IAF Pilot Alfred Cooke Took on Four Pakistani Sabres During 1965 War
During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, IAF Flight Lieutenant Alfred Cooke flew a Hawker Hunter into a low-level engagement with four Pakistani F-86 Sabres attacking Kalaikunda airbase. Cooke's gun camera footage showed him firing on all four aircraft and hitting three, while the Pakistani formation was forced to abandon its attack. The encounter helped Kalaikunda remain operational for the rest of the war.
On September 7, 1965, the skies over Kalaikunda in West Bengal became the scene of a fierce air battle when an Indian Air Force Hawker Hunter confronted four Pakistani F-86 Sabres.
At the centre of the encounter was Flight Lieutenant Alfred Cooke of 14 Squadron. Outnumbered four to one, Cooke engaged the Pakistani formation at low altitude after the IAF base had already come under attack earlier that morning.
The battle became one of the notable air engagements of the 1965 India-Pakistan war and helped prevent another successful strike on Kalaikunda.
Pakistani aircraft returned after an earlier raid
Kalaikunda had already been attacked earlier that morning by five Pakistani Sabres led by Squadron Leader Shabbir Syed.
The first raid caught the airbase off guard and destroyed two Canberra bombers and four Vampire aircraft on the ground.
A second Pakistani attack followed after the base had been alerted. At about 10:30 am, radar officer Squadron Leader "Mama" Sahni detected an aircraft near Port Canning and raised the alarm.
Two Hunters on combat air patrol, flown by Cooke and Flying Officer SC Mamgain, were ordered back to protect Kalaikunda. The pair reached the airfield at about 4,000 feet, positioning themselves to intercept four incoming Sabres.
Cooke faced four Sabres
The Pakistani formation was led by Flight Lieutenant Haleem of the PAF's 14 Squadron.
As the Sabres spotted the Hunters, they divided into two groups. Two moved toward Cooke while the others headed towards the airfield.
Cooke later recalled that the engagement became difficult to follow in the chaos of the low-level fight. His aircraft's gun camera, however, recorded a clearer account of the battle.
According to the footage, Cooke fired at four different Sabres and hit three of them.
Dany is a business journalist with Annuity Outlook Magazine, with over 16 years of experience across print, digital, and wires. He covers business, technology, policy, and corporate developments, with a focus on in-depth reporting and analysis. Over the years, he has worked across multiple editorial platforms. Skilled in content creation, editing, proofreading, and overseeing print layouts, his career spans multiple editorial platforms.
