SOURCE: AFI
The 1971 Indo-Pakistan War remains a defining moment in India’s military history, and the Indian Air Force (IAF) played a pivotal role in securing victory through its air operations. Among the heroes of that conflict is Air Commodore KC Kuruvilla, who, as a young Flying Officer, flew the Sukhoi-7 fighter bomber—a relatively new addition to the IAF’s fleet at the time.
In a recent interview with the YouTube channel “1971 War Book Series,” Kuruvilla shared his experiences flying the Sukhoi-7, offering a rare glimpse into the aircraft’s capabilities, its role in the war, and the personal challenges he faced, including his capture as a prisoner of war (PoW). His stories not only highlight the ruggedness of the Sukhoi-7 but also underscore the skill and bravery of the IAF pilots who flew it during one of India’s most intense conflicts.
Air Commodore KC Kuruvilla’s journey with the IAF began with flying the de Havilland Vampire and Hawker Hunter, both of which were mainstays of the IAF in the 1960s. In late 1969, as a young Flying Officer, he was elevated to the Sukhoi-7 fighter bomber, a brand-new aircraft type for the IAF. Kuruvilla was posted to the 222 Squadron, then based in Ambala, where he became the youngest Flying Officer in the unit. The Sukhoi-7, an all-metal aircraft with 60-degree swept, thick wings reminiscent of the Douglas Dakota, was a significant leap forward for the IAF. Kuruvilla described it as “rock steady at high speeds” and capable of turning well at low levels with reheat (afterburner) engaged, making it an ideal platform for ground attack missions.
The IAF had acquired the Sukhoi-7 from the Soviet Union in the late 1960s, recognizing its potential as a rugged and versatile fighter bomber. Kuruvilla noted that the aircraft’s design, with its thick wings and high thrust (22,000 pounds with reheat), allowed it to sustain high speeds at low altitudes—typically cruising at 750 km/h, attacking at 900 km/h, and reaching up to 1,200 km/h during runway egress. The Sukhoi-7’s mechanical simplicity, lacking stability augmentation systems or computer-assisted controls, demanded exceptional flying skills, which Kuruvilla honed through rigorous training missions that mirrored real-life operational scenarios.
The 1971 war saw the Sukhoi-7 deployed extensively on the Western Front, with six to eight squadrons conducting approximately 1,500 missions over the 17-day conflict. Kuruvilla’s 222 Squadron, which had relocated from Ambala to Halwara in preparation for the war, was at the forefront of these operations. The IAF was well-prepared, having conducted operational training missions daily since Kuruvilla’s posting, focusing on gunnery, air combat, and strike profiles. These missions, though lacking live weapons unless at a designated range, were designed to simulate wartime conditions, ensuring that pilots were ready for the real thing.
On the night of December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched a preemptive strike on several IAF bases in the western sector, marking the beginning of the war. Kuruvilla recalled the attack on Halwara, where Pakistani Canberra bombers dropped their payloads, damaging the runway. The damage was quickly repaired, and by the next morning, the IAF was ready to execute its war plans. Kuruvilla, flying daytime missions, conducted an average of three sorties per day, targeting key enemy assets deep inside Pakistan.
One of his most memorable missions took place on December 5, when he struck a tank train at Chistian Mandi, deep inside Pakistan from the Rajasthan sector. Flying at low level (100 feet) after descending from high altitude, Kuruvilla hit the train’s engine, causing it to explode along with a tank-laden pallet. The mission, which required careful fuel management due to the long range, demonstrated the Sukhoi-7’s ability to operate effectively over extended distances, returning to base with just 500 kg of fuel—barely enough for a minute or two of flight.
