For nearly every month of 2010 in this calendar there's a painting depicting an event from PAF history that also occured in same month in the past.
JANUARY 2010
Interdiction Strike
By Mirage IIIs
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
One of the most successful strikes during the 1971 War was at Mukerian Railyard south of Pathankot, where a number of trains laden with ammunition and fuel were attacked by 4 Mirage fighters from Sargodha. The mission was led by Wing Commander Hakimullah with Flight Lieutenant Najeeb Akhtar, Hameed Malik and Hasnat as team members. The Pilots' accounts, gun camera films and subsequent ground reconnaissance was used by the artist to recreate this scene of destruction.
FEBRUARY 2010
The PAF "Falcons" Make History
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
2nd February 1958 was a significant day in the history of aviation as well as that of the Pakistan Air Force. On that day, for the first time a formation of 16 fighters (F-86 Sabres) performed a loop during an air display at Masroor Air Base, Karachi. The painting is partly symbolic, depicting the leading elements of the 16 "Falcons" (their call sign) taking off from the runway at Masroor. In the background is an impression of the 16 Sabres in immaculate formation as they looked after having joined up, climbing vertically for a loop. The team was led by the renowned fighter pilot and wartime leader of the Pakistan Air Force, Wing Commander M.Z. Masud, who was later awarded Hilal-i-Jurat in the 1965 war.
The Team:
Wing Commander M.Z. Masud
Squadron Leader Nazir Latif
Squadron Leader S.U. Khan
Squadron Leader Ghulam Haider
Squadron Leader S.M. Ahmad
Squadron Leader Aftab Ahmad
Squadron Leader M. Sadruddin
Flight Lieutenant Sajjad Haider
Flight Lieutenant A.U. Ahmad
Flight Lieutenant Hameed Anwar
Flight Lieutenant Munirruddin Ahmad
Flight Lieutenant M. Arshad
Flight Lieutenant Jamal A. Khan
Flight Lieutenant A.M.K. Lodhi
Flight Lieutenant Wiqar Azim
Flight Lieutenant M.L. Middlecoat
MARCH 2010
JF-17 Thunder Makes Public Debut on Pakistan Day Parade
ISLAMABAD - 0920 Hours, 23 March 2007
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
After years of careful design conceptualization and project planning between strongly bonded China and Pakistan, the first prototype of the JF-17 Thunder fighter flew in 2003. Making rapid progress under dedicated teams of pilots, engineers, technicians and support personnel from both countries, the JF-17 soon began to exceed its design expectations and finally emerged as a high-performance, agile multi-role fighter possessing state-of-the-art capabilities in ordnance arrays, avionics and strike reach that are comparable to the world's frontline fighters of the new century. The President, General Pervez Musharraf, performed the unveiling ceremony of the Thunder at PAC Kamra on 21 March 2007. Two days later, a pair of JF-17s made their first public appearance over Islamabad during the Pakistan Day Parade, reviewed by the President. The painting shows one of the two Thunders, painted in the striking colours of China and Pakistan, as its pilot, Wing Commander Ahsan, passes before the spectator stands during a rolling maneuver.
APRIL 2010
PAF Pilot Downs an Israeli Mirage
1532 Hours, April 26, 1974 - Syria
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
This is an encounter over the Golan Heights between a MiG-21 of the Syrian Air Force and two Israeli Mirages. A Mirage is seen disintegrating after being hit by a missile while the MiG-21, flown by Flight Lieutenant Sattar Alvi (a Pakistan Air Force pilot) prepares to engage the second Mirage. An added feature of this engagement was that the Air Defence Controller was also a Pakistani., Squadron Leader Salim Metla. While leading a MiG-21 patrol along the border, Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor, also of the PAF, was advised of the presence of two Israeli Phantoms but he was cautioned that these could be decoys and that two other fast tracks approaching from the opposite direction might well be the real threat. The latter turned out to be two Mirages and a moment later Alvi, in Arif's formation, saw the No. 2 Mirage breaking towards him. All this time, heavy radio jamming by Israeli ground stations was making things difficult but the Pakistani pilots had become used to such tactics. Sattar forced the Israeli pair into close combat, firing his K-13 missile at the first opportunity. The Israeli wingman's Mirage exploded into a ball of fire, while the leader quickly disengaged. Flight Lientenant Sattar Alvi was decorated with gallantry award (equivalent to Sitara-i-Jurat in Pakistan) by the Syrian Government.
MAY 2010
F-16 Destroys an Intruder
0520 Hours, May 17, 1986 - Parachinar
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
The painting shows Squadron Leader A. Hameed Qadri of No. 9 Multi-Role Squadron of F-16s having a close look at the SU-22 which was just turned into a ball of fire after being hit by his AIM-9L missile while his No. 2, Squadron Leader Yousaf Chaudhry, is trying to get behind the other SU-22. The encounter took place at 16,000 feet over Parachinar, during the Afghan War, 1979-1988.
