No. 6 Squadron IAF: Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                    = No. 6 Squadron
| unit_name                    = No. 6 Squadron
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| branch                        = {{air force|India}}
| branch                        = {{air force|India}}
| type                          =  
| type                          =  
| role                          = [[Fighter_aircraft|Fighter]]
| role                          = [[Fighter aircraft|Fighter]]
| size                          =  
| size                          =  
| command_structure            =  
| command_structure            =  
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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.
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>http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Sqn/006.html</ref>
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===
===Assignments===
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*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]


===Aircraft===
==Aircraft==
*[[Hawker Hurricane ]]
{| class="wikitable"
*[[SEPECAT Jaguar|Jaguar IM/IS]]
|+
! 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 IS]]|| June 1987 || Present || [[Jamnagar Airport|AFS Jamnagar]]
|}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{iafsqns}}
{{Indian Air Force}}


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


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

Revision as of 20:42, 18 September 2021

No. 6 Squadron
Active1 December 1942 - Present
CountryIndia Republic of India
Branch Indian Air Force
RoleFighter
Garrison/HQJamnagar AFS
Nickname(s)"Dragons"
Motto(s)Sada Satark
Always Alert
Aircraft flown
AttackSEPECAT Jaguar IM/IS

No. 6 Squadron (Dragons) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Jaguar IM/IS and based at Jamnagar Air Force Station.[1]

History

No. 6 Squadron is one of the ten senior squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Formed prior to independence, its varied roles have included air-sea rescue, counter-air, 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 Second Arakan Campaign. During this campaign, No 6 Squadron was the only specialist reconnaissance unit available to support the 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, 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 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.[2]

Assignments

Aircraft

Aircraft From To Air Base
Pre-Independence (1942–47)
Hurricane IIB 1 December 1942 June 1946 Trichinopoly[3][4]
Spitfire XIVe June 1946 April 1947 Ranchi
Douglas C-47 Skytrain April 1947 August 1947 Karachi
Post-Independence (1951–Present)
Consolidated B-24 Liberator January 1951 December 1968 AFS Pune
Super Constellation L-1049G October 1961 May 1975
English Electric Canberra B(I).58 January 1972 December 1992
SEPECAT Jaguar IS June 1987 Present AFS Jamnagar

References

  1. ↑ "Squadrons and Helicopter Units". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "No.6 Squadron".
  3. ↑ "No.6 Squadron". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Kumar, K Sree (16 June 2009). "No.6 Squadron". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 21 June 2021.


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