Here are the other two pictures of NH631. First one is a ground run, second is the parade from 97 or 98

Harry, I would say definitely a new Canberra Survivor !!. Once George of CAG Fame mentioned an aircraft at Pimpri Chinchwad which he could not identify. I suspect this is the one..

Geoff and Rob,

I consider the operation of the Defiant after August 47 (Independence) with the indep IAF as highly unlikely. Many accounts lists the assets that were transfered to India and the defiant or any other exotic types do not make the lists.

However Geoffs mention of 22AACU rang a bell , the National Archives PROCAT lists No.22 AACU as part of the RIAF. Infact the file AIR 29/49 is titled “No. 22 A.A.C.U., Royal Indian Air Force 1942 June-1947 Mar. “

So should we assume that 22AACU was RIAF and not RAF? I dont recollect any references to 22AACU in any Indian publications. but if they consider the Defiant to be on its roll of honour, then this is the most likely connection.

K8310, as depicted in Mark12s image, was the prototype Defiant and was broken up in the U.K. on the 29-4-42. The choice of s/n is interesting, and I wonder why they didn’t use the s/n of a Defiant that went out to India?

A very simple explanation. The rendering is a series of paintings done by a Warrant Officer in 1992. The gentleman probably started off with very few authentic records, photos or information on serials, so where possible he improvised. This shows in the paint schemes of subjects in many of the paintings. But atleast I am impressed that he did the research to come up with the first prototype serial and used it in his painting!

regards

Jagan

Geoff,

Does the defiant file give any specific info on serials of ac that were sent east?

Mark,

What supermarine preserver? I dont see any lifejacket in there… ..oh THAT preserver 😉

Mark,

Officially the Indian Air Force thinks so. A book published by Mr. Pushpindar Singh, in 1973 called “Aircraft of the Indian Air Force 1933-73” lists the Defiant as well as the Fairey Battle as two types that the IAF operated.

Mr. Singh was helped by the IAF’s historical cell and this is what the book says:

“The Anti Aircraft and Coast Defence wing of the School of Artillery came into being at Karachi in July 40.This was renamed to Anti aircraft school in 42……

In 1944 a small number of Defiant TT III target tugs were received. These aircraft were conversions from…….Also recieved by the AA School in 1944 were a few Fairey Battles suitably equipped for drogue -towing….”

That said, there is not a single photograph in existence of these aircraft in IAF service. and any details, I leave it to the british historians to dig up. where any of these types sent to Karachi?

I am also not sure how service with the AA School qualifies for inclusion as an IAF type. Perhaps teh AA School was manned completely by Indian officers?

[QUOTE=Mark12]

There was incidentally a very fine Canberra parked in a scrub field close to a village just short of Pune/Poona.

Mark [quote]

Mark , Thanks for the great shots – lovely stuff.

That Canberra you mention, is this somewhere moving out of Poona going towards Bombay at a place called PimpriChinchwad?

Other than that, there is a Canberra which can be seen within Poona on the Bund Road – placed in a school. thats probably the only ‘Public’ Canberra besides the one in IAF Museum and the HALMuseum (Bangalore)

Its great to see the IAF Museum guys opened up the ‘external’ display of transport aircraft. previously this had been offlimits to visitors.

There is still another section that is still offlimits – it has Two C-47s, an Il-14 and a DHC-4 Caribou.

Jagan

Guys, AFAIK No chopper crashed. It was an erroneous news report – Only the HPT32 was lost.

as of today we lost two MiG21s and a HPT32

Wheres the old Aero India thread, this is a new one?