Thanks J-7 ! Where’d you get that pic from? That is the No.24 Squadron “Hunting Hawks” that was the first to get the Su-30MKIs and they painted one of their MKIs in that colour scheme with the ‘dharma chakra’ (the wheel seen in India’s flag) in the center, on the top of the fuselage.

The first squadron to get the Su-30MKI was 20 squadron ‘lightnings’ on 29th May 2002. 24 squadron operated the Su-30K and had four aircraft painted in that special scheme in 1997 to commemorate 50 years of Indian Independence. 24 squadron then became the third squadron on the MKI in 2007. Regards Phil

WSO/Navigator

dear Kramer

when I asked that question, I never got a straight answer. However it was 5 years ago and things might have changed. You got to remember back then there were 2 squadrons of MKI and one of K. No MKI operators manual existed. The IAF had to write it. I think the IAF would like two pilots in the cockpit, but this would require more going through initial training to get to that stage. Perhaps the navigators that maybe failed pilot selection were installed as make weights.

I do not know the workload share between front and back. Sorry.

Regards PC

LCA Test Pilot

can’t tell you that. But it was at my first Aero India in 1996.

I think I have met them all, including Rajkumar and Raveendram.

Seems so long ago now. Pleased that the LCA is finally going to enter service next year. Its been long and hard but I think the IAF are very pleased with what they are about to receive.

Regards Phil

LCA DRAWING

Dear Robban

nice work on the LCA Drawing. If you are stuck on detail photos let me know as I did walk around shots at various Aero India Shows.

Phil

[Arthur, the person who took the pictures, Wing Cmdr R S Chauhan is the official PR photographer for the IAF. Almost every single calendar picture I’ve seen of the IAF has been taken by him. What I cannot understand is why they would photoshop an image when its a standard bombing run for them ? And they’d have surely practiced this several times before the actual demo took place, giving him ample opportunity to photograph it in action.[/QUOTE]

Dear Edge

I am not calling into doubt the video as posted. What I will continue to say is that the picture of AN32 Serial number K2697 dropping bombs (credit Chauhan) has been manipulated.

Why dont you take another look at the picture that appeared on Livefist. What is the delivery method of the bombs? You don’t just roll them out! Two airman don’t carry them to the back door. You need some kind of delivery equipment which is not shown on the still of K2697 but which may be in use on the video feed. You just can’t get 6 bombs out of the aircraft that quickly without a pallet of some sort.

Also the shadow from the sun which you can see under the tailplanes is not apparent on the bombs.

Regards Phil

AN32 WITH BOMBS

I can see a non descript object falling out of the back of the aircraft. Video does not look fake to me and why would it be?

Easier to doctor a picture than a video, I would say.

Regards Phil

AN32 Dropping bombs

extremely rare pic of An-32 dropping bombs in the link above and pics of Jaguar dropping 2 1000 lb bombs and 1 Jag escorted by 2 Bisons. The first pic shows a MiG-21 firing the S-24 unguided air to ground rockets and the second shows it firing (likely) UB16 unguided rockets

Nice photo shop picture of AN32 u mean!!!

Regards Phil