IAF Vintage Squadron comes to life!

[third eye]

The Indian Air Force's Vintage Flight (VF) has revved to life in style, with the first of a list of venerable old aircraft taking to the skies. A refurbished 1930s de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane was the darling at the IAF's 80th Air Force Day celebrations on the outskirts of Delhi, but the yellow bird will only be the first of what is set to be an enthralling new proposition for air display in the country—and indeed around the world.


The IAF is working with a British firm Reflight, which specialises in restoration of old aircraft, to bring to life a whole line-up of vintage birds that includes a Supermarine Spitfire, Harvard bomber, Westland Wapiti (the IAF's first aircraft), a Hawker Hurricane, Hawker Tempest, de Havilland Vampire and a HAL/Folland Gnat. Inspired by the Royal Air Force's vintage flight, several IAF veterans had put forth the idea a few years ago, urging the leadership to consider a vintage flight in India, making use the unique collection of aircraft that the IAF has, several of them in fairly good condition.

When the IAF VF is ready, it will be part of air displays and demonstrations in India and around the world. But there is much work ahead, and the IAF will be watching closely as its birds of yore spread their wings once again.

 

[third eye]

Vintage plane used by IAF headed for Delhi

NEW DELHI: When this C-17 Globemaster-III touches down in New Delhi on July 28, there will be a surprise package in the gigantic aircraft's belly. The state-of-the-art strategic airlift aircraft will regurgitate a vintage plane onto the tarmac at Palam.

The four-engine C-17, which will be sixth such aircraft to be delivered of the 10 ordered for $4.1 billion from the US, will be carrying a restored T-6G Harvard plane that was used by IAF to train its rookie pilots in the 1950s and 1960s

The single-engine Harvard is the second vintage plane to be restored under the IAF project to have a Vintage Flight Squadron (VFS), a hugely popular concept in air forces around the globe despite the supersonic era in military aviation, which is now headed for hypersonic, unmanned air combat operations.

"Our first vintage plane that was restored in the UK was a Tiger Moth, a biplane of the 1940s which even saw some action during World War-II. The Tiger Moth created waves during the flypast on the 80th anniversary of IAF in 2012," said an officer.

"It's all about nostalgia and chronicling the rich IAF heritage since it came into existence on October 8, 1932, with six Royal Air Force-trained Indian officers and four Westland Wapiti II-A biplanes.

"Around 10 vintage planes like Spitfire, Vampire, HT2-1, Wapiti, Lysander, Tempest and Hurricane from the IAF museum will be progressively resurrected for the VFS,'' he added

The Harvard, with its wings detached, has already been loaded onto the C-17 during its stopover in the UK. "The C-17 will reach New Delhi on Monday via Abu Dhabi. Like the first five C-17s, this one will also join the 81 "SkyLords" Squadron based at the Hindon airbase," said another officer.

India's strategic airlift capabilities have got a big boost with the C-17s, which have undertaken missions to Port Blair, Leh and Thoise as well as "special" ones to energy-rich Tajikistan and Rwanda in central Africa over the last couple of years.

Designed to swiftly airlift a 70-tonne cargo across 4,200-km, the rugged C-17 can even land at makeshift airstrips in forward areas.

Vintage plane used by IAF headed for Delhi - The Economic Times

 

[Koovie]

Cant wait to see these babies fly again

 

[sathya]

Why waste money yaar?

Instead a squadron of pilatus would have been useful..

 

[Koovie]

Why waste money yaar?

Instead a squadron of pilatus would have been useful..

1.) You cannot buy a sqdr. of Pilatus for that money

2.) The IAF, just like any other service, has a share of its budget reserved for these kind of things. May it be the costs for running museums, looking after regimental symbols, treasures etc etc or like in this case air plane.

Staying in touch with such things is very important for a units traditions, self awareness and identity.