One day the Rafale and Tejas will also become old and retire from service, and new jets will come with more futuristic technologies. Just like many fighter jets had already retired in IAF with excellent service. And today we give tribute to these non-living but fortunate metal machines that gave service in IAF from 1947 to the present.

We will discuss all fighter jets that gave victory to IAF from many small operations to bit great wars.

Fighter Aircraft	Country of Origin	Service Period	Type
Hawker Tempest 2	UK	1945 – 1955	Fighter
De Havilland Vampire F.3	UK	1948–1955	Day Fighter
de Havilland Vampire FB.52	UK	1950–1974	fighter-bomber
de Havilland Vampire NF.10	UK	1953–1955	Night fighter
de Havilland Vampire NF.54	UK	1953–1966	Night fighter
Dassault Ouragan (Toofani)	France	1953–1967	Fighter
de Havilland Vampire PR.55	UK	1954–1965	Photo reconnaissance
Hawker Hunter FGA.56	UK	1957–1996	Fighter-Bomber
Dassault Mystère IV	France	1957–1973	Fighter
Folland Gnat	UK	1958–1978	lightweight fighter
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21FL	USSR	1964–2013	Fighter
Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21 Bison	USSR	1964 – Present	Interceptor
Hawker Hunter F.56	UK	1966–1992	Fighter

You should comment on your Top 5 favorite aircraft from these with a specification that you love more.

Fighter Jets That Used By IAF From 1947-Present

These are some fighter jets that have been inducted into the Indian Army from 1947 to date.

Hawker Tempest 2

Hawker Tempest 2 is a British fighter aircraft initially known as Typhoon 2. It is an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon which was designed to be used mainly by the Royal Air Force in World War 2. Sydney Camm designed It. And it was manufactured by Hawker Aircraft Limited.

Although the Typhoon was typically considered to be a good design, Camm and his design team were disappointed with the performance of its wing, which had proved to be also thick in its cross-section, and thus formed airflow issues that inhibited flight performance, especially at higher altitudes and speeds where it was affected by compressibility. 

In addition, there had been other problems experienced with the Typhoon, such as engine unreliability, poor structural integrity, and the incapability to perform high-altitude interception tasks.

The Tempest was equipped with the Bristol Centaurus Mk.4 engine. It comes with a bubble canopy that is designed without bracing, to provide a wider-unrestricted field of sight to the pilot, often providing a 360° all-around visibility.

The Hawker Tempest 2 fighter aircraft was inducted into the Royal Indian Airforce in 1945, During the British rule of India. And after independence in 1947, the Indian Airforce decommissioned in 1955 after service of 10 years.

Some Specifications of Hawker Tempest 2

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	630 km/h (390 mph)
Combat range	680 km(420 mi)
Service ceiling	36,500 ft (11,100 m)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) Mark II Hispano cannon, 200 RPG. Later models used Mark V Hispano cannon.
Bombs	2 × 500 lb (230 kg) or 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
Rockets	8 × 3 in (76.20 mm) RP-3 rockets
Extra Fuel tank	Provision for 2 × 200 l or 2 × 410 l drop tanks.

Past Uses of Hawker Tempest 2

1. In WW2, the Tempest performed low-level interception and ground attacks supporting major invasions like Operation Market Garden.
2. During World War II, the RIAF played an instrumental role in stopping the advancement of the Japanese army in Burma, where the first IAF air strike was conducted. The target for this first mission was the Japanese army base in Arakan.

Some Interesting facts about Hawker Tempest 2

1. The Tempest was sufficient in the low-level interception task, including against newly invented jet-propelled aircraft like the Messerschmitt Me 262.
2. It was the fastest single-engine propeller-driven aircraft of the war at low altitudes.
3. The Tempest appeared as one of the most powerful fighters in World War 2.

De Havilland Vampire

The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter that was designed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. Apart from its propulsion system and twin-boom design, it was a relatively traditional aircraft.

The Vampire was quickly confirmed effective after its induction and was adopted as a replacement for wartime piston-engined fighter planes. The de Havilland Vampire was a jet-powered twin-boom aircraft, generally engaged in the fighter and fighter bomber roles.

the Vampire was a relatively straightforward aircraft, operating only manually operated flight controls, no radar, a simple airframe, and, aside from the propulsion mechanism, made use of most traditional practices and technologies. The exceptional twin-boom tail layout of the Vampire was one of the only non-traditional airframe features when compared to its contemporaries.

