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Welcome to the IAF Canberra blog!

September 5, 2006 at 5:14 am | In Uncategorized |

First, let me introduce myself - my name is Anandeep Pannu. I am an IAF brat, my father is Gp Capt HMPS Pannu who left the IAF in 1986 after a 29 year career. He didnt fly the Canberra (not officially anyway) - but I grew up around them, especially during my stint at Pune when 35 Sqn and 6 Sqn (which was my father’s squadron) had Canberras.

I work for Microsoft now and am an aviation fanatic. I have a pilots license and have about 300 hrs time mostly in light aircraft and gliders.

The idea for a Canberra book came to me after I realized that the Canberra was going to be celebrating 50 years in Indian Air Force service. Wing Co Marshall, dad’s instructor in FIS and father of my friend Karl was putting together a get together in Pune. I was able to talk to Wing Co Marshall and that gave further impetus to the project.

Jagan Pillariseti (of Bharat Rakshak and 1965 Air War book fame) had already collected quite a few stories on the Canberra, and since we exchange notes on a regular basis we started bandying the idea of the book back and forth. In the meantime the IAF top brass decided to celebrate the 50 year anniversary in style. Wing Co Thomas also started the Canberra India newsgroup which collected a bunch of Canberra veterans in one venue - albeit a cyberspace one!

It was a foregone conclusion that I would need to drag Jagan into the project - his resourcefulness and knowledge would be needed for this book.

Wing Co Thomas and Wing Co Vineet Bhalla were kind enough to share some stories and Jagan interviewed Wing Co Nath, MVC and bar, for a related book project. The pieces were coming together!

I was able to find a number of references on the Canberra and make contact with some Canberra experts including Les Bywater of the Canberra Tribute Web site. These people were able to refer me to some previously unpublished photographs. (Some of these are in the article on “Canberra marks” on Bharat Rakshak).

I still need help from IAF Canberra veterans. Please bookmark this blog - and contact me with any stories, comments or just contact me regardless, if you were ever associated with the Canberra in the IAF.

I will be posting questionaires and articles on this blog for your comment. Please feel free to send me e-mail or write your comments on any article in this blog - it is open to everyone.

Hopefully this will be enjoyable process for all us!

Thanks

Anandeep Pannu

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Anandeep

Comment by Anandeep Pannu — September 5, 2006 #
hi anandeep,
i am defence correspondent with the indian express in delhi. i recently did a two-page spread on the 1965 air war, based on jagan and samir’s wonderful book. i now want to do a feature on the canberras completing 50 years of operational flight, and needed some help. if you could mail me on shivaroor@yahoo.co.uk, we could take it forward. will be getting in touch with jagan too. thanks a ton, shiv

Comment by Shiv — November 2, 2006 #
Hello Anandeep,

Great to know that you are working on such a project.This aircraft has truely been the best friend of the IAF all these years.More so because, in the age of Su-30’s Mig-29 it has still managed to carve its niche and has found a role in the IAF.

My father, now retired 2 years back, was a canberra pilot and like you I have also spent my childhood with this beautiful aircraft around.I have heard many many stories related to her from my dad and others.I am myself a huge fan of this warbird since I associate her with my dad!

I would be more than pleased to contribute to this project.

Regards

Comment by Varun — November 4, 2006 #
my e-mail ID is varun.bhardwaj@rbs.co.uk

Comment by Varun — November 4, 2006 #
Hi Anandeep, I never flew the Canberra. I note W/C Jaggi Nath has been interviewed by Jagan. Air Cmde Peter Wilson lives in the UK, and was also interviewed by Sree Raja, the interview appeared in Bharat Rakshak. Good Luck with your research and the publication of your book. Sincerely, Locky

Comment by Ian Loughran — November 13, 2006 #
HELLO ANANDEEP,
I WISH YOU ALL SUCCESS IN YOUR CANBERRA PROJECT. I FLEW THE CANBERRA FROM 1976 TILL 1994 (WITH “DIVERSIONS” TO TRAINING COMMAND AS A QFI). AFTER MY JBCU TRG IN 1977, I SERVED IN 16 SQN (TWICE), 35 SQN (TWICE) & 6 SQN.
I NEED TO DIG OUT OLD DUSTY PHOTO ALBUMS FOR MEMORABLE PICTURES & “SCRATCH” MY HEAD TO REMEMBER EVENTS I RECORDED IN SQN DIARIES (I WAS THE SCRIBE IN ALL THE SQNS I SERVED IN).
I AM IN CONTACT WITH FEW EX-CANBERRA CREW WHO RESIDE IN PUNE & WILL TRY TO ACTIVATE THEM FOR INFORMATION.

REGARDS
PONDY

Comment by JAYANT DESHPANDE — November 18, 2006 #
Hello!

All the best for the book.

I will review the book as I did with Jagan’s book
http://journal.frontierindia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=14&id=34&Itemid=40

Let me know when you finish
frontierindia at gmail dot com

Thanks

Comment by chacko — January 19, 2007 #
Hi Amandeep

I am a New Delhi based journalist covering defence for Deccan Herald. I am planning a story on Canberra’s last flight in the President’s Review in Chnadigarh. I intend to do the story in a day or two.

Will you pls give me some contact numbers of former Canberra pilots with whom I can speak to for the story.

