Jodhpur: All the aircraft which the Jodhpur Air Force station has had since its inception as the Jodhpur Flying Club, were on Monday put on display at the Jodhpur Air Force Station, showcasing the full might of the Air Force.
`A Journey through Time: Tiger Moth to Sukhoi`, was a prelude to the upcoming exercise of the Indian Air Force on February 22, the `Iron Fist`.
Jodhpur Flying Club was the first institution to induct Tiger Moth aircraft in year 1932, the year the IAF was founded.
"This vintage aircraft has been fully restored by an aircraft restoration company in UK and will showcase IAF`s golden past at `Iron Fist-2013` at Pokhran," defence spokesperson SD Goswami said on Monday.
The De Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth was a two seat, single bay biplane powered by a 145 hp gypsy major four cylinder inverted air-cooled engine.
The primary trainer for the Royal Air Force during the second world war, it was the basic trainer in the Indian Air Force right from 1940.
Training schools in the IAF operated the Tiger Moth and later it was replaced by the HT-2.
Goswami said the story of IAF`s growth and development, from the nascent days to its present position as one of the largest Air Force in the world from Tiger Moth to its present size and shape, is a tribute to the vision, commitment and dedication of its men through the years.
The state-of-the-art Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft (best in the world in terms of lethality and precision) was inducted into the IAF, signalling the beginning of a new and dynamic phase in IAF`s ongoing modernisation process.
PTI
