It consisted of one DHC-3 Otter plane and one Alouette III helicopter, both carrying rocket pods and machine guns for launching hit-and-run attacks on Pakistani targets, and one DC-3 Dakota for logistical missions.

The aircraft were supplied by Indian Authorities and the formation was led by Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud under the operational control of IAF base Jorhat.

14 squadron flying F-86 Sabres were stationed in East Pakistan in 1964, and during the War of 1965 they earned the name "Tail Choppers" by launching successful raids on the Indian Air Force base at Kalaikunda, near Kharagpur in West Bengal,[2] destroying several English Electric Canberra and de Havilland Vampire bombers on the ground.

[3] In March 1971, the eastern contingent of the PAF, under the command of Air Commodore Mitty Masud, had 1,222 personnel, of whom 645 were of Bengali origin, and two fully operational bases at Tejgaon and Chittagong.

[7] The Pakistani government decided to launch a military crackdown and began to move soldiers in civilian clothes to Dhaka using PIA and PAF aircraft from February 1971.

[8][9][10] The Awami League leadership, attempting to find a peaceful political solution to the crisis,[11] did not endorse any preemptive action or preparation for conflict by Bengali soldiers.

Bengali soldiers were largely unaware of the overall military situation in East Pakistan; many units continued to perform routine duties until March 31, rebelling only after coming under Pakistani attack.

Group Captain A. K. Khandker, OC Administration Wing of PAF East Pakistan, had witnessed the departure of Yahya Khan from East Pakistan prior to the start of the Pakistani attack on March 25 and had warned Awami League members, and he had earlier also warned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman regarding the Pakistani troop buildup in Dhaka.

[citation needed] Serving and retired PAF personnel, along with Bengali soldiers and officers, had begun to join Mukti Bahini after March 26.

IAF then offered to donate two De Havilland Vampire for Mukti Bahini, or absorb Bengali pilots into Indian Air formations for the duration of the conflict.

Seven Bengali pilots and fifty-eight technicians, who were former members of the PAF, and then serving with the Mukti Bahini in various capacities - were gathered to form the Air Wing by September 28, 1971, at Dimapur in Nagaland.

[30] These propeller-driven aircraft were to take advantage of the lack of night-fighting capability of the PAF to launch hit-and-run attacks on sensitive targets inside Bangladesh from the air.

Khandker, along with Flight Lieutenant Shamsul Alam (an F-86 Sabre pilot who escaped from Pakistani captivity on August 5, 1971), flew to Dimapur via Gauhati on September 27, and in the presence of Air Chief Marshall P.C.

They were later joined on October 14, 1971, by Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud, who had been previously wounded in a guerrilla operation in Chittagong, which had delayed his arrival, and he became the commanding officer of this unit.

[33] Bengali rank and file fixed up the World War II vintage runway at Dimapur, then took over the servicing duties for the 3 aircraft.

[33] Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmood, Flight Lieutenant Badrul Alam, and Captain Shahabuddin, all of whom later won the Bir Uttam award, operated the helicopter.

Under the command of Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud, guided by the Indian instructors, intense training took place in night flying and instrumental navigation.

Group Captain Chandan Singh briefed A. K. Khandker on the first three possible missions: the Dakota would bomb Dacca Airport, the helicopter was to hit the Air Fuel dumps at Godnail near Narayanganj, and the Otter would attack the Eastern Oil Refinery at Chittagong.

It was found that when the Dakota pulled up in full throttle after its bombing run, the engine exhaust flames were clearly visible in the dark, making the plane an easy mark for anti-aircraft gunners; the risk was deemed unacceptable, and their combat mission was cancelled.

The IAF command, aware of the significance of the Bangladesh Liberation War, allotted the honor of first strike against Pakistan from the air to Bengali pilots.

[45] The Otter - flown by Flight Lt. Shamsul Alam with co-pilot Captain Akram - was moved to Kailashsahar and was prepared for a mission against targets in Chittagong.

They were accompanied by LAC Rustam Ali, air gunner, and Corporal Mujammel Haque,[citation needed] the designated bomb aimer in the rear cabin.

The helicopter flew low, and as they passed Akhaura, machine gun and small arms fire from both Pakistani and Indian forces targeted the craft.

[55][56] Having crossed the war zone, the helicopter reached Elliotganj on the Dhaka Comilla Highway, then turned to follow the road, flying at treetop levels towards Demra.

The helicopter turned south towards Narayanganj along the Shitalakshya River, and at one time the crew realized they were flying very close to the water and had flown below some electric lines in the dark.

[58] The Otter flew 12 and the Alouette 77 sorties between December 4 and 16, 1971;[59] about 40 of them were combat missions to attack ground targets in Sylhet, Comilla, Daudkandi and Narshigndi.

Sultan Mahmud and Captain Shahabuddin flew four sorties in the helicopter and rocketed Pakistani troops in Moulvibazar, Sylhet, and on the Kushiyara River.

[64] IAF awarded Vir Chakra to Squadron Leader Sanjay Kumar Chowdhury and FL Chandra Mohan Singla for their service in Kilo Flight.

[53] Pakistan forces had abandoned eleven Canadair F-86 Sabre jets, two T-33 Shooting Stars, one Alouette III and one Hiller UH-12E4 helicopter in Dhaka.

On March 26, 1972, to mark the first anniversary of Independence Day, the Bangladesh Air Force staged a fly past with two F-86 Sabres, one T-33, three Alouettes and one DHC-3 Otter.