In comparison to later aircraft, the Vampire had a relatively unorganized cockpit that in some factors lacked ergonomic benchmarks; such as the fuel meters being difficult for the pilot to read without pulling the control column back. A few controls, such as the low-pressure fuel cock, were known for being hard to move or were otherwise blocked by other controls. The pilot was provided with a fairly favorable outer view, in part assisted by the relatively small size of the Vampire.

Some Specifications of De Havilland Vampire

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	882 km/h (548 mph)
Combat range	1,960 km (1,220 mi)
Service ceiling	42,800 ft (13,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	5,620 kg (12,390 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano Mk. V cannon  with 600 rounds total (150 rounds per gun).
Rockets	8 × 3-inch “60 lb” rockets
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	2 × 500 lb (225 kg) bombs or two drop-tanks

Variants of De Havilland Vampire in IAF

These are all variants of De Havilland Vampire that were used by the Indian Airforce in the past.

1. De Havilland Vampire F.3

The Vampire F.3 was a single-seat day fighter that was inducted into the RIAF in 1948. Two prototypes were remade from F.1s; 224 were produced, 20 were shipped to Norway, and 150 to Canada for the Royal Canadian Air Force. Finally, Vampire F.3 was decommissioned from the service in 1955.

2. De Havilland Vampire FB.52

The Vampire FB.52 was a fighter-bomber variant of the De Havilland Vampire fighter jet. It was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1950 and was retired in 1974.

3. De Havilland Vampire NF.10

The Vampire NF.10 was a Goblin(engine)-powered two-seat night-fighter variant of De Havilland Vampire aircraft for RAF; 81 were built including 3 prototypes. The De Havilland Vampire NF.10 aircraft was inducted into the Indian Airforce in 1953 and decommissioned in 1955 after service of only 2 years.

4. De Havilland Vampire NF.54

It was the export variant of NF.10. Italian Air Force bought 14, and India bought 30 refurbished NF.10s that were retired by Royal Airforce. It was inaugurated into the Indian Airforce in 1953 for the night-fighter role and was retired in 1966.

5. De Havilland Vampire PR.55

The Vampire PR.55 was a photo-reconnaissance variant of the De Havilland Vampire fighter jet. At least 5 T.55s were modified in India and other was imported for the Indian Airforce. In the Indian Airforce, it was introduced in 1954 and was retired in 1965.

Past Uses of de Havilland Vampire

1. These fighter aircraft played a major role in the Indo-Pak war of 1965 to destroy important locations of the Pak army and Airforce.
2.  During the Malayan Emergency in the late 1940s and early 1950s, many RAF Vampires operated in active combat within the Far East battled.

Some Interesting facts about de Havilland Vampire

1. The de Havilland Vampire was the first fighter aircraft to be powered by a single jet engine in RAF.
2. It was the first jet plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
3. It was the second fighter aircraft to be powered by the jet engine after the meteor in RAF.

Hawker Hunter

The Hawker Hunter was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by the British company Hawker Siddeley. The Hawker Hunter was a transonic jet-powered aircraft that made its first flight in July 1951.
The Hunter aircraft was the first jet-powered aircraft built by Hawker to come with a Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engine and swept wing. Initially, The Royal Air Force inducted it for the role of interceptors.

The Hunter is a traditional swept wing all-metal monoplane. The fuselage is of monocoque structure, with a removable rear section for engine maintenance. The engine is fed via triangular air intakes in the wing roots and has a single jet pipe in the back of the fuselage. The mid-mounted wings have a leading-edge sweep of 35° and a small anhedral, and the tailplanes and fins are also swept. 

The airframe of the Hunter structure of six interchangeable main parts: the forward fuselage (housing the cockpit and armament collection), middle fuselage (including the required wing roots and air vent intakes), rear fuselage, tail unit assemblage, and two separately produced wings. 

During the 1960s, following the development of the supersonic English Electric Lightning in the interceptor role, the Hunter transitioned to being used as a fighter-bomber and for aerial reconnaissance missions, using dedicated versions for these objectives.

