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Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh no more

Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, a highly decorated fighter pilot who led one of the first spitfire operations against tribal invaders in Kashmir in 1947, flew the first batch of MiG-21 fighters into the country and commanded the Indian Air Force in the early eighties, died at Dehra Dun Friday night.

Air Force sources said the end came at 2350 hrs after a brief illness. The cremation will take place at Dehrudun on Sunday at 1500 hours.

Dilbagh Singh, the chief of air staff from September 1, 1981 to September 3, 1984, was the first air chief marshal of the country. The chiefs of air staff were known as air marshals before him.

An outstanding fighter pilot, he had the distinction of being the first to command both the transonic and supersonic squadrons of the Indian Air Force.

He flew over 5,000 hours mostly on fighters ranging from the World War-II vintage aircraft to the supersonic MiGs.

Decorated by the government for distinguished services with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishist Seva Medal, and the Vishist Seva Medal, his tenure as the air chief saw the induction of MiG-25s, MiG-23s into the Indian Air Force.

Born in Punjab on March 10, 1926, Dilbagh Singh joined the IAF in 1944 at the height of World War-II and was posted to the No.1 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Kohat in 1945 and saw operations in Waziristan with this squadron.

Later, he joined the No 10 Winged Daggers Squadron and flew sorties against the raiders in the Hawker Tempest aircraft. For his role in the operations, he was Mentioned-in-Despatches.

He was promoted to squadron leader in 1954 and became the officer in-charge of flying at the Ambala Air Base. He first commanded a squadron in 1955.

Dilbagh Singh led the first batch of seven pilots and 15 engineers at an airbase in Kazakhstan for training on the MiG-21F fighters. The team came back to India to form the core of the first supersonic squadron -- No 28 First Supersonics Squadron.

UNI

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