Aircraft ProfileImages WWII IAF

SEAC - South East Asia Command roundel

Since Dinshaw Eduljee was involved with extensive training of Indian Air Force pilots, he could possibly have been familiar with flying several types of aircraft.

[The image to the right is that of the roundel displayed on aircraft that belonged to the Third Tactical Air Force that was part of SEAC - the South East Asia Command. The Third Tactical Air Force (TTAF) was formed in December 1943 consisting of squadrons from the British Commonwealth including the Indian Air Force. Dinshaw Eduljee's No. 1 Squadron was part of Group 221 Imphal which was in turn part of TTAF.]

The following are images of aircraft assigned to the IAF or RAF in India and most of which (other than the Mosquito and Liberator) were deployed at Bairagarh or Ambala.

The Westland Wapiti IIA was the first aircraft that made my the fledgling Indian Air Force. Four Wapitis made up "A" Flight of the proposed No. 1 Squadron. Formally established on April 1, 1933, the flight was located at Drigh Road in Karachi and commanded by Flight Lieutenant C. A. Bouchier (DFC) from the Royal Air Force (RAF). The flight complement included six Indian officers and nineteen support personnel and technicians then known as Hawai Sepoys (literally Air Soldiers). As the Wapiti was replaced by more modern aircraft, they were used for training.

The Hawker Hart saw service at the beginning of World War II and as then used for training at Ambala. The aircraft above was from 27 Squadron RAF (which also functioned as a Flying Training School) based at Risalpur 1939-40. This aircraft bears pre-war colours and since it was flown far from the battle front, there were no camouflage colours painted on. The squadron was re-formed in India in 1942 with Beaufighters. Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

DeHavilland Tiger Moth DH82A. 128 Tiger Moths were delivered to India from 1940-42. In addition to being used as a trainer at Ambala, some were converted for use as air ambulances fitted with a stretcher beneath hinged rear fuselage decking which was lowered after the stretcher had been placed in the fuselage. Image Credit:  Deviant

The Vultee Vengeance I / II (A.31) dive bomber above was used by No. 45 Squadron RAF (in 1943) while stationed at Cholavaram (Madras) and Digri.  4 RAF and 2 IAF squadrons flew them operationally and as target-tow units. The red in the insignia was over-painted light blue resulting in the non-standard insignia proportions. The squadron acquired replacement DeHavilland Mosquito aircraft (see below) in February 1944. Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

Boulton Paul Defiant TT.I & TT.III were deployed at Bairagarh 1AGS. Image Credit: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force

The twin-engined Airspeed Oxford AS 10 was deployed at Ambala. Image Credit: Sons of Damien

Avro 652A Anson I AW666. The model of the aircraft deploed at Ambala could have been the LT666.  Image Credit: Sons of Damien

North American Harvard IIb of No. 1 Communications Flight based at Peshawar in 1945.
Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

Hawker Hurricane IIc (Trop.) with No. 1 Squadron of the Indian Air Force based in Bengal, then Assam and Burma from 1943 to 1945. The aircraft continued to be No. 1 Squadron's main aircraft until 1947.
Mukund Murty: The Hurricane IIc (No. 1 Squadron had converted from the twelve .303 calibre machine-gun IIb to the four 20 mm Hispano cannon IIc in June '44) had two main wing tanks of 33 gallons each, one reserve tank of 28 gallons just ahead of the engine firewall, and two fixed auxiliary tanks of 44 gallons each (or two drop tanks of 45 or 90 gallons each). Fuelled two fixed auxiliary tanks gave each pilot a total of 182 gallons for the sortie.
Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

Supermarine Spitfire Vc (Trop.) assigned in August 1943 to the RAF's 615 Squadron stationed in Dohazari, Silchar and Palel. Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

DeHavilland Mosquito PR Mk. XVI of RAF's 684 Squadron based at Alipore in 1945.  684 Squadron was formed from 681 Squadron based at Dum Dum (Calcutta) in Sept. 1943. Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI

Consolidated Liberator B.VI (B-24J) used by the RAF's No. 99 Squadron with Emerson nose turret based at Dhubalia ("Madras Presidency") from 1944 to 1945. Image credit: Allied Aircraft of the CBI