PAF ABROAD COLLECTION

The painting shows an F-6 fighter on a “Cockpit Standby” status, on a hot summer day Air Defence Alert (ADA) at PAF Base, Chaklala. The uniquely configured F-6s of the PAF bore little resemblance to what they were when originally built in China. Heavily modified over several years, they were turned in to very lethal fighting platforms. To list just a few of its features, the pilot in this painting is wearing a modified American helmet; he is sitting on a British Martin Baker ejection seat; he has additional flying time through increased fuel capacity; under his wings he is carrying the deadly Sidewinder missiles of US origin; his aircraft is capable of electronic warfare through his hybrid suite; and his wheeled starting cart can get him to roll down the runway in just 30 seconds. And that welcome sunshade over the cockpit? That too is a Pakistani innovation! Sadly, the F-6 had to be phased out in March 2002, after 36 years of excellent service.

The painting shows Wing Commander Kaleem Saadat soon after connecting his French Air Force Mirage F-1C fighter with a KC-135 Tanker aircraft. He was at the time undergoing a Joint Services Staff Course in France during which all the aircrew participants were invited to stay at a fighter base and fly a mission of their choice. He stayed for six days at Cambrai Air Force Base. In March 2003, Wing Commander Kaleem Saadat became the Chief of the Air Staff. Interestingly, two of his course mates in the PAF Academy - Rafique-ul-Islam and Fakhrul Azam would also become air chiefs of the Bangladesh Air Force as Air Vice Marshals in 2001 and 2002 respectively. Their most illustrious course mate, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, became the first PAF pilot to be awarded (posthumously) the Nishan-i-Haider (highest gallantry award of Pakistan) during 1971 War.

An F-104A of No.9 Squadron piloted by Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Ishaq takes of on a demonstration air defence alert mission, zooming past the Kirana Hills near Sargodha. Sometimes called the most demanding fighter of its time, the pilots of No.9 Squadron loved the challenge of mastering this unusually designed combat aircraft