Each year, the Indian Air Force celebrates Air Force Day on October 8. Here are facts and trivia on the service that has served the nation commendably during war and peace.

Air Commodore Mehar Singh, DSO, the daredevil Air Officer Commanding No.1 Operational Group in Kashmir, was concerned about the Dakota's efficacy. But still he was at the controls of the first RIAF Dakota to land at Leh. Mehar Singh eventually accepted the challenge of flying into Leh and Thimayya opted to be on that first flight. Braving difficult terrain, Mehar Singh and Thimayya landed in Leh on 24 May 1948, establishing beyond doubt that the Dakota was capable of opening an air bridge to Leh. In the process they had also set a record by landing at what then became the world's highest airstrip.

The first Air Chief to die in office was Subroto Mukherjee, who died due to asphyxiation as a chicken bone got stuck in his throat in a Tokyo restaurant. He had the distinction of being the first Indian to have commanded a flight and squadron and later was the first Indian Air Chief.

The Number 28 Squadron of the Air Force was the first Unit that was equipped with the MIG 21 in August 1962. Wing Commander Dilbagh Singh who later became the Air Chief then commanded the unit. The unit earned the Sobriquet The First Supersonics.

The Keelor Brothers Denzil and Trevor were both awarded the Vir Chakra in the 1965 conflict. Trevor was the first Indian Pilot to shoot down a Sabre in an Air to Air combat in the 1965 war. Denzil was shot down during the 1971 war, and he later rose to the rank of Air Marshal.

The air raids on Sargodha Air Base, the "Strongest Pakistani Air Base" was on 7 September. The Pakistani Pilot Squadron Leader M.M. Alam claimed to have shot 5 Indian planes down and killed 4 pilots. However, 3 of the pilots survived to tell the tale, two went on to retire in the rank of Air Commodore and the third retired and settled in England. The pilot killed was Squadron Leader A B Devayya who was shot down during that raid. The Government of India remembered his act of heroism belatedly by awarding him the Mahavir Chakra posthumously in 1988.

The Air Chief during the 1971 war, Air Chief Marshal PC Lal, was prematurely retired in 1962 due to a disagreement with the then Defence Minister Krishna Menon. However the Chinese invasion that year saw the resignation of the minister. Air Chief Marshal PC Lal was seconded to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and then in 1965 was the Vice Chief of Air Staff and then later Air Chief.

The 1971 war officially began when on the evening of 3rd December 1971, the Pakistani Air Force made a pre-emptive air strike on 9 of our forward airfields in the western sector. Though there was superficial damage to the fields, no aircraft were destroyed on the ground and by late evening our Air Force was able to launch counter air strikes.

The sole winner of the Nation's Highest War time Gallantry Award, was Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, a 21 year old Sikh, who took off in his tiny Gnat and saved Srinagar city from the might of six Sabres.

One of the Vir Chakras that the Air Force was awarded during the 1971 Conflict went to a Naval Aviator, Lt. Arun Prakash (Now Vice Admiral).

The Air Force detachment at Jaisalmer consisting of 6 Hunters was responsible for blunting the thrust of the Pakistani Armor in the Rajasthan Desert. The Indian Army just had a company of Infantry with one recoilless gun against the Pakistani thrust. The Indian Hunters were able to destroy or damage 60 tanks. Four of the pilots who took part in the operation were decorated.

Two of the winners of the Maha Vir Chakra are Air Chief Marshal Moolgavankar and Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam. The former rose to the rank of the Air Chief while the latter's promising career was brought to an abrupt end when he died in an air crash at Pune.

Two of the Air Chiefs, Air Chief Marshal Moolgavankar and SK Kaul were decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra. A number of other Gallantry Award winners have risen to the rank of Air Marshal in the force.

Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma, a crack Test Pilot, became the first Indian to fly to outer space on a Russian Spacecraft in 1983.

Author: Rahul Surkund