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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.
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