JUNE 2010
The First and the Furious
Painting by Squadron Leader Adnan Siraj
The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) being small in size and slow in speed is the most difficult to spot and shoot from any fighter aircraft in the world. Squadron Leader Zulfiqar and Squadron Leader Afzal (GIBS) from PAF Base Mushaf destroy an intruding UAV (Searcher-II) of Indian Air Force on the night of 7th June, 2002, during Ops Sentinel. This was the first kill of a UAV at night by any fighter aircraft in the world.
JULY 2010
Dream to Reality
JF-17 Thunder
Painting by Squadron Leader Adnan Siraj
After years of careful design conceptualization and project planning between strongly bonded China and Pakistan, the first prototype of the JF-17 Thunder fighter flew in 2003. Making rapid progress under dedicated teams of pilots, engineers, technicians and support personnel from both countries, the JF-17 soon began to exceed its design expectations and finally emerged as a high-performance, agile multi-role fighter possessing state-of-the-art capabilities in ordnance arrays, avionics and strike reach that are comparable to the world’s frontline fighters of the new century.
AUGUST 2010
F-16 vs SU-25
2010 Hours, August 4, 1988 - Near Miranshah
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
One of the most lethal weapons used by the Soviet Union in Afghanistan was their latest fighter bomber, the SU-25. During one of its night engagements with the Pakistani F-16 inside Pakistan, the SU-25 was shot down and its Russian pilot who ejected was taken POW. The pilot of the SU-25, Colonel Rudskoi Alexander Vladimirovich, was also the Inspector of SU-25s deployed in Afghanistan. He was eventually handed over to the Russian authorities on August 16, 1988. This officer rose to the position of Vice-President of Russia in 1991. Squadron Leader Athar Bukhari of No. 14 Squadron was the pilot of the F-16 while this night interception was conducted on radar by Squadron Leader Taufiq Raja.
SEPTEMBER 2010
Strike Against a Bomber Base
September 7, 1965
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
The painting shows 2 of the 5 Dacca-based F-86 Sabres attacking the IAF bomber station at Kalaikunda. The Sabre pilots, quickly overcoming their initial surprise at finding so many bombers neatly lined up, wasted no time in making the best of it. The formation leader was Squadron Leader Shabbir H. Syed with Flight Lieutenants Abdul Baseer, Tariq Habib, Abdul Haleem and Flying Officer Afzal Khan in his formation. In his memoirs written after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Air Chief Marshal P.C. Lal, Chief of the Air Staff, IAF, conceded the losses suffered by the IAF during this daring attack. He wrote: "sharp lesson was taught by the PAF in an attack on an IAF base near Kharagpur (Kalaikunda). In one raid that it mounted, it destroyed several Canberra bombers and Hunter fighter aircraft on the ground."
OCTOBER 2010
Sabres Nine
October 27, 1964
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
A striking feature of this 1964 aerobatic team was that five out of its nine pilots were awarded the Sitara-i-Jurat during the 1965 War. Of these five pilots, Rafiqui, Munir and Yunus attained Shahadat and M.M. Alam became an ace. The leader Wing Commander Anwar Shamim, later became the Chief of the Air Staff.
The Team:
Wing Commander Anwar Shamim
Squadron Leader M. Arshad
Squadron Leader Sarfraz Rafiqui
Squadron Leader Mukhatar Ali
Squadron Leader Muniruddin Ahmad
Squadron Leader M.M. Alam
Squadron Leader M.L. Middlecoat
Flight Lieutenant Yusaf A. Khan
Flight Lieutenant Yunus Hussain
NOVEMBER 2010
Another One For the Tail Choppers
1020 Hours, November 3, 1988 - Kurrum Valley
Painting by Squadron Leader Adnan Siraj
During the last stage of Afghan War, Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mahmood (Now Air Commodore who has several other air-to-air kills to his credit) from PAF Base Minhas, destroys an SU-22 over Thal area near the border. The pilot of the SU-22 ejected and was taken prisoner.
DECEMBER 2010
Photo Strike at Pathankot
1445 Hours, December 4, 1971
Painting by Group Captain (R) Hussaini
The 1971 India-Pakistan War in the West began on December 3, 1971 and Pathankot airfield, located at the junction of Punjab and Kashmir, became the lynch-pin for all crucial land and air operations. It was bombed and pinned down by the PAF Mirage aircraft during the day and by the B-57s at night. The painting shows Pathankot airfield camouflaged with nets and camouflage paint, due to which the details merged with surrounding terrain and were difficult to spot from the usual distance by an attacking pilot. Here Squadron Leader Farooq Umar is maneuvering and aligning his Mirage fighter recce aircraft to photograph this heavily defended IAF airfield after an earlier air strike by the PAF. Visible at the beginning of the runway. Clearly visible on the parallel taxi tracks are three grey patches indicating the points at which the taxi track has been freshly repaired, after PAF strikes of the previous day.
