DAD's AIRFORCE YARNS - 2 - THE FEARLESS AIR MARSHALL

16.08.2004

From Wikipidia:

Minoo Merwan Engineer

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The fearless Air Marshall

(Airforce Yarns)

Ever since the First World War when the Fighter Pilot became an “Ace”, since names like Von Richtofen, Immelman, Goering of the Luftwaffe and Ball of the RAF, an aura of heroism and a myth of  gallant chivalry cloaked them. This aura continued through the Second World war too and the names that probably stand are Douglas Badder of the RAF and Adolf Galland of the Luftwaffe. Badder achieved fame as not only the Ace with the highest kills, but as also the “legless wonder” with his two artificial legs. What was surprising was that the RAF came to know about his handicapped condition very much too late – when he had already been diefied as a hero. Galland had the highest score of “kills” on both sides of the Battle of Britian. His most famous comment was a reply he gave Herman Goering, the Luftwaffe chief when he was asked what he would have needed to win the Battle of Britian. He said “Ein Jaggedstaffuel Spurfurier. (A squadron of Spitfire Fighters)”

The saga of the Fighter Air Ace continued even after the two world wars. One recalls Audie Murphy, the Hollywood Idol who got several decorations flying F-86 Sabre Jets with the US Airforce during the Korean War. The F-86 Sabre Jets too got a tag as the best fighter jets proving much superior to the Mig-15s and Mig-17s of the Communist Airforces in the Korean War. Audie Murphy’s fame and success as a fighter pilot gave an entry into Hollywood, always looking for true heroes and he had a second succesful career as a Hollywood Superstar.

The Indian Airforce too has had its share of Air Aces – The Keelor Brother, Denzil and Trevor flew Gnats in circles around the F-86s of the Pakistani Airforce in 1965 disproving their supposed superiority against planes that were British designed but of the same vintage. The Keelors repeated their feats in the 1971 war too downing the first three F-86s of the East Pakistan Airforce command in the last week of November (The Battle of Byra), giving General Sam Manekshaw the much needed Air Superiority he needed to succesfully carry out the liberation of Bangladesh.

Air Marshall Minoo Merwan Engineer was the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Western Air Command, which had the task of both defensive operations against PAF and also carry out deep penetration strikes inside Pakistan against their military targets.

Minoo Engineer came from a family of Mumbai Parsees of six brothers.  Four brothers were all Flyers back from the early days and three of them including – Aspy, Minoo & Jehangir had won DFCs (Distinguished Flying Cross – about the level of a Vir Chakra) in the World War.  Aspy, also an Airforce Pilot rose to become the Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Airforce. Another brother, Farouk Engineer was the wicketkeeper and opening batsman of the Indian Test cricket team. All the brothers were dashing handsome specimens of manhood always surrounded by bevy of beautiful society women.

As a principal staff officer and commandant of the most important command, Air Marshall Engineer was not expected to fly combat sorties into Enemy airspace. But inspite of being aware of the general disapproval of Air Headquarters to risk senior commanding officers into direct combat, Minoo flew anyway.

He must have been quite a fan of Manfred Von Richthofen, the Luftwaffe Air Ace of World War I. All this fame had led to some vanity in no small measure. Richtofen had, in 1917, got his Fokker D4 Triplane painted into a bright visible red colour to flaunt his prowess and throw a challenge to the enemy pilots. He remained supremely confident of his own invincibility, even till the day he was shot down by Flt. Lt. Ball of the RAF. His red-painted fighter plane earned him the sorbiquet “the Red Baron”. With at least 72 known ‘victories’ in the air, Richtofen, “the Red Baron” had set a record remains to this day and has not been equalled by any other pilot in WWII, Korea, Vietnam or the Indo-Pak wars.

In the 1971 war for the liberation of Bangladesh, Minoo, was AOCinC (Air Officer Commanding in Chief) of Western Air Command, which had to deal with the West Pakistan Border. He had got a Mig-21 specially fitted out for his own use. He had it stripped of all its ammunition – two wing mounted air-to-air-missiles and a 30mm cannon fitted into an underbelly pod. This was done to increase its fuel capacity and therefore its range and flying time. The Belly pod was used instead, to carry a high altitude recconaissance camera. He then got the plane painted a bright red colour much like Richthofen’s Fokker D4 over 54 years before. Flying this plane he personally led “from the front” the only two really big air battles which happened over the Punjab, Kashmir and Rajasthan skies on the 4^th. And 5^th. of December. On the 9^th. again he led a huge diversionary attack on the Pakistani airbases in the north while the Indian Navy mounted the most audocious attack on Karachi harbour. After the Bombers attacked targets during the war, he flew alone over enemy territory to personally photograph and recce the success of the air strikes. Needless to say, his fame and his “Red Baron” Mig-21 became quite well known to the PAF pilots and he had been declared a coveted prize by them. The PAF could never catch him – he flew much higher than their F-104 Starfighters. Also, at a pinch, a burst from his afterburner could catapult him to a speed of 2.4 Mach. The best the F-104s could do was 1.9 Mach.