In addition, It comes with Ekco ARI 5820 ranging radar.

Some Specifications of Hawker Hunter

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	1,151 km/h (715 mph)
Combat range	620 km (385 mi)
Service ceiling	50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	11,158 kg(24,600 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	4× 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN revolver cannon  in a removable gun pack with 150 RPG
Hardpoints	4 underwing (7 hardpoints on Singaporean FGA/FR.74S, essentially refurbished FGA.9 derived from F.6) with a capacity of 7,400 lb (3,400 kg)
Extra Fuel tank	2× 870 L drop tanks for extended range/loitering time

Variants of Hawker Hunter in IAF

These are the 2 versions of Hawker Hunter that were modified for the Indian airforce, and the IAF used this for many years.

1. Hunter FGA.56A

It was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1957 and was retired from service in 1996 for the fighter-bomber role. It was the export version of the Hunter FGA.9 ground-attack fighter for India.

2. Hunter Mk.56/F.56

It was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1966 and was retired from service in 1992 for the fighter role. It was an export variant of the Hunter F.6 fighter for India, 160 built. A Brake parachute was added and the requirement to carry 500 lb (227 kg) bombs, and a few modifications to the avionic systems including the removal of the UHF radio system.

Past Uses of Hawker Hunter

1. IAF Hunters performed extensive operations during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971; Hunters were also employed for multiple ground-attack missions and attacks inside Pakistan’s borders, such as the high-profile bombing of the Attock Oil refinery to restrict Pakistani fuel reserves.
2. The Hunter was to play a primary role during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965; along with the Gnat fighter, the Hunter was India’s last air defense fighter and engaged in dogfights with the Pakistani F-104 Starfighters and F-86 Sabres.

Some Interesting facts about Hawker Hunter

1. On 7 September 1953, the modified first aircraft broke the world air speed record for aircraft, gaining a speed of 1,171.01 km/h (727.63 mph).
2. It had a major role in the win of the Battle of Longewala.

Dassault Ouragan (Toofani)

The Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan is a French-made fighter-bomber aircraft. It was designed by Marcel Dassault, the founder of Dassault Aviation. And Dassault Aviation used to manufacture it. With this Dassault Aviation entered combat aircraft production for the first time with the introduction of this jet-powered aircraft in 1952.

The Dassault Ouragan being an early jet-powered aircraft tried to keep its design basic and plain. It used a single split air intake in the nose that carried air around either side of the cockpit to the engine, which was located directly behind the pilot. In addition, The Ouragan was powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine produced under license by Hispano-Suiza. Early aircraft used Martin Box Mk.1 for the ejection seat. however, most of the production aircraft were equipped with SNCASO E.86 ejection seats instead.

Some of the more advanced aerodynamic qualities of the Ouragan contained its mopped tailplane and its slim wing, which was tapered along the leading edge.

Some Specifications of Dassault Ouragan (Toofani)

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	940 km/h (580 mph)/Mach 0.76
Combat range	450 km (280 mi)
Service ceiling	43,000 ft (13,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	7,900 kg (17,417 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	4× 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon with 125 rounds per gun
Rockets	16× 105 mm (4.1 in) Brandt T-10 air-to-ground unguided rockets; or, 2× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	2,270 kg (5,004 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints, including a variety of unguided iron bombs such as 2× 227 kg bombs/ Drop tanks for extended range.

It was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1953 and was retired from service in 1967 for the combat role. In addition, To the Indian Airforce,  the airforce of France, Israel, and El Salvador also used this aircraft for several roles. The Indian Airforce used 104 Ouragan fighters in between the service of 14 years.

Past Uses of Dassault Ouragan (Toofani)

1. This fighter jet helped Israel win both the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War.
2. In the Indo-Pak war of 1965, these fighter jets proved to be destroyers for Pakistani jets and military bases.
3. They were also employed in ground-attack missions against anti-government insurgents in Assam and Nagaland, and in 1962 conducted reconnaissance missions during the Sino-Indian War.

Some Interesting facts about Dassault Ouragan (Toofani)

1. In the Indian Airforce, it was known as Toofani because it was one of the fastest jet-powered aircraft of that time. Ouragan is a French word that means Hurricane, and in Hindi Hurricane is called Toofan.

