From the IAF vault: Story of the 'Top Guns' from India

The 1962 Sino-Indian War prompted two key changes -- an expansion in the Indian Air Force fighter squadrons requiring higher pilot intake and American and British military aid and assistance to balance the power equation with China.

It was felt that the squadron training in India would not be able to produce the required number of fully operational pilots in time to man these squadrons. Help was sought from both the United Kingdom and the United States, and both responded. The USAF-bound IAF pilots would fly the T-33A & F-86 (Sabres).

USAF opened up its Combat Crew Training Squadrons with the 'Advanced Fighter Course' (course No 111104A) to the Indian pilots together with Latin American, Far Eastern, NATO countries, Iranian and Pakistani crew. The course was for roughly six months between Lackland, Randolph and Nellis Air Force bases.

The USAF required that pilots should have 200 jet hours and an instrument rating. The Air Headquarters decided that only pilots from Vampire and Toofani Squadrons would be sent. Except for the first batch, anyone with more than 300 hours was not considered. At least 82 pilots were trained over three years.

The first month was spent at Lackland Air Force base for English training, followed by conversion training at Randolph Air Force base and flying the T-33A trainer. The last few months at 4521st CCTS Squadron at Nellis Air Force base involved flying both T-33A and F-86 Sabre and included air-to-ground and air-to-air live armament training.

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At Randolph, they did conversion training for 14 hours on the T-33A. 90-minute sorties covered circuits, landings and simulated flame-out patterns. The training was imparted in aerobatics, instrument flying, GCA radar approaches, and two and four aircraft close formation. No one was sent solo yet.

Thereafter they moved to Nellis Air Force base. Nellis was known as the 'home of the fighter pilot'. The Navy 'Top Gun' school had not yet come up (it started in 1969), and the Nellis-based CCTS was the 'Top Gun' school of the era.

The first month at Nellis was spent on solo formation flying in the T-33A, followed by air-to-ground strafing and skip bombing exercises. The trainee IAF pilots were trained to carry out four aircraft coordinated attacks in formations with pilots from Pakistan, Iran, Latin America and NATO.

Subsequently, they did conversion and gunnery training on the F-86F Sabre. It was the first aircraft they flew with hydraulically-powered flight controls. The air-to-ground phase consisted of strafing, rocket projectile firing, dive-bombing and low-level bombing. The air-to-ground phase consisted of firing on a towed banner.

There was a general Certificate of 'Graduation' for all individuals who had successfully completed the course. Certificates of Achievement were given for the highest score by an individual for strafe, rocketry, dive-bombing, level (skip) bombing and air-to-air firing.

In addition, three trophies were awarded: Best in academics or ground subjects, overall best in live armament/flying 'Top Gun', and overall best or outstanding student. At least three IAF officers won the 'overall Top Gun' Trophy -- VK Bhatia, Dadoo Subaiya and V Vidyadhar.

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The pilots benefited immensely -- Learnt to fly two different aircraft, tactics from the USAF, and flying and lived with pilots from various countries. Perhaps, most importantly, they understood the F-86 Sabre better. This would lead to these pilots claiming five kills in air or ground.

Sukrut Raj, who attended the course from March-October 1965, was flying with the 4 Squadron in the 1971 War. During an escort mission bounced by Pakistan Air Force Sabres, he outmanoeuvred the enemy aircraft and shot it down. He was awarded a Vir Chakra for the air-to-air kill.

One of the last pilots to complete the course in 1996, Dinesh Chander 'Danny' Nayyar, with the 221 Squadron, was on his first counter-air mission over Dacca airfield during the 1971 War and faced anti-aircraft gunfire. But he managed to destroy a Sabre on the ground, earning a Vir Chakra. 

Jimmy Bhatia, flying the Su-7 with 32 Squadron in the 1971 war, was responsible for destroying three Sabres on the ground in a deep-penetration strike at a PAF airbase. This earned him his second Vir Chakra -- one of the only five to receive a 'Bar to VrC' in the IAF. 

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The author is a finance professional, currently Managing Director at a Private Equity Firm, and hails from a military family. He is deeply interested in Indian aviation history and has regularly contributed across platforms on Indian Air Force history. You can check out his work on Twitter: @AnchitGupta9