A Mig 21 painted Red …. Note: there are no markings or insigna

On 26^th. January, 1972, the Republic Day, Indira Gandhi had organised the most spectacular Ceremonial Parade to commemorate the military victory. The Army paraded not in ceremonial dress as would be the case every year, but in battle dress. The Indian Airforce put up the largest flypast seen so far of 132 planes. From supersonic Migs, transonic Hunters and Sukhois, subsonic Gnats, B-57 and Canberra Bombers, Sea Hawks of the Indian Navy, Helicopters, Packets, Illyuisons, Anatovs, Avro-748s and even ancient Dakota transports which had taken part in the war were all featured in the flypast.

As the last flight of Westland Helicopters lumbered slowly over the saluting dias training the Airforce and National flags and strewing the audience with rose petals the public waited for the finale.

Suddenly, diving from a height at nearly the speed of sound, Minoo Engineer roared down deafeaningly, pulled up into a climb levelling out just a hundred feet over the road and climbed into a screaming leap rolling over and over as he gained speed and height again. The sound of the sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier came down a few moments later. It was louder than the artillery guns which had boomed the 21 – gun salute at the begining of the parade.

Much to my own personal dissapointment, Minoo Engineer retired some time later. He did not, like his brother, Aspy become the Chief of Air Staff.

From Wikipedia etc.

Minoo Merwan Engineer

Air Marshal Minoo Merwan Engineer ( 1921-1997 ) was one of the most decorated officers of Indian Air Force. He joined Royal Indian Air Force in 1940 and served in Burma in the world war.He was awarded the DFC for his part in the Arakan operations. Later in 1948 he served in Jammu and Kashmir front. He was Station Commander of Srinagar Airfield then. He was awarded Mahavir Chakra for his services there. He was made Air Marshall in 1964 and appointed as AOC-in chief of Eastern Air Command. For his services in the Eastern sector, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. At the time of 1971 India-Pakistan War he was AOC-in Chief of Western Air Command. He was awarded Padma Bhushan for his leadership and services.

Minoo Engineer remains to date the most decorated officer in the IAF. The sixth of the siblings and the third brother to join the Air Force, Minoo seemed to be born with the proverbial twinkle in his eye. Low down in the sibling ‘food-chain’ so to speak, he had a tough time keeping up with his brothers who grew rapidly stronger and taller than he. Even younger brother, Ronnie, was to become the college boxing champion, when both were in Elphinstone College, Bombay.

However, Minoo was to prove the ‘eternal warrior’ of the group. Below a jovial, genial exterior, he hid a steely resolve. He joined the Air force in 1940 and retired after 33 years of distinguished service. A grateful nation was to bestow on him the highest awards ever given to anyone in the history of the armed forces.

He was awarded the DFC when, in frontline combat duty in World War II, he commanded the first Spitfire Squadron in Burma and later the only Indian Squadron in Japan in 1946. In 1947 he formed the first operational air base in Jammu and Kashmir. Controlling all air operations there, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for conspicuous gallantry. In 1962 he was specially selected as S.A.S.O. of new Operational Command in Eastern Sector, where the Chinese threat was developing. Coping remarkably with all the air support requirements projected by the Army within the meager resources of men and material then available, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. In 1965 he was appointed the Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Head Quarters, and in 1969 was selected as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command. His retalliatory air strikes on 3rd and 4th December 1971 took the air war deep into enemy territory and his leadership contributed greatly to an Indian victory, winning him the Padma Bhushan.

