[14] One Indian fighter aircraft had intercepted a Pakistani transport in the earlier war, but there was no significant air-to-air combat.

The IAF quickly launched 26 aeroplanes (12 de Havilland Vampires and 14 Dassault Mystère IVs) to blunt the Pakistan Army's offensive in Chhamb.

[18] The planes flew in formation and strafed Pakistani tanks and ground targets, although friendly fire was also later reported.

When the Indian aircraft were sighted, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled two F-86 Sabres (flown by S/L Sarfraz Rafiqui of the No.

The first Starfighter passed through the dogfight at supersonic speed; the Gnats, after scoring a kill, began to leave.

Its pilot, Khan, received the Sitara-e-Jurat for surviving the dogfight against six Gnats and bringing the damaged Sabre back home.

After realising his mistake, Sikand's takeoff attempt was aborted due to a Pakistan Army jeep on the runway; he was taken prisoner, and later handed over to the PAF.

[28] It was flown from Pasrur to Sargodha by S/L Saad Hatmi, who evaluated its flight performance and downplayed its effectiveness in a dogfight.

[31] According to Pakistani sources,[32] Muhammad Mahmood Alam reportedly shot down seven Indian aircraft (two of which were "probable".

[37][38][39][40][41] No verifiable gun camera footage of Alam's kills was made public by Pakistani authorities.

[42] On 6 September, the Indian Army crossed the border at Lahore to relieve pressure on the Chamb Jaurian sector.

Rafiqui had shot down two Vampires and the first of the Hunters,[43] posthumously receiving the Sitara-e-Jurat for the Chhamb action and the Hilal-i-Jurat for Halwara.

Only ten commandos returned to Pakistan,[46] and the rest were prisoners of war (including a commander, Major Khalid Butt).

[46][verification needed] That day, the IAF mounted 33 sorties against the heavily guarded Sargodha Airfield Complex, owned by the PAF.

The Pakistani pilot ejected; S/L Ajamada B. Devayya was killed,[43][48] and received a posthumous Maha Vir Chakra.

[48][50][51] On 8 September, an Indian S-75 Dvina missile was fired against an unidentified target believed to have been on a night mission above Ghaziabad (near Delhi).

A 10 September battle involved eight aeroplanes over the River Beas: two PAF F-86 Sabres (flown by S/L Muniruddin Ahmad and F/L Imtiaz Bhatti) and six IAF planes – four Mysteres and two Gnats – with two 30 mm Aden cannons, led by F/L V. Kapila and F/L Harry Sidhu.

Same-day IAF records acknowledge losing one Mystere, with the pilot (Fg Off D. P. Chinoy safely ejecting in Pakistan during the evening and walking back to safety at night.

[57] Later on the night of 13/14 September, Indian Canberras made the war's deepest penetration into Pakistani airspace and attacked bases near Peshawar and Kohat.

[43] A Pakistani F-86 Sabre crashed while making an evasive maneuver in an attempt to escape pursuit by a Gnat which was defending the Canberra bombers, and the PAF pilot was killed.

[48] Pakistan acknowledged losing an F-86 Sabre and its pilot, S/L Allaudin "Butch" Ahmad, who was killed in action while leading four aeroplanes attacking an ammunition train near Gurdaspur, Amritsar.

[48] On 18 September, a Sabre was shot down by a Gnat over Amritsar piloted by Amar Jit Singh Sandhu; the incident was reported by the District Collector, who witnessed the dogfight.

[citation needed] On 21 September, IAF Canberras made a daylight strike in Pakistan on the radar complex in Badin.

The group then separated; four aircraft approached the target in two sections, two minutes apart, at low altitude before climbing to 7,000 feet.

Wilson then approached from the south at an altitude of 30 feet, firing a salvo of 68 mm rockets at the radar dome.

[65] Identifying the wounded soldier at Kargil, Radio Pakistan announced the capture of the younger Cariappa.