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Claims and Counter Claims |
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The extent of the PAF's losses appears to have been established beyond reasonable doubt, but the situation regarding the Indian air force is somewhat more difficult to establish. The postwar official Pakistani assessment of 110 IAF aircraft destroyed and 19 damaged, including 35 shot down in air combat, 43 written of during airfield attacks and 32 shot down by ground fire is almost certainly optimistic, although it does not include possible Indian losses due to flying accidents. If the PAF experience was any indication, such accidents could be expected to amount to over 15% of overall operational losses. Immediately after the 1965 war, India publicly admitted the loss of only 35 aircraft, while claiming 73 PAF machines shot down in air combat or by ground fire. The Pakistani aircraft claimed destroyed were said to comprise 40 F-86s, three F-104s. six B-57s and 24 miscellaneous types, including C-130s. Of the 35 admitted IAF losses, 15 were said to have resulted in air combat and the remaining 20 from PAF strikes against Indian airfields, including 10 during the first surprise attack by Pakistan against Pathankot. Curiously, however, the IAF listed the names of only 16 officers killed in action, including 15 in the punjab battle area immediately after the 1965 war, and these are said to be listed on the Air Force Roll of Honour in the IAF Museum in New Delhi. On the basis of India's admitted losses, this assumes a recovery rate of virtually nil. 14 aircrew were killed in the 15 aircraft shot down (one having died when his machine was destroyed on the ground). In the PAF on the other hand 13 aircrew were killed for the loss of 19 aircraft, which indicates a recovery rate of some 30%. If doubts are cast on the IAF admissions, which some time afterwards were quoted as high as 75 aircraft from one source in New Delhi, it is not to belittle the efforts of the Indian airmen. In most cases, they fought as bravely and skilfully in their country's cause as did the Pakistanis themselves but in a historical study of this kind necessarily seen from the point of view of only one protagonist the main objective must always remain to establish the truth, so far as possible. Records compiled after the war from reports from Indian sources put the total number of enemy aircraft destroyed at 50, including 22 in air combat, nine shot down by ground fire and 19 on the ground from PAF strikes. Air-to-air losses were said on this basis to comprise 12 Hunters, three Mysteres, two Gnats, one Canberra and four Vampires, A further four Hunters, four Mysteres and one Auster light aircraft were reportedly shot down by PakArmy ground fire. From PAF airfield strikes, Indian sources reported, in addition, the loss of three Hunters, five Mysteres, two Gnats, two-MiG-2ls, two Canberras and one C-47. Finally, the Pakistan Government also compiled its own list of IAF aircrew casualties from published and other Indian sources, which indicated a minimum of 34 aircraft lost, comprising four Vampires, 14 Hunters, nine Mysieres, three Gnats, one Canberra and three unidentified aircraft. These losses, according to Pakistan resulted in the deaths of 22 IAF aircrew while five ejected safely in India and seven became prisoners-of-war. The names and circumstances of these losses were fully deraited by Pakistan, soon after the 1965 war. Pakistan war losses were officially confirmed by the US military Assistance Advisory Group, who had intimate knowledge of the PAF aircraft inventory both before and after the war. On this basis, the extent of PAF losses could be said to have been established beyond reasonable doubt, but the situation regarding the IAF was somewhat more difficult. Finally to prove its absolute victory over Indian air force and to publicaly display its aircrafts, PAF was able to fly virtually its entire postwar air strength, then comprising 85 F-86Fs, 10 F-104As and about 20 B-57s, over a victory parade in Karachi. After the victory parade, all the PAF airbases were opened for general public and for foreign military officials to visit and count neately lined up aircrafts. Soon after the 1965 war, IAF chief Air Marshal Arjun Singh visited Pakistan at the invitation of PAF Air Marshal Nur Khan. During Arjun Singh's visit to Chaklala air base, Grp Capt Eric Hall managed to line up all five C-130s in PAF service before the war at Chaklala to rebuff Indian claim of shooting down at least one C-130 during the war. PAF Aircrafts Lost in Air to Air Combat With IAF:
PAF Losses Due To Enemy AA Fire:
PAF Losses Due To Friendly Fire:
PAF Planes Destroyed On The Ground:
PAF Aircrafts Lost While Attacking Enemy Troops:
Operational Losses During The War:
IAF Aircrafts Shot Down In Air Combat:
IAF Planes Surrendered to PAF:
IAF Planes Destroyed on Ground by PAF IAF publically accepted 20 more planes destroyed on ground during PAF attacks on Indian Air Bases. IAF losses to Pak Army AA fire:
IAF Pilots shot down By PAF but Details unknown:
F/L Jagat Singh- Killed in action, Inside Pakistan (Newspaper report, 1/10/65) IAF pilots died inside India after air combat with PAF fighters:
*13 Sept, Amritsar, F/L Gurn Bhapinder’s Gnat was hit by PAF F-86 flown by F/L Yusuf and claimed destroyed. Pilot funeral
attended by Indian president. Indians claimed that the aircraft returned to base but the pilot died after landing his aircraft. IAF Pilots shot down By PAF pilots, no information released by IAF even though losses were officially accepted:
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