IAF bids adieu to Canberra bombers
Vijay Upadhyay
Agra. The Indian Air Force on Friday phased out its Canberra Recon aircraft after fifty years of service. The phasing out ceremony was held at the Agra Air Force Station and was presided over by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal FH Major.
The ceremony included the final salute by the mighty bombers and concluded with the handing over of 'form 700' to the Air chief by Wing Cdr Mathur, the CO of Canberra Squadron.
Designed in 1944, the Canberra PR57 had joined the Indian Air Force as a bomber in 1957 and soon eight PR-57s were being operated by the 106 SR Squadron for reconnaissance. The Canberras were mostly based at Agra.
It was the only bomber of the Indian Air Force until late seventies and could carry the war beyond the frontiers, deep into the enemy territory, flying at an altitude of upto 40,000 feet.
The first operation that the aircraft took part was in 1961, accurately bombing the Dabolim airfield against the Portugese, forcing the Portugese to accede Goa to India in just two days.
With an unblemished track record of fifty years, the Canberra had faced its first ever casualty in 2005, when this twin-seater aircraft crashed in a village near Agra, flying on a routine sortie, accelerating the process of the aircraft's retirement from Air Force last year, when the aircraft made its last flypast before President APJ Abdul Kalam.
While there were eight aircraft in the No 106 Sqn earlier, only four are left operational presently, which will fly in formation for the last time from their hangar at Agra, ending their final flight at the Air Force Museum at Safdarjang airport in New Delhi.
The ceremony included the final salute by the mighty bombers and concluded with the handing over of 'form 700' to the Air chief by Wing Cdr Mathur, the CO of Canberra Squadron.
Designed in 1944, the Canberra PR57 had joined the Indian Air Force as a bomber in 1957 and soon eight PR-57s were being operated by the 106 SR Squadron for reconnaissance. The Canberras were mostly based at Agra.
It was the only bomber of the Indian Air Force until late seventies and could carry the war beyond the frontiers, deep into the enemy territory, flying at an altitude of upto 40,000 feet.
The first operation that the aircraft took part was in 1961, accurately bombing the Dabolim airfield against the Portugese, forcing the Portugese to accede Goa to India in just two days.
With an unblemished track record of fifty years, the Canberra had faced its first ever casualty in 2005, when this twin-seater aircraft crashed in a village near Agra, flying on a routine sortie, accelerating the process of the aircraft's retirement from Air Force last year, when the aircraft made its last flypast before President APJ Abdul Kalam.
While there were eight aircraft in the No 106 Sqn earlier, only four are left operational presently, which will fly in formation for the last time from their hangar at Agra, ending their final flight at the Air Force Museum at Safdarjang airport in New Delhi.
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