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Air Vice Marshal Cecil Parker’s “Last of the Hunters” he very nature of aviation requires its category aerobatic manoeuvres.” From the to view on TV the dying shots of probably practitioners to remain constantly many amateur and professional pre-impact the last vintage RAF Hunter and be on the right side of the learning video footage repeatedly aired, I could reminded once again that very rarely do Tcurve! Consequently, aviators (even long immediately identify the unmistakable aircraft cause accidents;–people do. The retired ones like this writer) can never silhouette of the Hunter (Trainer) in a near good news is that, on the day of our return, ignore news of an air crash anywhere in vertical attitude above the tree line. The pilot the pilot had recovered and been discharged the world. On 22 August 2015, while in has an excellent professional reputation but from hospital. London on a visit, I caught the tail end of a apparently misjudged his height and got TV news broadcast which described a plane into an aerodynamic stall too low. A Doctor In The Air crash during an air display to mark the 75th While in the UK I was in personal In the air force, medical officers, though anniversary of the Battle of Britain. What touch with some of the ex-IAF officers on the posted strength of squadrons, drew my immediate attention was that the settled there. They included an ex-squadron function directly under the Senior Medical aircraft was a Hawker Hunter. This type is commander, ex-station commander cdr, old Officer (SMO) of the air base where now near sixty years old and was part of our flying instructor, fellow fighter pilot and their squadron is located. As doctors they own air force for some forty years. a coursemate, three of whom themselves report professionally to the SMO and as I had special personal interest having too were experienced Hunter pilots. Our officers, to the CO of their units. This dual flown the Hunter for ten consecutive years conversation was therefore dominated by reporting can be a trifle confusing to new (1962-72) in peace and war. I was naturally news of the Shoreham Air Show disaster doctors recruited directly from civilian interested in the cause factors for the crash of and we recalled our own many ‘errors of medical colleges. Unlike their counterparts one of the safest, reliable and most delightful judgement’ and lessons learnt therefrom from the Armed Forces Medical College aircraft ever designed and built. The UK Air including one in which this writer was (AFMC), their introduction to the armed Accident Investigation Board, in it’s interim lucky to survive sixty years ago in another forces is a brief orientation course at the report, stated that ‘the aircraft was too low aircraft type. Army Medical Corp (AMC) Centre before in a looping manoeuvre’ and crashed killing Over the years, 1957-97 our air force donning uniform. In view of their relatively eleven bystanders and injuring more on the had seven Hunter-equipped units and I had long training period, all medical officers are A-27 motorway in one of Britain’s worst the privilege of raising and commanding the somewhat older at entry and are also granted air show disasters. Amazingly the pilot was IAF’s first Hunter Operational Training a higher rank. pulled out alive from the blazing wreckage Unit (1966-69) and commanded No.20 In 1970, a new medical officer from civvy in critical condition. Sqn (1969-72). Though this aircraft type street reported on posting to the squadron The 51-year-old pilot had flown was phased out before the millennium, the I was in - command of. I welcomed him, Harriers in the RAF, had over 14,000 last vintage IAF Hunter was scheduled to explained his role and hoped he would find flying hours with British Airways and had participate in the Air Force Day Flypast time to interact with squadron personnel to 40 hours of experience on the Hunter. He to mark it’s 69th anniversary on 8 October guide and help them whether they required held a valid display authorisation issued by 2001. Unfortunately, owing to bad weather, medical help or not. He seemed receptive the UK CAA to “display the Hunter to a that flypast (to which I had been invited) but was still a bit uncomfortable in his new minimum of 500 feet agl during standard had to be cancelled. I was however destined Flt Lt’s uniform. He told me he was married 132 VAYU but would be staying in the mess as his Doc was now a consultant in a corporate wing commander (from the deep south) wife was to deliver a son soon. (I attributed hospital. With great pride he told me that was fluent in Malayalam and English but his confident prediction of gender to his he had fathered three daughters, two of a trifle