IAF’s first bomber squadron marks its 75th anniversary

Chandigarh, November 19

The first bomber unit to be raised by the Indian Air Force — No.5 Squadron, the Tuskers — is commemorating its 75th anniversary at its home base in Ambala. It is also the first IAF unit to use jet aircraft in combat.

A series of events, including a ceremonial parade, tribute to martyrs, aerobatic performance by Surya Kiran aerobatic team, skydiving by Akash Ganga team and flypast by Rafale and Jaguar fighters have been lined up to mark the milestone.

The squadron was raised as part of the erstwhile Royal Indian Air Force in November 1948 in Kanpur on B-24 Liberator propeller-driven heavy bombers salvaged from a fleet of severely damaged aircraft left behind by the British, under the command of Wing Commander JRS “Danny” Dantra.

This was the first time an Indian squadron was taking over the task of bombing. Heretofore, Indian units had operated only fighter-bombers, basically fighters equipped to carry a small payload of bombs, in the strike role. It was also for the first time that the IAF inducted a four-engine aircraft.

In January 1949, the Squadron moved to Pune, where it carried out regular exercises at the Jamnagar range to develop and refine bombing concepts and techniques. In September 1957, No 5 Squadron became the first squadron to re-equip with the English Electric Canberra bomber and moved to Agra, where it developed operational doctrines and tactics for high-altitude horizontal bombing.