From: IAF website:

Mig 21 Versus F 104 Starfighters:

The MiG-21FL "C750" was the mount of Flt.Lt. Bharat B. Soni on 12 December 1971, when he shot down the F-104A flown by Sqn. Ldr. M. E. Middlecoat, of the No. 9 Sqn PAF. The aircraft was the only one out of six "Type 77s" from the No. 28 Sqn deployed to Jamnagar airfield (including C699, C711, C720, C750, C765 and C1115) and armed with the GP-9 (or GSh-9) gun pack - together with an ad-hoc gyro sight - but this installation proved its worth beyond any doubt. Note: the photographs of this MiG-21FL taken shortly after Flt. Lt. Soni landed it back at Jamnagar after the historic engagement indicate the possibility of this aircraft having the front upper part of the fuselage painted brown, in a similar form like on some of later MiG-21Ms in IAF service. (all artworks by Tom Cooper)

Reports from Indian MiG-21-pilots that engaged PAF Starfighters in air combats on 17 December 1971 indicate that the Starfighters wore "desert camouflage". It is now well-known that a number of Starfighters from the No.9 Squadron Royal Jordanian Air Force were sent to Pakistan during this war: some of these aircraft were camouflaged, and it is now believed that the Indians on 17 December engaged these "ex-Jordanian" F-104As, shooting down two of them and one of original PAF Starfighters as well.

It was in the Western theatre that the MiG-21 was employed in its primary task, that of air defence, escort and interception. Deployed at all the major air bases, from Pathankot in the north to Jamnagar in the South Western area, the MiG-21FLs mounted hundreds of combat air patrol sorties over Vital Points (VP) and Vital Areas (VA), flew escort missions for bombers and strike fighters and were continuously scrambled to intercept hostile intruders. The MiG-21 finally met its original adversary, the F- 104 Starfighter, in air combat over the Subcontinent during the December 1971 conflict and in all four recorded cases of classic dog fights, the MiG-21s outclassed and out fought the F- 104s. The first aerial victory was on 12 December 1971, when MiG-21FLs of No. 47 Squadron shot down a PAF F-104 over the Gulf of Kutch and this was followed by three more victories in quick succession on 17 December, when MiG-21FLs of No. 29 Squadron escorting HF-24 Maruts, shot down intercepting F-104s near Uttarlai in the Rajsthan desert in gun-missile encounters, while a third F-104, on an intruding mission, was shot down by another MiG 21FL of No.29 Squadron.

In a Ground Attack armour

Mig 21 outruns a Heat Seeking Missile

Balance of Forces: IAF and PAF in the West

In the western theatre of operations, the IAF and the PAF deployed the following units during the 1971 War:

IAF
Western Air Command
Sector Kashmir and Chhamb
- No.1 Squadron, MiG-21FL, based at Adampur (CO Wg.Cdr. Upkar Singh)
- No.3 Squadron, Mystére IVA, based at Sirsa, then Hindon/Halwara (CO Wg.Cdr. Dogra)
- No.18 Squadron, Gnat F.Mk.1, based at Srinagar (CO Wg.Cdr. Raina)
- No.20 Squadron, Hunter F.Mk.56, based at Pathankot (CO Wg.Cdr. Parker)
- No.23 Squadron, Gnat F.Mk.1, based at Pathankot (CO Wg.Cdr. Mohan)
- No.26 Squadron, Su-7BMK, based at Adampur (CO Wg.Cdr. Batra)
- No.27 Squadron, Hunter F.Mk.56, based at Pathankot (CO Wg.Cdr. Mehta)
- No.31 Squadron, Mystére IVA, based at Hindon/Halwara (CO Wg.Cdr. Trehan)
- No.32 Squadron, Su-7BMK, based at Ambala (CO Wg.Cdr. Manget)
- No.45 Squadron, MiG-21FL, based at Chandigarh, then Pathankot, finally Nal (CO Wg.Cdr. Anand)
- No.101 Squadron, Su-7BMK, based at Adampur (CO Wg.Cdr. Khanna)
- No.108 Squadron, Su-7BMK, based at Halwara, then Chandigarh (CO Wg.Cdr. Deshmukh)
- No.120 Squadron, Mystére IVA, based at Nal (CO ?)
- No.222 Squadron, Su-7BMK, based at Halwara (CO Wg.Cdr. D’Costa)
- TACDE (one flight), MiG-21FL, based at Amritsar/Ambala (CO Wg.Cdr. Mukerjee)
- TACDE (one flight), Su-7BMK, based at Amritsar/Ambala (CO Wg.Cdr. Mukerjee)

Sector Naya Chor and Ramgarh Desert
- No.10 Squadron, 16 HF-24 Maruts & 2 Hunter T.Mk.66s, based at Uttarlai/Jodhpur (CO Wg.Cdr. Aggarwal)
- No.21 Squadron, Gnat F.Mk.1, based at Uttarlai/Ahmedabad (CO Wg.Cdr. Malik)
- No.29 Squadron, MiG-21FL, based at Hindon, det. at Uttarlai (CO Wg.Cdr. Swardekar)
- No.122 Operational Training Unit, 4 Hunter F.Mk.56 & T.Mk.66, based at Jaisalmer, (CO Wg.Cdr. D.M. Conquest)
- No.220 Squadron, HF-24 Marut, based at Uttarlai/Jodhpur (CO Wg.Cdr. Dhawan)