hesitant in Hindi. He however profession). whom were in the medical profession. He soon memorised the words of command I received reports of our Doc’s enquired about each of the officers in our diligently and put up an impressive display unhappiness with the ‘unhygienic’ sqn by name. His prosperity was quite at our two rehearsals. On the actual day, we conditions of our squadron tea club and evident in his girth hence I fully understood escorted HH to the saluting dais to which flight crew room. I had a rather high spirited his one regret; he could no longer fit into the GoH Commander marched smartly bunch of young officers at that time and his flying overalls! and said in a loud parade-ground voice, our new medical officer seemed to resent ‘Sammana garada aap ke nirikshen ke liye being referred to as ‘Doc’ by them. Being On Parade hazir hai shriman’. HH leaned forward and a teetotaler he cautioned them against The first words of command we aspiring said clearly, “Commander could you please visiting the bar and threatened to have them flight cadets heard on reporting to the Air repeat that in English?” For a fraction of ‘grounded’ if he felt they were imbibing Force Academy (AFA) 64 years ago, were a second time froze while the linguistic unwisely. These veiled warnings resulted ‘Fall In’. The joker in our boisterous young memory circuits of the three of us within in some mischief when Doc’s scooter was group of new arrivals, called back, ‘Fall in to earshot were working overtime! After a ‘misplaced’ and he received a telegram what yaar?’ Our laughter died down when brief pause the Commander replied that informing him of the birth of a son. Doc a tall uniformed person (we were yet to the GoH was ready for inspection. The came around happily distributing sweets but recognise ranks) identified the voice, came rest of the ceremony went off very well three days later was in a disappointed mode over and said in a slow measured tone, ‘Fall and, after HH having thanked us and when he received actual news of the birth of into line Mr Whateveryournameis’. We departed, we heard the wing commander a daughter. I had to make special efforts to ‘fell in’ and soon learned that air force pilot exclaim with feeling, “we must be the help him adjust to squadron life! training also required a great deal of learning only armed forces in the world required to One afternoon I was required to carry and discipline in the classroom, drill square speak and think in two different languages out a routine air test on our Hunter trainer and the Mess. We were soon drilling smartly simultaneously!” aircraft. There is a little known old IAF on the parade ground, learned to take pride In the late 1970s, as AOC Adampur I regulation that authorises medical officers in our movements and turnout and put was somewhat surprised to receive a signal to be given an air experience sortie on up a fine Passing Out Parade (POP) 18 detailing me to attend the coming Republic aircraft at their base. I spoke to my Flt months later. Day Parade in New Delhi. Till then my only Cdr and asked him to ascertain from our In the IAF, Monday was observed participation had been in several Flypasts Doc if he was free and would like to fly. as a Maintenance Day when there was from ‘tail-end-charlie’ on Vampires to When I reached the aircraft I saw him no flying but the activities commenced leading the Hunter block. It turned out fully kitted out in borrowed flying kit, with a compulsory station parade. We that a decision had been taken to include briefed and ready for the very first flight young squadron officers were detailed as war decorated gallantry awardees in the in his life. He coped well, seemed to enjoy ‘supernumeries’ in the rear rank. Not being parade. Accordingly six senior recipients of the experience and post–flight appeared a a very exciting activity we sought to attend the Maha Vir Chakra (three from the army, bit less judgmental and more friendly all ‘Sick Parade’ on Monday mornings. The two from the air force and one from the round (I was informed the next morning medicos marshaled all their resources and navy) were required to ‘sit-to-attention’ in our Doc conducted his sick parade wearing sent us back to the parade ground with two open jeeps in ceremonial uniform. We flying overalls)! advice to return after the parade if the rather enjoyed the experience especially after During the 1971 Indo Pak War, Doc, sudden ‘aches & pains’ had not subsided passing India Gate when we hijacked the though with his leg in plaster owing to a by then! (No wonder I never saw an air jeeps to the nearest Mess for much needed scooter accident, stayed continuously with force medical officer on parade!).

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