Classic Fighters...

[fatman17]

The F-6 Joins the PAF - 20 December 1965, Sargodha The first two F-6s (Mig-19s made in China) arrive at Sargodha Air Base.


Classic Fighters – F-6 (J-6) (MiG-19 Farmer) in PAF service.

After the US embargo, in the aftermath of the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Pakistan’s defence planners made a strategic decision to develop defence links with China.

Induction of F-6 fighter aircraft; an export designation of the Chinese built J-6, originally designed as MiG-19 in Soviet Union; was one of the major steps in that direction.

The initial induction of 73 aircraft commenced on 20 December 1965 as the first two F-6s (MiG-19s made in China) arrived at Sargodha Air Base (now Mushaf). Subsequently ten combat squadrons of the PAF were equipped with 260 F-6 aircraft that became the back-bone of the PAF combat fleet.

The F-6 aircraft, despite serving PAF for over three and half decades, somehow remained little known to the public with the North American F-86 Sabre hogging the limelight. Very few would be aware of the fact that during 1971 Indo-Pak war, the three F-6 Squadrons alone flew 846 combat missions. Not only that they played a pivotal role in providing close support to Pak Army but also seven Indian combat aircraft were shot down by F-6 pilots.

A number of modifications were required to make it an effective interceptor and a close support aircraft. The task was achieved with innovative approach and the F-6 underwent around 140 modifications.

The addition of the Martin-Baker Zero-Zero ejection seat and rails for the use of the deadly US made Sidewinder AIM-9B made the F-6 a formidable air-defense aircraft.

A set of three hard-hitting 30-mm cannon armed with armour-piercing bullets, along with two rocket pods, served a useful secondary close air support role like strafing of convoys,while two pods holding 8×57-mm rockets 8 each, offered the additional option of firing a salvo in the midst of an armour concentration.

A time came when despite being the oldest weapon system, the F-6 achieved the best operational and safety record. F-6 Rebuild Factory at PAC Kamra made major contributions towards its remarkable maintenance records by repairing 133 and overhauling 223 F-6 aircraft. This not only gave the aircraft a new lease of life but also made it possible for the PAF to train over 1,000 fighter pilots and fly over 400,000 sorties on this aircraft.

Chuck Yeager wrote the following about this in his book.
“One of my first jobs there was to help them put U.S. Sidewinders on their Chinese MiGs, which were 1.6 Mach twin-engine airplanes that carried three thirty-millimeter canons. Our government furnished them with the rails for Sidewinders. They bought the missiles and all the checkout equipment that went with them, and it was one helluva interesting experience watching their electricians wiring up American missiles on a Chinese MiG.”

The F-6 aircraft made its last flight 37 years after it was inducted on 27 March 2002 in the skies of Balochistan (Samugli) during a spectacular air display participated by all major combat aircraft of the PAF.

KILLS ACHIEVED BY F-6 PILOTS

Date/Place...................PAF Pilot................................Victim
04.12.1971 Risalewala.Flt Lt Javed Latif — No.23 Sqn..SU-7 aircraft, Flt Lt Harvinder Singh of No.222 Sqn-Killed.

04.12.1971 Sakesar.....Flt Lt Qazi Javaid of No.25 Sqn..Hunter aircraft, Flt Lt Dhar Shankar Chatti of No 27 Sqn-Ejected and taken as POW.

05.12.1971..Sakesar......Wg Cdr Saad Hatmi, Officer Commanding No.25 Sqn...Hunter aircraft. Flt Lt. Gurdev Singh Rai was killed.

05.12.1971..Sakesar......Flt Lt Shahid Raza of No.25 Sqn...Hunter aircraft, Flt Off Krishan Lal Malkani of No.27 Sqn was killed.

07.12.1971...Samba........Flt Lt Atique Sufi.........................SU-7 aircraft, Flt Lt Jiwa Singh of No.26 Sqn was killed.

08.12.1971..Jaranwala.....Wg Cdr SMH Hashmi, OC No.23 Sqn..SU-7 aircraft. Flt Lt. Ramesh Gulab Rao Kadam of Tactics and AirCombat Development Establishment was killed.

14.12.1971..Shakargarh....Flt Lt Aamer Ali Sharieff of No.11 Sqn...MIG-21 aircraft, claimed.

PAF Squadrons that have operated F-6s
S No...Squadron........................ Period of Operations
1. No 11 Squadron - Arrows - 1967 - 1982
2. No 14 Squadron - Tail Choppers- 1972 - 1985
3. No 15 Squadron - Cobras - 1973 - 1993
4. No 17 Squadron - Tigers - 1977 - 2001
5. No 19 Squadron - Sherdils - 1977 - 1989
6. No 20 Squadron - Hawkeyes - 1986 - 1988
7. No 23 Squadron - Talons - 1966 - 2002
8. No 25 Squadron - Eagles - 1966 - 1995
9. No 26 Squadron - Black Spiders- 1981 - 1984
10. Combat Commanders School-Dashings - 1976 - 1992

With thanks to Defense Journal, AC Kaiser Tufail.

