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No.
14 Fighter-bomber Squadron was formed at Peshawar on 1
November 48 with Squadron Leader Khyber Khan as the first
squadron commander. After being number- plated on 15 January
1949, it was reactivated on 16 December 1949 under the
command of Squadron Leader J K Zuromski. The squadron left
for Miranshah on 24 March 1950 on its first operational
deployment. Its task was to police the tribal areas of North
Waziristan in order to contain the insurgency fomented by
the Faqir of Ipi.
In 1954 the squadron went through various memorable
experiences like the activation of Tezgaon airfield at Dhaka
in March, an air display for King Saud at Peshawar in April,
a fire power demonstration at Fort Sandeman in May and
exercise 'November Handicap' in November. In 1955 there was
a summer camp at Samungli in May, a fly past over the
Pakistan Day parade in Karachi in August and another tour at
Miranshah in October and November. In September 1956, No. 14
Squadron pilots started leaving for F-86 MTD classes which
had been set up at Drigh Road. The squadron moved to
Mauripur in November and soon became operational on the
Sabre. In November 1957 it took part in the naval exercise
'Crescent' and an army co-op exercise 'Yellow Lizard'. In
March 1959 the squadron won the Perry-Keene armament trophy
with a comfortable margin. While in Mauripur the squadron
also participated in CENTO exercise 'Shahbaz'. In March
1964, the squadron again won the coveted Perry- Keene
armament trophy. Soon to follow was another Samungli camp
from 20 May to 30 June 1964 and then, on 7 October 1964, the
unit was permanently moved to Dhaka, under the command of
Squadron Leader Shabbir Hussain Syed who had taken over in
March 1963.
No. 14 Squadron's exploits during both the 1965 and 1971
wars constitute an unforgettable part of the PAF's history
and have been graphically described PAF history book in the
chapters titled 'Triumph in the East' (1965) and 'Intrepid
under Siege' and 'Three Days of Fury' (1971). Here it would
be sufficient to mention the high point of each episode.
The strike against Kulaikunda on 7 September 1965 was led by
Squadron Leader Shabbir with Flight Lieutenants Haleem,
Baseer and Tariq Habeeb and Flying Officer Afzal Khan as
formation members. They took off at 0631 hours with two 120
and two 200 gallon tanks and gun ammunition only. The
formation arrived over the target without being intercepted
and caught 14 Canberra's neatly lined up on the tarmac. The
formation put in two attacks each on these Canberra's and on
three Hunters also parked on the tarmac; they destroyed ten
Canberra's and damaged the rest as well as two Hunters.
Squadron Leader Shabbir and Flight Lieutenant Tariq Habib
were awarded Sitara-i-Juraat.
In 1971, placed in a no win situation against a force of 10
IAF squadrons comprising Mig-21 s, Su-7s, Gnats and Hunters,
No. 14 Squadron kept the flag flying till literally the last
gasp. Their peerless valour won them six Sitara-i-Juraats.
In July 1972, No. 14 Squadron was reformed with F-6 aircraft
at Sargodha under the command of Wing Commander Muhammad
Afzal Chaudhry. When Wing Commander J A Carrapiett took over
in April 1973, plans were underway to assign the squadron
the role of an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). The, plan
ultimately crystallized in January 1974 where after the
squadron successfully graduated 10 pilots of the first OCC
on 6 November. At this stage the unit was moved to Mianwali
which was then an upcoming training base.
On 1 November 1976 the squadron was presented with its
colour by General Muhammad Sharif, Chairman joint Chiefs of
Staff Committee. The parade was commanded by the squadron
commander Wing Commander Anwar-ul-Haq Malik while the colour
bearer was Flying Officer Abrar Ahmed Tahir. The squadron
colour has the battle honours of Kulaikunda 1965' and Dhaka
1971' on two of the six scrolls.
To facilitate the unit's training role, a trainer version of
the F-6, the FT-6, was added to the squadron inventory in
May 1977 when FT-6s were ferried across from China. During
the ferry flight however, a valuable member of the team was
lost over the Himalayas, after ejecting from his disabled
FT-6.
During its tenure as an OCU, No. 14 Squadron had graduated
over 100 pilots operationally trained on the F-6.
In September 1986, the squadron was reequipped with F-16
multi-role aircraft. After reforming in Sargodha under the
command of Wing Commander Sheikh Amjad Javed the squadron
flew over to Kamra where an impressive re-equipment ceremony
was held on 2nd October 1986 reviewed by the Chief of the
Air Staff. Wing Commander Amjad Javed commanded the parade
and Squadron Leader Sohail Gul Khan and Flight Lieutenant
Badar Islam were the old and new colour custodians
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