With the announcement of the date of inauguration of the much-awaited Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre at the printing press building in Sector 18, Chandigarh, work is going full steam to meet the deadline of January 31. The dream project has already been hit by hurdles and initial hiccups.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the Centre on January 31 in the presence of Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram (VR) Chaudhary, Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, among other distinguished guests from political and defence spectrums.
The project was conceived when the UT Administration’s proposal to set up a vintage car museum here had failed to take off. The ball was set rolling on August 27, 2021 when an agreement was signed between the IAF and the UT Administration in the presence of then UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore. This was followed by a MoU inked in June 2022.
Vintage aircrafts on display
The first-of-its-kind heritage centre will have a surfeit of visual attractions for the visiting guests, including five vintage aircrafts and weapons on display at the heritage centre.
The cynosure of all inquisitive eyes will be its own flight simulator. The 1971-famous GNAT vintage aircraft, which had shot down several Pak’s Sabre aircrafts, and a MiG-27, has since been installed. The fighter aircraft GNAT from the squadron of the lone IAF Parambir Chakra awardee Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon has been installed at the government printing press building light point.
Another vintage machine on public display at the Centre includes MIG-21 fighter aircraft. Installed in the parking zone, the aircraft was added to the existing fleet in 1963. For the unversed, the fighter aircraft had earned a dubious distinction because of its high rate of accidents. However, in February 2019 it was able to ward off its ‘jinxed’ distinction when it helped the force shoot down Pakistani aircraft F-16 and many more thence on.
Among a conglomeration of other fighting machines displayed at the heritage site is Kanpur-1 vintage prototype aircraft received by the IAF from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, for display at the Centre. This was the first to have been built by India circa 1951.
Primary Trainer Aircraft HPT-32
The Primary Trainer Aircraft HPT-32 installed at the sprawling rear lawn of the Centre is yet another showcase at the Centre, which was once used to train young and upcoming flight cadets, the future vanguards of the force.
The MIG-23 MF vintage aircraft, a swing wing interceptor, will be another star attraction for those visiting the Centre to know more about the brave men and the machines they commanded. It will be installed at the far end of rear corner of this Mecca for tourists from home and abroad. The vintage aircraft is capable of delivering guided missiles and other weapons during combat operations.
The display of these vintage aircrafts would turn out to be a unique and real time experience for the visiting tourists, especially the younger lot.
Talking to Citywoofer.com, Group Captain Parambeer Singh says “The Heritage Centre will have a rare of the rarest heritage artefacts, including aero engines, fixtures, audio-video films featuring personalities and feats of their heroics, besides their extending succour to the victims of natural catastrophes. A souvenir shop showcasing the memorabilia of the force will also be a part of the landmark museum”
A joint initiative of the Indian Air Force and UT Administration, the upcoming Heritage Centre will not only motivate the youth to join the force, but also strengthen it. The Centre will also offer an opportunity for the visiting guests to have a sneak-peek into the country’s glorious military past.
