'Darling' of fighter pilots, 'sports car' - IAF veterans recall rendezvous with MiG-21

Chandigarh, Sep 26 (PTI) As the MiG-21 fighter jets streaked through Indian skies for one last time on Friday, Indian Air Force veterans shared their experiences, with former IAF chief B S Dhanoa calling the aircraft “darling of fighter pilots”, while others said it felt like “driving a sports car”.

However, none of the veterans said it was correct to dub these jets “flying coffins” for its past involvement in crashes, asserting that it was a “beautiful machine” which served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for more than six decades.

During the decommissioning ceremony at the IAF station here, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets streaked through Indian skies for one last time -- its final adieu threaded through history and many a remembrance.

The sun shone bright, the skies were cloudless and a brilliant blue, providing a picture perfect setting for the elaborate farewell to the Russian origin warhorse that was inducted into the IAF in the early 1960s.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the ceremony, ex-IAF chief Dhanoa said, “MiG-21 was the darling of all the fighter pilots.” Retired Air Vice Marshal Saravjit Singh Hothi said, “It was our life.” “Don't know who gave names like flying coffins, etc., to it. These names were given by those who did not fly an aircraft. Such terminology is not correct,” Hothi said.

Asked about his overall experience of flying the fighter jets, Air Commodore Randhir Pratap, who retired in 2008, told PTI, “It was a beautiful aircraft, an especially good one to handle. I rate it as a sports car. The way you handle a sports car and move it around, the same happened with MiG-21.” When told that MiG-21 was given names like "flying coffins", he said, “I will not consider that… It is incorrect.” MiG-21 was involved in multiple crashes in the past six decades, prompting some to term the ageing fleet “legacy coffins”.

Air Commodore Ashok Dhar, who got commissioned in 1973 and retired in 2005, told PTI, “I started my career with a MiG-21. It was the most lovable aircraft which I flew for 2,400 hours over a period of 30 years. The characteristics of this aircraft resembled a sports car. The experience of handling it was unbelievable.” Tapas Kumar Sen (91), who retired as Air Commodore in 1986 and was probably the senior most force veteran to attend Friday's ceremony, told PTI that he first flew a MiG-21 fighter jet in 1968.

"I would say it was a beautiful aircraft," Sen said.

Retired Wing Commander V K Vasudev recalled that he flew MiG-21 after its overhaul in 1982. He also narrated an incident when there was a crash involving the jet in which he had a narrow escape.

"It was flying at a height of about 5,000 feet and was on a descent when its engine failed. The incident took place in March 1983. I was a test pilot then. The plane crashed close to the runway and turned turtle... Luckily, I managed to get out before it blew up. It was a miracle," Vasudev said.

"However, I returned to flying two months later and flew MiG-21 fighter jets many times thereafter," Vasudev said, adding that the jet was a lovable machine.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was the chief guest at the event, described MiG-21 as a mighty machine and a national pride.

“The foundation of our highly-skilled fighter pilots was laid on the MiG-21. Standing on this legendary platform, generations of air warriors learned to fly, adapt, and succeed in the toughest conditions. Its role in shaping India's air strategy cannot be overstated,” he said.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat, and many former IAF chiefs were present at the ceremony, among others. PTI SUN ARI