Indian jet

Here it is. Delhi – March last year.

Mark

A ‘Marut’ I snapped in Mumbai in 1997.

There is one in the IAF Museum as well, if I am not mistaken.

Mark

I think it looks more like a cross between a Scimitar and a Mirage, especially when you look at the black and white picture.

You could always try the Smithsonian’s web site and have a look through their aircraft collection list: http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/air_space.cfm

So what is the Indian aircraft in the Smithsonian? :confused:

Roger Smith.

& on the subject of Kurt Tank: While they were sorting the Nitrous Oxide system on RareBear many years ago some German bloke came along to help & used all his note books on the subject from when he worked with Tank on the FW190….

Willi Messerschmitt designed the Helwan HA300 jet fighter for Egypt. There is an indian connection in that the test pilot was Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava of the Indian Air Force on loan to Egypt and he carried out the first flight. Parallely a HF-24 Marut was loaned to Egypt to be a test bed for the engine developed for Egypt.

Gp Capt Bhargava had written about the Willi Messerschmitt connection in an article for Air enthusiast a long time ago. I wonder if anyone remembers it?

The design attribution is something I’ve wondered about… I’ve seen multiple sources that give credit to either Messerschmitt or Tank… it certainly would be nice to straighten that issue out. My personal belief is it was Tank who designed the HA300… it seems to bear more similarities to his ‘style’.

JJ

i have always liked the little Marut.. sort of a Hunter and Swift cross.. how many are left intact today.. i would think they are all in Indian museums.. its a aircraft i know very little about. how good where they and did the IAF use them in anger against Pakistan…. 🙂

The Marut was huge compared to the Hunter! – one example however was given to a German Museum by the IAF (on the request of Lady Kurt Tank after Prof tanks death). I believe the only ‘overseas’ example of the type.

The IAF did use the Marut in action against the Pakistanis in 71. two squadrons operated it. They sufferred three or four losses to ground fire, and claimed one F-86 Sabre in aircombat.

Willi Messerschmitt designed the Helwan HA300 jet fighter for Egypt. There is an indian connection in that the test pilot was Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava of the Indian Air Force on loan to Egypt and he carried out the first flight. Parallely a HF-24 Marut was loaned to Egypt to be a test bed for the engine developed for Egypt.

Gp Capt Bhargava had written about the Willi Messerschmitt connection in an article for Air enthusiast a long time ago. I wonder if anyone remembers it?

i have always liked the little Marut.. sort of a Hunter and Swift cross.. how many are left intact today.. i would think they are all in Indian museums.. its a aircraft i know very little about. how good where they and did the IAF use them in anger against Pakistan…. 🙂

: and a fighter canopy !

Which like the 109, tilted sideways !!!

.. and the I.Ae.33 Pulqui II in Argentina (photo from http://www.choiquehobbies.com.ar/revista/notas/ !
He was quite busy during these years !

But Willy Messerschmitt designed this vehicle after the war, typical for
his designs : Small, fast and a fighter canopy !

Yes indeed… but not Messerschmitt

Dr. Kurt Tank (formerly of FW in Germany) is indeed design the HF-24 Marut. This was India’s first ‘indigeous’ aircraft – first prototype flown in 1961. 112 Mk.1 were built from 1967. Powerplant: Licence-built Orpheus 703, armament: 4 – Aden Mk.2 plus rtractible Matra 103 (50 rocket) pack.

Tank also designed (argurmentative – Willy Messerschmitt design) the Helwan HA300 for Egypt in the early-mid 60s

Last IAF Marut retired in 1980 by No. 10 Sqn… repaced by MiG 23BN

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Marut1.html

attached, a couple IAF Marut shots and lastly one HA300

JJ