Brig. Kadir distorted the facts all along under the garb of guessing. However, the last one begs the prize...IAF did not have MiG 21 or 23s in 1965. We had one squadron of MiG19 which for unexplicable resons, not used at all (I recall Russian premier Kosigyn being prodly shown the intact unused squadon) . The fact is tha the F86's were shot down in bulk by much inferior Gnats. F86s could fire Side-Winders while Gnats had only machine guns. No Indian can forget how Sq Ldr Keeler (I forget which brother, Danzel or Trevor) shot down the first F86 and Sq Ldr Pathania followed with the second. With that opening, the IAF went on a shooting spree of Sabres and StarFighters (F104). This continued even in the first air engagement of 1971 war when three F86's were shot down and one fled smoking. We paraded the pakistani pilots the next day in the newspapers. The real reason F86 were shot down so easily was because the Pakis couldn't see Gnats approaching them (from the Sun). Also, Paki pilots tried to use side winders at low altitude (due to inexperience) resulting in the missiles ploghing in to the ground.