Dassault Mystère IV

The Dassault MD.454 Mystère IV was the first transonic aircraft of the French Air Force. It was first entered into service as a fighter-bomber aircraft in April 1953. The Mystère 4, an advanced variant of the Mystère 2 aircraft, was designed by Marcel Dassault after the success of the Ouragan.

Initially, British Rolls-Royce Tay turbojet engines were fitted to the Mystère 4 aircraft. while the remainder had the French-built Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350 version of that engine.

Some Specifications of Dassault Mystère IV

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	1,110 km/h (690 mph)
Combat range	915 km (569 mi, 494 nmi)
Service ceiling	49,000 ft (15,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	9,500 kg (20,944 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA cannons with 150 rounds per gun
Rockets	55 air-to-air rockets in a retractable pack
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of payload on four outer hardpoints, including a combination of bombs, rockets, or Drop tanks

Along with the French Airforce, the Israeli Airforce also used this aircraft. In the service of 16 years, from 1957 to 1973 massive 110 aircraft were delivered to the Indian airforce.

Past Uses of Dassault Mystère IV

1. Israeli Mystère IVs saw action during the Arab–Israeli wars and were joined by the French Mystères for the Suez crisis.
2. Like the Dassault Ouragan, it also played a major role in destroying Pakistani military bases in the 1965 war.
3. Moreover, In the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971, again saw action and wreak havoc on the Pakistani army.

Some Interesting facts about Dassault Mystère IV

1. On 7 September Pakistani Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was shot down in the air by an Indian Mystère in a raid over Sargodha. And you will be surprised to know the specifications of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter such as its top speed of Mach 2 or 2,459 km/h. And with this help, The Indian Airforce destroyed the Sargodha airbase that was protected by the most advanced fighters such as F-86F and F-104. The Sargodha airbase was a heavily guarded airbase of the Pakistani airforce, During the 1965 war.

Folland Gnat

The Folland Gnat is a light fighter aircraft designed by W.E.W petter and manufactured by Folland Aircraft.
It made its first flight in July 1955 and was inducted into the Royal Air Force (RAF) by 1959.
It was a swept-wing subsonic aircraft that was procured by the RAF for training purposes. Apart from RAF, the Dutch and French Air Force also used it for training as well as for combat purposes. Being a light fighter was also suitable for training and roles such as day fighter and ground attack.
Like standard fighter aircraft, its cockpit was also equipped with features like full pressurization, climate control, and a Martin-Baker ejection seat.

According to Folland, the Gnat proposed benefits over traditional fighter aircraft in terms of cost, man-hours, handling, serviceability, and portability. Its tricycle landing gear allowed it to operate from austere grass airstrips, thanks to the aircraft’s low weight.

Some Specifications of Folland Gnat

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	1,119 km/h (695 mph) / Mach 0.98
Combat range	804.7 km (500.0 mi)
Service ceiling	50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	9,500 kg (20,944 lb)

Along with this, Several types of Avionics systems are also equipped in this aircraft such as VHF radio, Nav aids, Gyro gunsight, and Ranging radar.

It was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1958 and was retired from service in 1978 for the combat role.

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	2x 30mm ADEN cannon with 115 RPG
Rockets	12x 3 in (76 mm) rockets
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	2x 500 lb (227 kg) bombs

Past Uses of Folland Gnat

1. The Gnat is credited by many separate and Indian authorities as having shot down 7 Pakistani Canadair Sabres in the 1965 war.
2. The Gnats were again operated by India in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The most important action was the Battle of Boyra where the first dogfight took place over Bangladesh.

Some Interesting facts about Folland Gnat

1. Despite being a British aircraft, the Folland Gnat was inducted into the Indian Air Force 1 year before the Royal Air Force.
2. The Indian Air Force became the largest operator and ultimately manufactured the aircraft under license. Ajeet aircraft was the Indian variant of the Folland Gnat that was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 was the first fighter aircraft acquired by India from the Soviet Union. The MiG-21 aircraft with supersonic speed was designed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for both fighter and interceptor roles.
The MiG-21 aircraft made its first flight on 16 July 1955, and in 1959, the MiG-21Fal variant of the MiG-21 was first introduced to the Soviet Union.
Several eight aircraft designs were used in the MiG-21. This includes subsonic like MiG-15, MiG-17, and Sukhoi Su-7 along with supersonic fighters like MiG-19. Like these fighters, its design is also based on swept-back wings and nose air-intake.
But its delta-shaped wings give it more stability and control. This is why it is also called Balalaika which is a Russian-stringed musical instrument.
The development of the MiG-21 started in the early 1950s. MiG-21 is several times cheaper than its Phantom class aircraft F-4. The MiG-21FL production cost to the Bump-1, which was also cheaper than a Personal Armored Carrier (PAC).

