On the subject of Balliols, wasn’t someone trying to bring one back from Ceylon recently?
J man

Does Sri Lanka have any additional ones to spare? There is one at the Museum and another at the Recruiting center – so has to be one of the two?

Tibet

George, I dont think 4 Sqn Ldr++ Officers in a sqn is a top heavy configuration.. can you elaborate more on what we dsicussed, ?

If there is anything of note, it is the mention of two wing commanders from the same squadron. That situation is there only when the other wing commander is a 1. ‘Navigator’ (Unlikely), 2. is a CO Designate of some other squadron (Possible).

Ofcourse its a different thing if the press screwed up and got the ranks wrong.

Mark, thanks for the very interesting govt tender scans. Hope I have permission to use them on site with due credits?

Interesting to note that 11 Tempests, surely adds the fuel to the rumours …!!! But what about those color pictures of Tempest fuselages in Poona , those were additional airframes to these eleven?

the airfield you mention is Halwara, in Punjab/Haryana . Also any Harvards made it out to the western world ? I can guess that few of the Vampires went to US thru this tender..

Anyone who fancies the TS-11 Iskras will prolly like this:

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/Iskras/index.html

Geoff, thanks a heap for the Battle information – this is great stuff. Again I notice the references to 22 AACU. But cant really figure out why it would be RIAF.

Jagan

Answering my own question.

No 1 Air Gunnery School (India) – AA371 SOC 1-1-47?, AA401 SOC 30-11-44, AA470 SOC 1-1-47?, AA499 SOC 30-11-44, AA511 SOC 30-11-44, AA531 SOC 30-11-44, AA575 SOC 30-11-44, AA587 SOC 30-6-44, AA614 SOC 4-12-44, AA618 SOC 30-11-44.

The above is what Geoff has posted. The Official WW2 RIAF History lists the No.1 Air Gunnery School as one of the Training Establishments under its purview. The AGS operated out of Bairagarh, Bhopal and provided training to Air gunners at the Initial Training Stage. Perhaps to route these crew members to two Vengeance units? So if the Defiant served with the AGS, then it was ‘officially’ with the IAF.

Now can anyone go to Bhopal, tour the airfield, the colleges, the cantonments and find us a Defiant 😉

Re 15 Sqd. IAF in Spitfire International – now here is a revelation I had not spotted before.
Formed 20th August 1951 at Ambala with Spitfire PR.XI.
Disbanded January 1953.
Commanding Officer S/Ldr EJ Dhatigara 20.6.51 to 1.53

Did some reading and checking of notes. No.15 Squadron is significant because it was re-numbered in Jan 53 and it became No.1 Squadron under S/L Dhatighara. All its Spitfires became No.1 Squadron overnight. But we dont hear of No.1 operating the PRXI anywhere ..

the 60th Anniv booklet on No.1 Squadron has some history of No.15 from its raising to its renumbering to No.1. and it says the Squadron was raised on Mk XVIIIs. It also has a photograph of Air Commodore Arjan Singh visiting No.15 Squadron with Dhati showing him around and It shows a MkXVIII in the background.

(incidentally Air Marshal Dhatighara lives in Pune, but sadly, he is extremely reluctant to talk about his airforce days)

The Ambala history booklet cursorly mentions that No.14 and No.15 Squadrons were raised on the Mk XVIIIs. and also adds ‘Spitfires left behind by No.1 Air Force Academy (which has moved south ) which were unserviceable and AOG were refurbished and distributed equally between the two units. It does not mention the mark.

So did No.15 Squadron really operate the PRXI? Lets ask Mr. Terbeck?