Another significant mission occurred on December 6, when Kuruvilla and his Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Alan D’Costa, were tasked with striking Dera Baba Nanak. On their return, they received a call from an Army Forward Air Controller (FAC) team, reporting enemy movement near the border. Crossing back into Pakistan, they identified static targets—camouflaged trucks and tanks—belonging to a Pakistani strike corps. Kuruvilla was assigned to destroy a heavy machine gun (HMG) position that was halting the advance of the 86 Brigade, led by then-Major Chand (later Colonel). Despite intense ground fire, Kuruvilla successfully destroyed the HMG in his second attack run, but his aircraft was hit, forcing him to eject at low level. He sustained injuries, including a hairline fracture in his ankle and a neck injury, and was captured by Pakistani forces after three hours of evading detection.
Kuruvilla’s capture marked the beginning of a harrowing year as a PoW in Pakistan. After being beaten and nearly executed by Pakistani soldiers, he was saved by a Baluchi havildar who intervened. Stripped, blindfolded, and tied, Kuruvilla was held in an underground bunker for several hours before being transported to a prison in Lahore. A poignant detail from his capture was the loss of a gold cross chain given to him by his mother, which was taken by the Baluchi sergeant. Remarkably, Kuruvilla retrieved the chain a year later while crossing the Wagah border during the PoW exchange, a moment of profound emotional significance.
Fifty-three years later, in December 2024, Kuruvilla was honored at the Atari border, where he reunited with Colonel Chand, now 89 years old. Chand, who had witnessed Kuruvilla’s attack on the HMG position, had been searching for him for decades, wanting to know if he had survived and whether he had received a gallantry award. Kuruvilla, who was awarded the Vir Chakra for his actions, shared his story with Chand, and the two visited the site of the 1971 mission, meeting the jawans of Chand’s unit in an emotional reunion.
Kuruvilla’s experiences highlight the Sukhoi-7’s ruggedness, a quality that made it a reliable workhorse during the 1971 war. He recounted several incidents that underscored the aircraft’s durability. Wing Commander Mangat, another Sukhoi-7 pilot, earned a Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) for bringing back his heavily damaged aircraft, which had lost most of its rudder and tailplane to enemy fire. The Sukhoi-7’s dual-tire nose wheel, a deliberate design feature, allowed it to handle rough landings and emergency situations, such as landing on taxi tracks or going off the runway without sustaining damage.
Kuruvilla himself experienced the aircraft’s resilience during a training mission when, as an instructor, he flew through a tree while teaching a young pilot to land. Despite branches getting lodged in the undercarriage, the aircraft sustained no damage and was back in the air within an hour and a half after a thorough inspection. The Sukhoi-7’s mechanical simplicity, with no computer-assisted controls, meant that its performance relied entirely on the pilot’s skill—a challenge that Kuruvilla met with exceptional proficiency, earning the best gunnery scores in his squadron and excelling in air combat.
The aircraft’s weapon systems, including the NR-30 30mm cannon, rockets, and bombs, were mechanically operated and highly effective. Kuruvilla described the NR-30 as a “lethal” weapon, capable of firing high-explosive rounds from 2 kilometers with devastating effect. The Sukhoi-7 could carry up to 2,000 kg of bombs on four hard points, and its tactics evolved during the war to include medium-level dive bombing to minimize exposure to ground fire.
Despite its strengths, the Sukhoi-7 had its challenges. Its high landing speed of 340 km/h—one of the highest among fighters of its era—required precise handling, with two parachutes deployed to stop the aircraft after touchdown. Night flying was particularly tricky, as the aircraft lacked advanced navigation aids. Pilots relied on pre-oxygenation to enhance night vision, instrument flying skills, and basic cockpit lighting for map reading. Kuruvilla noted that night missions in poor visibility, such as those flown in Hindon, demanded strict adherence to instrument flying principles to avoid disorientation.
Kuruvilla also experienced two additional ejections on the Sukhoi-7 after the war, both under difficult circumstances. In one incident, a control rod fracture during a low-level mission over Delhi’s air defenses forced him to eject at 800 meters, resulting in a fractured shoulder and ankle. In another, a fuel line failure caused the engine to flame out, leading to a third ejection. These incidents, which led to the grounding of the Sukhoi-7 fleet for inspections, further demonstrated the aircraft’s ruggedness, as it often remained intact despite severe damage.
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