History of the Indian Air Force
History of the Indian Air Force
The coffee table book bears the testimony of the glorious history of the Indian Air Force (IAF) written in three separate volumes. It was published on the 75th Anniversary of the IAF’s raising. The author, Pushinder Singh is an enthusiastic raconteur of the IAF. Being the son of a military officer, the author has an experience of interacting with the pioneers of the IAF or their descendants for many years. His research on the history of IAF began more than 40 years ago.
Each of the three volumes is separated from the other based on the time line with special historic events complemented by paintings and drawings, rare and unpublished photographs of the IAF. The volumes are chronologically arranged to keep the flow of the events and be able to attract the reader from shifting focus between the volumes.
GIST OF THE BOOK
Volume I of the book is the part that focuses on the foundation of the IAF and covers the story from the time the first aircraft arrived in India during 1910 till India’s Independence from colonial rule in August 1947. The second volume focuses on the consolidation and expansion of IAF covering the period between 1947 and 1971. The third volume takes the reader from 1971 to the present time marking its platinum jubilee in 2007.
In the first volume, the author was very neat in describing the great contribution made by the first Indian pilots fighting against the Red Baron’s flying circus in the WWI and also in the WWII against the Japanese. The author was successful in highlighting the initiative, courage and competencies of the IAF personnel which made the Royal Air Force (RAF) to include these men in their renowned squadrons and delegate responsibilities for higher operational tasks which ultimately lead to an independent air force. Most of the facts are aptly supported by old photographs which have enhanced the gravity of the written descriptions. The volume ended with the sad division of the fledgling but
The coffee table book bears the testimony of the glorious history of the Indian Air Force (IAF) written in three separate volumes. It was published on the 75th Anniversary of the IAF’s raising. The author, Pushinder Singh is an enthusiastic raconteur of the IAF. Being the son of a military officer, the author has an experience of interacting with the pioneers of the IAF or their descendants for many years. His research on the history of IAF began more than 40 years ago.
Each of the three volumes is separated from the other based on the time line with special historic events complemented by paintings and drawings, rare and unpublished photographs of the IAF. The volumes are chronologically arranged to keep the flow of the events and be able to attract the reader from shifting focus between the volumes.
GIST OF THE BOOK
Volume I of the book is the part that focuses on the foundation of the IAF and covers the story from the time the first aircraft arrived in India during 1910 till India’s Independence from colonial rule in August 1947. The second volume focuses on the consolidation and expansion of IAF covering the period between 1947 and 1971. The third volume takes the reader from 1971 to the present time marking its platinum jubilee in 2007.
In the first volume, the author was very neat in describing the great contribution made by the first Indian pilots fighting against the Red Baron’s flying circus in the WWI and also in the WWII against the Japanese. The author was successful in highlighting the initiative, courage and competencies of the IAF personnel which made the Royal Air Force (RAF) to include these men in their renowned squadrons and delegate responsibilities for higher operational tasks which ultimately lead to an independent air force. Most of the facts are aptly supported by old photographs which have enhanced the gravity of the written descriptions. The volume ended with the sad division of the fledgling but