This is the first time that an Air Chief is sharing his thoughts and memories with the reading public. His span of service covers a period of thirty-three years: from the end of 1939 to the beginning of 1973. It includes the Burma campaign of World War II, the restricted fighting in Kashmir in 1947 and 1948, the Chinese debacle in 1962 and the two full scale wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.
He had 4,274 hrs of flying with the Air Force to his credit and the experience of flying 58 types of aircraft from Wapitis to supersonic jets. In 1965 he was the Vice Chief of Air Staff and in 1971 the Chief. His honesty and forthrightness is both compelling and insightful.
In a way this is the story of aviation in India, in particular the development of the Indian Air Force. It is a story of a real-life adventure and the genesis, growth and achievements of the youngest of the three defence services. Though this does not purport to be a history of the Indian Air Force, without it no history would be complete.
About the Author Pratap Chandra Lal was born in December 1917, and at the age of 17 became Indian’s youngest Amateur Pilot. He took Empire Pilot training with the RAF and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1940. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in the war against Japan, he went on to have an exemplary career in aviation, becoming Chief of Air Staff in 1969 and was the main strategist of India’s successful air tactics in their wars against Pakistan.
CSM/DS