 

[fatman17]

During a major assault in the Shakargarh area, F-6s from No 23 Squadron inflicted heavy losses on the enemy armour providing valuable support to own troops. 14th Dec, 1971.

After take off from Mianwali, Flight Lieutenant Javed Qazi gunned down an IAF Hunter at dusk over lake Khabakki.The Hunter pilot ejected & was taken POW. 4th Dec, 1971 Mianwali.

An SU-7 Goes down over Shakargarh - 7 December 1971, Shakargarh.
As a fierce ground battle raged in the Shakargarh salient below, 4 F-6s from Sargodha challenged 5+ intruding SU-7s of the IAF. Soon, one of the SU-7s began to disintegrate under a burst of 30 mm shells from the F-6 formation leader, Flight Lieutenant Atique Sufi. In the melee that followed, Flight Lieutenant Mushaf Mir sent one more SU-7 down. The remaining SU-7s quickly retreated as they were pursued by the other two F-6 pilots, Flying Officers Salim Arshad and Riaz Sarwar.

F-6 Versus Mirage in Mock Dog-Fight . The painting shows an F-6 of the Combat Commanders' School manoeuvring against two PAF Mirages in simulated air combat.

In an encounter over the railway line near Faisalabad, Flight Lieutenant Javed Latif from No 23 Squadron shot down an IAF SU-7. 4th Dec, 1971 Faisalabad.

A Mig-19 Outfights the Mig-21 - 14 December 1971, Shakargarh.
A flight of F-6s (Chinese built Mig-19s) from No 11 Squadron was on a search and destroy mission over the Shakargarh salient when Flight Lieutenant Aamer Ali Sharieff spotted four manoeuvring Mig-21s, much superior in performance to Aamer's F-6. Quickly sliding into the blind zone of the trailing Mig-21, Aamer launched his Sidewinder. The Mig-21 burst into flames and crashed.

Samugli. F-6 retires from PAF service after 37 years on March-02.

CCS

F-6 aircraft were adorned with various types of livery.

F-6 retirement fly-past.

 

[fatman17]

F-6 landing at an Mianwali.

F-6 retirement line-up at Samugli

Talons.

Eagles.

F-6 with 'gondola' fuel tank - a PAF innovation. however not used much.

F-6 'oil change'!!!

F-6 with 8x57mm rocket pods.

F-6 Echelon left.

FT-6 two-seat trainer.

F-6 prepare for take-off

 

[fatman17]

F-6 Take-off roll.

a pair of F-6 over the river indus.

FT-6

 

[GeHAC]

You know what,I think those old F6s with PAF coating are much more beautiful than most of PLAAF 3gen fighters.

F6 (We called J6) is also a legend for us.We produced 5205 of this.J6 shot down KMT RF-101 in a supersonic dogfight on March 18th,1965.That's the first supersonic kill in the history.

 

[fatman17]

with its cannon and the sidewinder missile the F-6 became a formidable ADF.

 

[fatman17]

F-6 Kaiser Tufail.

 

[niaz]

MIG-19/J-6 was one of the first fighters along with F-100 super Sabre which would go supersonic in level flight. It was rugged and well made with high T/W ratio which made it a formidable foe in air to air combat.

Its drawbacks in my opinion were that it was very short legged, had a short engine life, lacked decent Radar & had limited ground attack capability. However during the post 65 war period; it was a boon for PAF as few other aircraft were available to Pakistan. I therefore salute the aircraft & the pilots who flew it.

 

[Donatello]

Good ADF fighter (MIG19/j6) but obviously quickly superseded by the much superior Mig21/J-7.....it was the Soviet Union's paper napkin fighter...use them in numbers and just throw away.......hence wasn't designed to be sophisticated.

 

[Najam Khan]

Love this Chakka!!..there is one freshly painted outside Base Cdr Mushaf's office.; it look so well prepared.
BTW dual-seat F-6 retired in April'2011 and are still stored in decent condition for flying.

 

[DANGER-ZONE]

Its drawbacks in my opinion were that it was very short legged, had a short engine life, lacked decent Radar & had limited ground attack capability. However during the post 65 war period; it was a boon for PAF as few other aircraft were available to Pakistan. I therefore salute the aircraft & the pilots who flew it.

There was no RADAR at all, BTW.

 

[volatile]

What happened to rest of F-6 (stored , donate ) ?

 

[fatman17]

What happened to rest of F-6 (stored , donate ) ?

40 are in fly-by storage.....rest are gate-guards, donated (some to BD) destroyed.

 

[Sinnerman108]

This plane was my favorite since childhood.

Only to be replaced with Mig21.

 

[volatile]

40 are in fly-by storage.

Ahaan what use they can serve in future conflict ?