Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

No. 6 Squadron IAF

2022-10-21T04:25:04Z

5.192.191.109:

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = No. 6 Squadron
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1 December 1942 - Present
| country = {{flagicon|India}} [[Republic of India]]
| allegiance =
| branch = {{air force|India}}
| type =
| role = [[Fighter aircraft|Fighter]]
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = [[Jamnagar Air Force Station|Jamnagar AFS]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname = "Dragons"
| patron =
| motto = ''Sada Satark''<br>Always Alert
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| disbanded = 
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| commander2 =
| commander2_label =
| commander3 =
| commander3_label =
| notable_commanders = 
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
| identification_symbol_2 =
| identification_symbol_2_label = 
| aircraft_attack = [[SEPECAT Jaguar|SEPECAT Jaguar IM]]
| aircraft_bomber =
| aircraft_electronic =
| aircraft_fighter =
| aircraft_recon =
| aircraft_trainer =
| aircraft_transport =
}}
'''No. 6 Squadron (Dragons)''' is a fighter squadron and is equipped with [[SEPECAT Jaguar|Jaguar IM/IS]] and based at [[Jamnagar Air Force Station]].<ref name=BRakshak>{{cite web|title=Squadrons and Helicopter Units|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/292-Squadrons.html|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

==History==

No. 6 Squadron is one of the ten senior [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]]s of the [[Indian Air Force]]. Formed prior to [[Indian independence movement#Independence, 1947 to 1950|independence]], its varied roles have included [[air-sea rescue]], counter-air, [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]]-[[reconnaissance]], maritime reconnaissance, maritime strike, [[target towing]] and transport.

The squadron was formed as a fighter-reconnaissance unit at Trichinopoly (now [[Tiruchirapally]]) on 1 December 1942 under the command of Squadron Leader (later Air Commodore) Mehar Singh. It participated in the Indian Air Force's tenth anniversary review at [[Ambala]], and received an award for "the best looking aircraft". The squadron continued working-up, until November that year.

In November 1943, flying Hawker Hurricane FR.IIb No 6 Squadron IAF moved to [[Cox's Bazar]] as a part of the [[RAF Third Tactical Air Force]] (Third TAF) for the [[Burma Campaign#Southern front 1943/44|Second Arakan Campaign]]. During this campaign, No 6 Squadron was the only specialist reconnaissance unit available to support the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]] on this front, earning the name "The Eyes of the Fourteenth Army". They were also dubbed "the Arakan Twins" for flying in the standard [[tactical reconnaissance]] pairing of Leader and Weaver. Returning from his Arakan Front visit in mid-January 1944, [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|General Sir William Slim]], GOC Fourteenth Army, wrote in his memoirs how impressed he was with this reconnaissance squadron.

For services during the squadron's tour of operations, Flight-Lieutenant Rawal Singh was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]], and Sergeant BM Kothari, the head of the photographic section, received the [[British Empire Medal]]. In addition, Flying Officer (later Air Commodore) JD Aquino and Pilot Officer (later Wing Commander) LRD Blunt were commended by the [[Air Officer Commanding]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Sqn/006.html|title=No.6 Squadron}}</ref>

===Assignments===
*[[Burma Campaign]]
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]

==Aircraft==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Aircraft !! From !! To !! Air Base
|-
! colspan='4'|Pre-Independence (1942–47)
|-
| [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane IIB]] || 1 December 1942 || June 1946 || [[Trichinopoly]]<ref name="sq10">{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/6+Sqn|title=No.6 Squadron|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=2021-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Unitss/squadrons/6-6-squadron.html#gsc.tab=0|title=No.6 Squadron|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|first=K Sree|last=Kumar|date=2009-06-16|access-date=2021-06-21}}</ref>
|-
| [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire XIVe]] || June 1946 || April 1947 || [[Ranchi]]
|-
| [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] || April 1947 || August 1947 || [[Karachi]]
|-
! colspan='4'|Post-Independence (1951–Present)
|-
| [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]]|| January 1951 || December 1968 || rowspan='3'|[[Pune Airport|AFS Pune]]
|-
| [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation|Super Constellation L-1049G]]|| October 1961 || May 1975
|-
| [[English Electric Canberra|English Electric Canberra B(I).58]]|| January 1972 || December 1992
|-
| [[SEPECAT Jaguar|SEPECAT Jaguar IM]]|| June 1987 || Present || [[Jamnagar Airport|AFS Jamnagar]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons|006]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of India in World War II]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]