Sector Rann of Kutch and Gulf of Kutch
- No.6 Squadron, L-1049 Constellation, based at Poone
- No.35 Squadron, Canberra B.(I).Mk.58/B.Mk.66, based at Poone (CO Wg.Cdr. Badhwar)
- No.47 Squadron, MiG-21FL, based at Jamnagar/Halwara (CO Wg.Cdr. Gill)
- No.106 Squadron, Canberra PR.Mk.57, based at Agra (CO Wg.Cdr. Thakar)
- JBCU, Canberra (different marks), based at Agra (CO Wg.Cdr. S.Thakar)

Central Air Command
- No.5 Squadron, Canberra B(I).Mk.58/B.Mk.66, based at Agra (CO Wg.Cdr. Talwar)
- No.8 Squadron, MiG-21FL, based at Poone (CO Wg.Cdr. Sen)
- No.9 Squadron, Gnat F.Mk.1, based at Jamnagar, later Halwara (CO Wg.Cdr. Yadav)

PAF
- No.2 Squadron, 11 T-33A, ? T-6 Texans, based at Masroor (CO Wg.Cdr. A.A. Randhawa)
- No.5 Squadron, 17 Mirage IIIEP, 3 Mirage IIIRP, 3 Mirage IIIDP, based at Sargodha (CO Wg.Cdr. Hakimullah)
- No.6 Squadron, 9 C-130B/E Hercules, based at Masroor (CO Wg.Cdr. S. Nisar Yunus)
- No.7 Squadron, 18 B-57B, 1 B-57C, 1 RB-57F, with 8 B-57s at Mianwali and the ballance of the fleet at Masroor (CO Wg.Cdr. M. Yunis)
- No.9 Squadron, 5 F-104A, 2 F-104B, based at Sargodha, moved to Masroor on 6 December, then temporary detachment in Bhagtanwala (CO Wg.Cdr. Arif Iqbal)
- No.11 Squadron, 16 F-6A, based at Sargodha, detachment at Mianwali (CO Wg.Cdr. Sikander M. Khan)
- No.12 Squadron, 3 F.27 for VIP-transport, based at Chaklala (CO Wg.Cdr. M.M. Suhail)
- No.15 Squadron, 12 F-86F, based at Murid (CO Wg.Cdr. S. Nazir Jilani)
- No.16 Squadron, not active: all pilots to No.26 Squadron
- No.17 Squadron, 18 Sabre F.Mk.6, based at Rafiqui (CO Wg.Cdr. G. Mujtaba Qureshi)
- No.18 Squadron, 24 Sabre F.Mk.6, based at Sargodha, Detachment later to Chander (CO Wg.Cdr. A.I.Bukhari)
- No.19 Squadron, 16 Sabre F.Mk.6 (none equipped with AIM-9B), 8 F-86F (all AIM-9B-equipped), based at Masroor (CO Wg.Cdr. Sheikh M. Saleem)
- No.20 Squadron, 3 RT-33A, based in Masroor (CO Flt.Lt. Parvez Saeed)
- No.23 Squadron, 16 F-6A, based in Risalewala, detachment at Shorkot (CO Wg.Cdr. S.M.H. Hashimi)
- No.25 Squadron, 16 F-6A, based at Sargodha, detachment at Murid (CO Wg.Cdr. Sa’ad A. Hatmi)
- No.26 Squadron, 24 F-86F, based at Peshawar (CO Wg.Cdr. S.A. Changezi)
- No.83 Squadron (?), 8 (?) SA.316B, based at? (CO ?)

Dogfights where Migs were better than Starfighters:

16Dec71	29 Sqn	MiG-21FL	S.B.Shah	23mm	F-6	?Sqn/PAF
17Dec71	29 Sqn	MiG-21FL	I.S.Bindra	R-3S	F-104A	9Sqn/PAF (pilot?)
17Dec71	29 Sqn	MiG-21FL	A.K.Datta	R-3S	F-104A 787	9Sqn/PAF (pilot Changezi)
17Dec71	29 Sqn	MiG-21FL	N.Kukreja	R-3S	F-104A	9Sqn/PAF (pilot?)
17Dec71	29 Sqn	MiG-21FL	S.B.Shah	R-13A	F-104A	?Sqn/PAF
12Dec71	28 Sqn	MiG-21FL C750	B.B.Soni	23mm	F-104A	9Sqn/PAF (pilot Middlecoat)