Warbirds of India

 

HAL Gnat [IE-1241] which is of an Ajeet configuration on display at Doon School in Dehradun. Pic Courtesy : Doon School Official Website

The hill city of Dehradun, now the capital of the newly formed Uttaranchal State houses two of the most premier training establishments for the Indian Armed Forces. The Indian Military Academy (IMA) and the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC). In addition to the above, Dehradun is also the HQ for the Survey of India (SoI), a civilian organisation with a high degree of participation of Indian Army Officers deputed to the service.

Its natural many of the establishments and schools in the area have been bestowed with retired aircraft from the IAF. Prominent among them is the Doon Public School. This school previously had a Harvard on display which was reportedly fitted with the wings of a Hurricane. However this aircraft is not there for quite a number of days. A Ajeet aircraft [IE-1241] is however on display at Doon school

St Josephs School, located in Dehradun has a Hunter two seater on display. No photograph of this aircraft have been sourced till now.

Another institution in the area, St George's College in neighbouring town of Mussoorie, was recently gifted with a TS-11 Iskra by the IAF in October 2005. The Iskra W-1778 was pole mounted on a special platform where the IAF ensign flutters high along with the school's flag.

	TS-11 Iskra [W-1778] pole mounted on a special platform at St George's College in Mussoorie.
Iskra [W-1778] was last seen at Hakimpet during the retirement ceremony in late 2004.

The RIMC has on display a Hawker Hunter [BA 357] on its premises, Presented by the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N C Suri, The aircraft is in Blue Green Camou with inlet covers and other equipment in place.

	The Hawker Hunter [BA 357] as seen at the Rashtriya Indian Military College , Dehradun. The Serial Number is barely visible on the Nose Leg Cover. Pic Courtesy : Sqn Ldr Deepak Chopra via Wg Cdr (Retd) V G Kumar .

It is known that the IMA too had some aircraft displayed on its premises for some time. A Supermarine Spitfire XIV (SM 832) was infact recovered from the IMA grounds and taken to England by Doug Arnold in 1977. After changing many hands for nearly two decades, this Spitfire was fully restored by Stephen Grey's Fighter Collection and is currently operated by them.

Aircraft Type	Serial No	Remarks
HAL Gnat II	IE-1241	Doon School , Dehradun
NA T6G Harvard	FT 105	Doon School.
Hawker Hunter	BA 357	Rashtriya Indian Military College.
Hawker Hunter T 66	S 580	St Joseph Academy, Dehradun
TS-11 Iskra	W-1778	St Georges College, Dehradun

Related Links:
1. Video of Iskra W1778 at Musoorie on Google