PAF'S FIRST MACH DEUCE FIGHTER 

In 1962, the PAF received its first Starfighter interceptor, a uniquely different design which could fly in excess of Mach-2 (or twice the speed of sound) and reach altitudes in excess of 100,000 feet. This was the first Mach-2 fighter to go into squadron service and was, understandably the envy of all those flying less capable aircraft. In the PAF it was received with justifiable pride as it was a very demanding aeroplane to operate, and its very possession indicated the high esteem in which the PAF was held with regard to flying and engineering skills. The painting shows the first F-104 piloted by Squadron Leader Mian Sadruddin, landing at Sargodha runway. Following behind as No 2 is Flight Lieutenant M L Middlecoat.     

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

AN INDIAN GNAT FIGHTER SURRENDERS 
1105 HOURS, 3 SEPTEMBER 1965

Squadron Leader Brijpal Singh Sikand, Commander of an Indian fighter squadron, surrenders to a PAF F-104 in combat. The painting shows him landing his Gnat fighter at Pasrur, a Pakstani airfield near Gujranwala. The F-104 was flown by Flight Lieutenant Hakimullah who became the air chief two decades later. Sikand was taken prisoner and later rose to be an IAF Air Marshal. This encounter was the most unusual event of the 1965 Air War.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER 
0525 HOURS, 6 DECEMBER 1965

Dawn over Wazirabad. Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan in an F-104A Starfighter destroys a Mystere IV and damages another, to mark the start of the India-Pakistan war. India launched the war over West Pakistan with an attack by a formation of Mystere IV aircraft. The Mysteres crossed the international border before to attack a Pakistani train near Wazirabad. Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan was on a routine morning combt air patrol in the Chamb/Mangla area. He was directed by the Controller at Sakesar, Flight Lieutenant Farooq Haider, to intercept the intruders. First contact with the enemy ws made as the F-104 passed head on through the Mystere formation. In the ensuing combat at tree top level, he skilfully outmanoeuvred the opponents to destroy one Mystere and damage another. The remaining members of the formation managed to slip away in the poor light conditions, only to tell the tale of the "dreaded F-104 and the deadly Sidewinder". Apart from being the first encounter to start the war in the  earnest, the engagement was also significant on other respects. It marked a new era of dog-fighting at very low altitude. It was also the first combat kill by any Mach-2 aircraft, and the first missile kill for the Pakistan Air Force.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

HIGH SPEED RECONNAISSANCE 
1130 HOURS, 9 SEPTEMBER 1965

An F-104B flown by Flight Leiutenant Aftab Alam Khan of No 9 Squadron Sargodha, on a high speed reconnaissance mission over Halwara, on 9 September 1965. In the environment of the India-Pakistan War, the low-speed RT-33 photo reconnaissance fleet of the PAF was rendered obsolete, for missions deep into enemy territory, and over heavily defended targets. 
There was an urgent requirement to survey the enemy concentration at the forward airfields and to observer the effectiveness of PAF's B-57 night bombing raids. To fulfil this need, the PAF immediately employed the F-104B. The rear seat observer operated a hand held camera and made visual observations; in this case it was Squadron Leader M. L Middlecoat. En route the aircraft was flown at tree top level, at a speed of 600 knots. Approaching the target the aircraft was accelerated to a speed greater than Mach 1. In this way the high speed capability of Starfighter was fully exploited. This was the first time such a profile was flown by an F-104 pilot. The mission was so successful that it was later repeated several times.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

END OF A NIGHT INTRUDER 
0409 HOURS, 21 SEPTEMBER 1965 - FAZILKA AREA

In the closing days of the September 1965 War an Indian Canberra on a night bombing raid against Sargodha was shot down by an F-104 near the border and its pilot who ejected was captured.
The painter chose the only moment of the episode when some details could have become clearly visible on an otherwise dark night. The area was brightly lit up when the burning, sprialling Canberra, hit at 32,000 feet, reflected light off a layer of clouds at 10,000 feet. The pilot of F-104 was Squadron Leader Jamal A Khan (later Chief of the Air Staff) and the Controller Squadron Leader Anwar Ahmad from Sakesar Radar. This is said to be the only confirmed missile kill at night in actual combat by an F-104 Starfighter anywhere in the World.

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

STARFIGHTERS STRIKE UTTERLAI 
11 DECEMBER 1971

Two F-104 Starfighters flown by Wing Commander Arif Iqbal and Squadron Leader Amanullah are seen carrying out a surprise attack on an IAF desert base at Utterlai. An IAF HF-24 fighter is seen destroyed on the taxi track, after a gun attack by Squadron Leader Amanullah. The second of the two HF-24s, scrambled to intercept the starfighters, was shot up by Wing Commander Arif Iqbal, also by gun attack.  

[Painting by Gp Capt S M A Hussaini (R)]

F-104 pilots from No. 9 Squadron discuss a map before a training sortie - circa 1947.

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

Cheif of Air Staff Asghar Khan poses with F-104 Starfighter after a sortie - circa 1964.

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

Line-up of F-104 and B-57's during a public display. 

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

PAF pilots lined-up in front of their F-104 Starfighters during a public display. 

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

PAF F-104 Starfighter with some of the armament it can carry.  

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

Two PAF F-104 pilots photographed in their high-altitude suites. 

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

A Beautiful shot of two high-flying PAF F-104s. 

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]

This F-104 was retained by No. 9 Squadron at Mushaf Air Base but was later shifted to the PAF Museum Karachi. 

[Picture Courtesy: Usman Shabbir]