Indian Navy North American FJ-3 Fury

[comrade harps]

North American FJ-3 Fury
a/c 207, INAS 300, Indian Navy
Porbandar Airport, 20 September, 1965



The Indian Navy (IN) grew rapidly after the Red Revolutions of 1950 that engulfed Western Europe and Britain. As the Reds took power over the British Isles the Indian Navy was swelled by loyalist and exiled Royal Navy personnel, ships and planes. Despite Indian soon renouncing its UN membership as part of its Non-Aligned Policy, the British Government in Exile and the Americans supported the expansion of the Indian Navy as a stabilising force in the Indian Ocean. During the early 1950s much of what remained of the Western European navies beyond Red control was sold to other navies, India acquiring two British Colossus Class aircraft carriers: INS Vikrant was formerly Arromanches with the Free French Navy and INS Viraat was HMS Warrior from the Royal Navy. After extensive refits both vessels were active with the Indian Navy from 1957, flying FJ-3 Fury fighters and AD-4/AD-4W Skyraiders.




After extensive training in American and Australia, the first FJ-3 Fury fighters arrived in India during 1956, equipping INAS 300 based at INS Garuda. Subsequent deliveries enabled the establishment of INAS 301 on the FJ-3. After an initial order for 30 new-build FJ-3s, additional second-hand acquisitions to replace attrition losses and provide spares brought the total to 64. The FJ-3 remained in Indian Navy service until 1970, although they were replaced by F-8E(IN)s  with INAS 300 and 301 in 1967.




As India was Non-Aligned during most of the Fury's IN's career it saw little in the way of combat. An exception was the 1965 war with Pakistan. As months of border skirmishes broke out into full-scale war in August the IN's maritime combat aviation capability was in a poor state to respond. INS Vikrant was in dry dock undergoing refits and INS Viraat was at sea in the Indian Ocean with INAS 301 aboard and ordered to stay clear of the Pakistani Navy. Indeed, the Pakistan submarine PNS Ghazi was stalking the carrier but failed to make contact.




This left INAS 300 active but land based at INS Hansa in Goa. Initially used to provide local coastal air defence, during the second week of September the unit detached 10 FJ-3s north to Porbandar Airport to provide relief for hard-pressed Indian Air Force units. Flying patrols and quick reaction alerts, they mostly operated overland but also responded to some maritime radar contacts.




On 20 September two INAS 300 FJ-3s, a/c 207 and 211, were dispatched to identify a radar contact flying south of Porbandar. Several distant and fleeting radar tracks had been recorded of aircraft suspected of being Pakistani Air Force maritime patrol aircraft during the previous weeks, but these had elicited little response from the Indians. This bogey, though, was closer, more persistent and definitely within range, precipitating the scrambling of the two Furies.



Lieutenant Commander Vishal Singh flying a/c 207 was the first of the two Fury pilots to make visual contact. Identifying the aircraft as a Lockheed Neptune, he approached closer to confirm its nationality while his wingman, Lieutenant Bikask Kamur in a/c 2011, moved into a firing position. At 14.23 hours local, Ltd Cmdr Singh noted the aircraft's markings and identified the aircraft as a Pakistani Air Force P-2H Neptune. At 14.25, after firing runs by both Singh and Kumar, the Neptune hit the water. All 7 crew members were killed.

[Dizzyfugu]

That's neat! 

[AS.12]

Clever idea!

I could imagine a mid-life modification with a pair of Atolls underwing.

[Captain Canada]

You didn't have to shoot down a Neptune ! lol Great build.

[NARSES2]

Looks good sir 

[TheChronicOne]

Nicel done, bud!! I like it.  Don't see a whole lot of Fury floatin' about so nice choice.