I have reported a part of the Canberra story in today’s edition of DH. But want to write a more detailed story.

Will appreciate if you share the contacts with me in a mail to me.

regards
Kalyan Ray
Senior Correspondent
Deccan Herald

E-mail: kalyanray@deccanherald.co.in
kalyanray30@gmail.com

Comment by Kalyan Ray — February 28, 2007 #
Hi Anandeep,

can you pl help with all the info and names, phs, emails of all those associated with Canberras as i am doing a story on its golden jubilee
contact me

Comment by suman — April 15, 2007 #
Hi Anandeep,

Like you I am also an IAF Brat, my dad Sq. Ldr. V Krishnamurti, did fly the Canberra extensively, in fact he trained in the UK for this aircraft & ferried 2 aircraft to India. Unfortunately he passed away a few months back so I can’t get any stories from him to pass on. What I will do is look for pictures of the Canberra & the crew & pass them on to you.
I am also a qualified pilot & my present Chief Pilot is a Canberra veteran, Gp. Capt. S C (Chris) Fernandes. I will get him to add something for your book.

All the best,

Niteesh

Comment by Niteesh Krishnamurti — August 27, 2007 #
Hi Aman, I understand that the Canberra had 2 variants - 2 crew & 3 crew. How many pilots & navigators did the 3 crew type carry & What was the ejection facility available for the 3 crew in the visual Bomber. - notshyguy462 . My mail is notshyguy462@yahoo.co.uk

Comment by notshyguy462 — September 2, 2007 #
Hi there,

This is in reference to one of the commentators - Niteesh Krishnamurti -.

If you could kindly forward my contact details. I’ll appreciate that.

********
Are you the Niteesh, who went to Bishop’s Pune for few years and lived at Juhu.

Please get in touch -

Hiten Vasa
e-mail : hiten@caliphar.com

********

Comment by Hiten Vasa — February 19, 2008 #
Dear Amandeep,

Even I am an Air Force brat. My father Wg. Cdr. Diptendu Dakshi (Retd.) was a Canberra navigator in the 1960s and flew extensively with the “Tuskers” squadron, among others. I recall we have a memento of the “Tuskers” at home. Besides, my father was also a member of the Canberra contingent, led by the legendary Pete Wilson, sent to Congo under UN auspices in the 1960s.

I too have fond memories of the Canberra of No. 35 Squadron “Rapiers”, as a kid in AFS Bareilly
1979-1982.

I’m sure my old man would love to refresh his memory and share some wonderful stories for your project. Dad has long since retired and lives in Lucknow.

Please do send me an e-mail if you are interested.

arijit_dakshi@indiatimes.com

Comment by Dr. Arijit Dakshi — April 7, 2008 #
Dear Aman

I am one of Pete Wilson’s sons and would be happy to contribute to your project for any non-flying aspects that may relate to my father. I spent a large part of my growing up years in Dehra Dun, Agra, Kalaikunda, Gorakhpur and Jamnagar and was quite aware of the activities on two of those stations during the ‘65 and ’71 wars with Pakistan. As a ten-year-old child the Kalaikunda experience was unnerving in the extreme as the PAF caught the IAF with its pants down. I vividly remember the terrible noise, the loss of so many aircraft and much more tragically, the loss of good men and their tragically bereft young families. In contrast, for a sixteen year old in Jamnagar, the ‘71 experience was a huge blast – excuse the grisly pun. From my very narrow perspective, it seemed that in those six years the IAF had got its act together. All wars are terrible, especially those between people who largely share the same language, history, genetics and religion.

My father turned 80 in November. He is in very good shape and has a mind as sharp as a razor. Even though he has all the appearances of a respectable and somewhat reserved Englishman, he is still deeply rooted in India. My mother and father left India because they wanted to be with their children. However, they have never stopped loving India and not a day goes by without them pining for it in some way.

I have always been aware of just what a great person and pilot my father was, but it was always second hand. He never spoke about or glorified his flying, not even in the privacy of his home. It was the constant love, affection and dare I say, open adulation that accompanied him everywhere and spoke volumes about his abilities not just as a pilot, but also as a leader and friend.

Pete Wilson has more than 2000 hours on the Canberra and c. 5000 hours on all types – although I don’t think he ever did much flying on transport aircraft. He took an active part in operations in Kashmir (1948), reconnaissance over Tibet/China (50’s and 60’s), Congo (‘61-‘62), China (‘62) and the ‘65 and ‘71 wars with Pakistan. He joined the RIAF in 1946 and left the IAF in 1975.

Please let me know if I can help.

Kind regards

Ian

Comment by Ian Wilson — April 17, 2008 #
Dear Amandeep,

I got to see through this website by chance….
and am glad to know that Canberra’s are still remembered.

I served IAF as ann Airman, Engine Technician qualified on Canberra’s major servicing/Ground runing..etc. Rapiers was my first stint, though I worked on Mig-BIS earlier. Lot of moving around the country on TD’s were experince. I then served 106 (Lynx) Agra Canberra SR ac, then I had to go to 6Wing, Barrackpore on extreme Compassionate ground before I left in October 2000, due to a crisis in the family.

So here is a brief,,, can I interact and join your community Aman??

Let me..

Cheers!!

Sudipto

Comment by Sudipto Sen — July 4, 2008 #