Variants of Mig-21 in IAF

These are all versions of Mig-21 that were modified for the Indian airforce, and the IAF used these for many years.

1. MiG-21FL

Mig-21FL was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1964 for the combat/fighter role and was retired from service in 2013.

It is the export (Third world) model of the MiG-21PF. It was downgraded from baseline MiG-21PF with an older and less powerful R11F-300 engine, no provision for carrying RS-2US beam-riding missiles, and a simplified, downgraded variant of the RP-21 radar, specified R1L. A Wide-chord fin and brake line is fairing at its base. It was built under license in India as the Type 77.

Some Specifications of Mig-21 FL

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	2,175 km/h (1,385 mph) / M2.05
Max. Combat range	1,670 km (1,037 mi)
Service ceiling	62,335 ft (19,000 m)
Max. take-off weight	10,400 kg (22,928 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	1x GP-9 cannon pod with 23 mm GSh-23 cannon, plus
Rockets	2x K-13A (R-3S) AAM
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	2x 500 kg (1,102 lbs) of bombs

2. MiG-21bis & Mig-21 Bison

Mig-21Bis was introduced into the Indian Airforce in 1964 for the interceptor role and IAF still uses this aircraft.

It was a Mig-21 PE (Polyot-equipped) version with a slightly different avionics package exported to some Warsaw Pact nations. The production of the MiG-21s in India under license by Hindustan Aeronautics in Nasik began with the MiG-21FL in 1966. This variant was produced by HAL from 1980 to 1987. Despite a sequence of crashes during the 1990s, the Indian Air Force has determined to upgrade about 125 of the MiG-21bis in its inventory to the MiG-21UPG standard. Those can operate until 2025.  This modernization program was also known as “Mig-21-93” or “MiG-21 Bison”

Some Specifications of Mig-21 Bis

Features	Measures
Crew	1
Maximum speed	2,175 km/h (1,351 mph) / M2.05 at 13,000 m (43,000 ft)
Max. Combat range	793 km (493 mi) at 10,000 meters with two R-3S missiles and 800 l drop-tank
Service ceiling	57,400 ft (17,500 m)
Max. take-off weight	10,400 kg (22,928 lb)

Armament	Measures
Autocannon/Machine Canon	1 × internal 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L  autocannon with 200 rounds
Hardpoints	5 (4 underwings + 1 ventral, reserved for fuel drop tanks)
Extra Fuel tank/Bombs	2 × 500 kg (1,100 lb) and 2 × 250 kg bombs

Past Uses of Mig-21 Aircraft

1. The 1971 war witnessed the first supersonic air fighting in the subcontinent when an Indian MiG-21FL proclaimed a PAFF-104A Starfighter with its GSh-23 twin-barrelled 23 mm cannon. By the time the hostilities came to an ending, the IAF MiG-21FLs had claimed 4 PAF F-104As, 2 PAF Shenyang F-6s, and 1 PAF North American F-86 Sabre, and 1 PAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
2. IAF operated this in the Kargil war of 1999 in combat and interceptor roles. IAFOn 10 August 1999, two MiG-21FLs of the Indian Air Force detected and shot down Pakistan’s Naval Air Arms Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft with an R-60 missile after it allegedly penetrated Indian airspace for surveillance, killing all on board.

Some Interesting facts about Mig-21

1.  MIG-21 is the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history.
2. Around 60 nations across 4 Continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still operates in many nations six decades after its first flight. 
3. According to IAF, the name of this fighter jet is an amazing record of shooting down more advanced F-16 aircraft than itself. Actually, In 2019, the Indian Air Force conducted a strike on the hideouts of militants in Balakot, Pakistan, it was also used.

Also Read, Explained: IAF’s Suppression of Enemy Air Defence Capabilities (SEAD)