The India-Pakistan 1965 Air War : Book Review
By P.V.S. Jagan Mohan and Samir Chopra
Publisher: Manohar Publlishers & Distributors. ISBN 81-7304-641-7, 2005
Price: Rs 895 in India
The 1965 air war between India and Pakistan arouses curious interest as the Indian version has not been released by the Government of India (GOI). US, Russia, UK and France should be reading this book to understand how their aircrafts performed. Since the Cold War is over and these aircrafts are out of service barring MiG-21, there should be no reason for these countries to “swallow or beam” pride. Very interesting incidents on how Indian and Pakistani pilots were mesmerized by the F-104 Star fighter and MiG-21, 1 + Mach fighters.
This book comes at a time as IAF today trains with USAF which was the mentor of PAF once. Comments from USAF experienced pilots like “IAF developed tactics in Vacuum” and “feel sorry for the enemy pilots who underestimate IAF pilots” takes the sting out of Pakistani propaganda machines like “Defense Journal” that PAF pilots are better than IAF pilots. Superior aircrafts and training from USAF did not ensure PAF of victory.
A Pakistani should read this book to verify if the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) did really deliver? Is the MM Alam five hunter downed is really true (though here are other sources from Pakistan itself which have proved it otherwise. MM Alam not just lied on the unbelievable incident of shooting down 5 hunters in 5 seconds, he also ran away from battle when he met Flying Officer P.S Pingale flying a Hunter. While MM Alam covered his cowardice by claiming shooting down two Hunters, one with gun and second with sidewinder, Flying Officer P.S Pingale was on record saying “No Missiles were fired – First he (MM Alam) opened up with guns and when we crossed over and I turned, he was already flying straight and away trying to get out of fight.” Flying Officer P.S Pingale also says “……. You know when you are young and you are in fight and all gung ho, you want the other fellow to put up a fight, you don’t want him to runaway…..So he ran away from the fight. I still recollect my thoughts at that moment, ‘this is not right; look at this fellow he is gone away!’” Read the whole incident in Page 255 to 261. . Unlike MM Alam fled from an equal fight, Indian Air Force (IAF) Squadron Leader A. B Devayya gave up his life fighting like a man and an unequal fight. Squadron Leader A. B Devayya shot down a Star Fighter over Sargodha with a outdated Mystere configured for ground attack mission and operating extreme end of the ferry range possible by the aircraft.
This will also give Pakistani’s an opportunity to read how PAF fudged kills. It’s a chance to read how a professional air force like IAF personnel praising the enemy , especially, 8 pass Charlie “ A PAF B-57 pilot who used to turn up at night and make 8 passes of bombing run instead of single bombing run. The raid of Pakistani SSG (commandos) on Indian airfields is very hilarious to read. So was Pakistani SSG’s getting fired at Sargodha Airfield by Pakistani security guards. The book also busts the PAF claim that it had not preparing for the war. The preparation of war had happened and a Pakistani B-57 pilot who was shot down over Indian airspace confessed it.
I picked up this copy to understand what the Indians did. While it’s important for Pakistani dictators to exaggerate to keep themselves in power and to project Pakistan as effective deterrent against USSR ally India for receiving military aid from US and NATO, India is a democracy and had no such compulsions. Indian Armed Forces is just another component of the democratic India under the civilian control.
The biggest surprise thrown at me was the revelation of Indian ace Flight lieutenant Alfred Cooke. Pages 180 to 192 have been devoted to his contribution to war in East. Flight lieutenant Alfred Cooke had entangled and fired at four Sabers and hit three of them resulting in two kills. One Saber was unrecoverable as admitted by PAF years later. The PAF propaganda machine claimed nine hunters had attacked which turned out to be a backhanded compliment to Flight lieutenant Alfred Cooke who quipped years later “I thought, WOW! What a compliment, thanks very much – did it feel like there were nine Hunters in the sky?”
By September 7, 1965 PAF had withdrawn bulk of its attack force as far as Peshawar, 600 kms away from Indian border. Indian Canberra’s stuck them even in Peshawar inspite of the fact that Peshawar was in the extreme end of Canberra’s could operate. In addition, no Indian fighter aircraft was sent as escort and Pakistani’s had very good night interception in form of F-104 star fighter. The raid shook PAF. No airfield or town was out of range from IAF bombers. The USAF signal intelligence “6937th Communications Group” base at Badaber, 20 miles from Peshawar evacuated its families to Iran. There were 600 US citizens in the base and around.
So already made up your mind that this is a pro Indian book? You already have made the mistake that I made before getting this copy. The authors have made a generous attempt to correspond and interact with PAF pilots to verify. I one case the PAF pilot has himself mailed the gun camera pictures. I haven’t seen the PAF complaining nor the hyperactive Pakistani propaganda machine.
My wish list if the authors plan next version of this book.
1) Interview more Indian and Pakistani pilots.
2) Work harder on the claims by the PAF.
3) Role of Iran, Indonesia and China in the conflict.
4) More Visuals please.
The India-Pakistan 1965 Air War is a must read.
Copyrights: Frontier India Defence and Strategic News Service, June 2007.