This was formed on August 15, 1947 at Peshawar from the personnel of No. 1 RIAF Squadron, with Sqn. Ldr. Z. Ahmad as its first Commander. The squadron was equipped with eight Tempest MK II aircraft, and in spite of acute shortage of technical personnel, it successfully carried out its task due primarily to the spirit and high morale of its personnel. It also maintained a detachment at Miranshah. The squadron has throughout its history played a key role in the aerial defence of Pakistan.

It has produced airmen of very high capability, and can rightly take pride in being a squadron of heroes. Those who will ever be remembered for their superior action and valour are Air Commodores Masroor Hosain, F. S. Hussain and M. Z. Masud, and Sqn. Ldr. Sarfraz A. Rafiqui and Munir Ahmad.

Important Visits:

The squadron was visited by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, along with Air Vice Marshal Perry Keene, Air Cdre. M. K. Janjua, Gp. Capt. Rabb and Gp. Capt. Raza, in January, 1948.

The Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Governor-General of Pakistan, visited the squadron on 11th April, 1948. He appreciated the standard of guard of honour presented to him on the occasion and was pleased by the well-kept array of fighters around the saluting base.

In February, 1949 came Air Vice Marshal R. L. R. Atcherley, Air Commander RPAF, and in November, 1951 General Muhammad Ayub Khan, C-in-C Pakistan Army, visited the squadron mess.

Important Events:

Four pilots, Flt. Lt. A. N. Aziz, Flt. Lt. Rahim Khan, Flg. Off. Masroor Hosain and Flg. Off. F. S. Hussain, took part in an air display staged in Lahore on March, 21, 1948.

Pilots of the squadron participated in the fly-past on Harvards in honour of the Quaid-e-Azam's visit to Risalpur on April 13, 1948.

The squadron carried out fly-past over Karachi on Pakistan's first anniversary on August 14, 1948. It was an excellent performance in spite of the fact that R/T of formation leader Sqn. Ldr. S. A. Aziz failed; he lost contact with display tower, but the timing of fly-past was accurate up to a second.

Pilot Officer I. A. Rafiqui died in air accident at Lahore in June, 1951. He was elder brother of Sqn. Ldr. (Shaheed) Sarfaraz A. Rafiqui H. J.

In November, 1951 Sqn. Ldr. F. S. Hussain took over as Squadron Commander.

On February 12, 1952, Sqn. Ldr. F. S. Hussain received the Perry Keene Inter Squadron Armament Trophy from the Commander-in-Chief Air Vice Marshal L. W. Cannon.

Pilot Officer Sarfraz A. Rafiqui was posted to the squadron on November 4, 1953; he left on December 2, 1953.

Squadron Leader M. Z. Masud (later Air Commodore and Base Commander of PAF Base Sargodha during 1965 war with India) took over as the Squadron Commander on April 12, 1954.

On May 27, 1956, a Fury aircraft of the squadron landed at Gilgit airfield.

The squadron, using F-86F Sabre aircraft for the first time, took part in Republic Day fly-past held on March 23, 1957 at Karachi.

Sqn. Ldr. Sarfraz A. Rafiqui took part over as the Squadron Commander in March 1963.

Sqn. Ldr. S. A. Rafiqui, Sqn. Ldr. Wiqar Azim, Flt. Lt. Yunus Hussain, Flt. Lt. Cecil Chaudhry, Flt. Lt. A. H. Malik, Flg. Off. Khalid Iqbal, Flg. Off. Imtiaz Ali and Flg. Off. I. A. Bhatti took part in Kashmir operation from September 1 to September 5, 1965, and from September 6 to 23, 1965 in the war against India.

On 21st September, 1972 the squadron was presented the Squadron Colour.

Nominal Roll of Officers on 15th August, 1947:

Pak No. Rank Name
1672 Sqn. Ldr. Z. Ahmed
3002 Flg. Off. F. S. Hussain
3241 Flg. Off. S. Khan
2879 Flg. Off. J. Afridi
3149 Flg. Off. Akhtar
3139 Flg. Off. M. W. Sheikh
2379 Flg. Off. S. I. R. Bokhari
2977 Flg. Off. M. W. Khan
2976 Flg. Off. M. I. Rahman

Awards:

Sqn. Ldr. Sarfraz A. Rafiqui (Shaheed) H. J., S. J.
Flt. Lt. Yunus Hussain (Shaheed) S. J.
Flt. Lt. Cecil Chaudhry S. J.
Wg. Cdr. Hakimullah S. J.
Sqn. Ldr. Farooq Umar S. J.
Flt. Lt. Javed Qazi S. J.