1978 - Indian Air Force firepower display at Tilpat Range near New Delhi. Felt the heat from a napalm attack demo from an HF-24 Marut 4 ship diamond and saw a Hunter section doing a front gun attack and ploughing up the earth on the range! (Funny how you see the smoke from the guns long seconds before you hear the loud rrrrrrrrr). Next - time for mock combat between a Sukhoi 7 and a Mig 21. I think there were ego issues between the pilots - they ended up doing scissors at a height were I felt I could reach up and touch them. Saw the Air Chief in his finery, twitching up and down in agitation next to the PM! The noise was UNBELIEVABLE - they both had afterburners on. When they put reheat on I jumped and lay flat on the ground!
Pictures of the very aircraft involved (not during the show) are here
Sukhoi 7 (32 Sqn) and
Mig-21 Bis
Other sight I remember is my father bring back a Super Connie one of the pilots in his squadron had skidded off the runaway. He had taken off on 4 - feathered one and kept the undercarriage down all the way from Allahabad to Pune (about a 1000 miles!).
Came right over the house! Brought the entire married officers quarters population out to watch!
Ahhh memories
Worf
ps. I think the Mig-21 photo was taken during the show - this was taken without a telephoto I believe.