{{india-mil-stub}}
{{mil-aviation-stub}}

No. 6 Squadron IAF

2022-10-21T04:25:04Z

5.192.191.109:

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = No. 6 Squadron
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1 December 1942 - Present
| country = {{flagicon|India}} [[Republic of India]]
| allegiance =
| branch = {{air force|India}}
| type =
| role = [[Fighter aircraft|Fighter]]
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = [[Jamnagar Air Force Station|Jamnagar AFS]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname = "Dragons"
| patron =
| motto = ''Sada Satark''<br>Always Alert
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| disbanded = 
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| commander2 =
| commander2_label =
| commander3 =
| commander3_label =
| notable_commanders = 
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
| identification_symbol_2 =
| identification_symbol_2_label = 
| aircraft_attack = [[SEPECAT Jaguar|SEPECAT Jaguar IM]]
| aircraft_bomber =
| aircraft_electronic =
| aircraft_fighter =
| aircraft_recon =
| aircraft_trainer =
| aircraft_transport =
}}
'''No. 6 Squadron (Dragons)''' is a fighter squadron and is equipped with [[SEPECAT Jaguar|Jaguar IM/IS]] and based at [[Jamnagar Air Force Station]].<ref name=BRakshak>{{cite web|title=Squadrons and Helicopter Units|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/292-Squadrons.html|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref>

==History==

No. 6 Squadron is one of the ten senior [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]]s of the [[Indian Air Force]]. Formed prior to [[Indian independence movement#Independence, 1947 to 1950|independence]], its varied roles have included [[air-sea rescue]], counter-air, [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]]-[[reconnaissance]], maritime reconnaissance, maritime strike, [[target towing]] and transport.

The squadron was formed as a fighter-reconnaissance unit at Trichinopoly (now [[Tiruchirapally]]) on 1 December 1942 under the command of Squadron Leader (later Air Commodore) Mehar Singh. It participated in the Indian Air Force's tenth anniversary review at [[Ambala]], and received an award for "the best looking aircraft". The squadron continued working-up, until November that year.

In November 1943, flying Hawker Hurricane FR.IIb No 6 Squadron IAF moved to [[Cox's Bazar]] as a part of the [[RAF Third Tactical Air Force]] (Third TAF) for the [[Burma Campaign#Southern front 1943/44|Second Arakan Campaign]]. During this campaign, No 6 Squadron was the only specialist reconnaissance unit available to support the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]] on this front, earning the name "The Eyes of the Fourteenth Army". They were also dubbed "the Arakan Twins" for flying in the standard [[tactical reconnaissance]] pairing of Leader and Weaver. Returning from his Arakan Front visit in mid-January 1944, [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|General Sir William Slim]], GOC Fourteenth Army, wrote in his memoirs how impressed he was with this reconnaissance squadron.

For services during the squadron's tour of operations, Flight-Lieutenant Rawal Singh was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]], and Sergeant BM Kothari, the head of the photographic section, received the [[British Empire Medal]]. In addition, Flying Officer (later Air Commodore) JD Aquino and Pilot Officer (later Wing Commander) LRD Blunt were commended by the [[Air Officer Commanding]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Sqn/006.html|title=No.6 Squadron}}</ref>

===Assignments===
*[[Burma Campaign]]
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]

==Aircraft==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Aircraft !! From !! To !! Air Base
|-
! colspan='4'|Pre-Independence (1942–47)
|-
| [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane IIB]] || 1 December 1942 || June 1946 || [[Trichinopoly]]<ref name="sq10">{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/6+Sqn|title=No.6 Squadron|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=2021-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Unitss/squadrons/6-6-squadron.html#gsc.tab=0|title=No.6 Squadron|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|first=K Sree|last=Kumar|date=2009-06-16|access-date=2021-06-21}}</ref>
|-
| [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire XIVe]] || June 1946 || April 1947 || [[Ranchi]]
|-
| [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] || April 1947 || August 1947 || [[Karachi]]
|-
! colspan='4'|Post-Independence (1951–Present)
|-
| [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]]|| January 1951 || December 1968 || rowspan='3'|[[Pune Airport|AFS Pune]]
|-
| [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation|Super Constellation L-1049G]]|| October 1961 || May 1975
|-
| [[English Electric Canberra|English Electric Canberra B(I).58]]|| January 1972 || December 1992
|-
| [[SEPECAT Jaguar|SEPECAT Jaguar IM]]|| June 1987 || Present || [[Jamnagar Airport|AFS Jamnagar]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force aircraft squadrons|006]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of India in World War II]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]

{{india-mil-stub}}
{{mil-aviation-stub}}