH9 in the Junagarh Fort to be on display though no serial number was seen. Though the guide has mentioned to Hans that another DH9 was in storage, It is has been confirmed that two DH-9s has been sold to Aero Vintage Ltd in UK to Mr. Guy Black and transported to UK.