AIR VICE MARSHAL RANJAN DUTT Vr C
The dynamic flying commander (1922- 2013)
Ranjan Dutt was born in 1922 and was educated in the Royal Indian Military College. He learnt flying on his own while at the school and earned his “A” licence at the age of 16. He joined the Air Force and was commissioned on 1 August 1940 into the 4th Pilot’s Course of the Indian Air Force [IAF]. He had overstated his age by one year to join. He along with 23 other officers were sent to UK for further training and service with the Royal Air Force [RAF]. He took part in the defensive battles over UK and later in offensive operations over France and Netherlands. He worked with ace fighter pilot Douglas Bader. He returned to India in 1942 and was posted to Kohat on watch and ward duties. Later, he served as the first Indian instructor at Officers Training Unit, Risalpur. In 1944, he saw service in Burma. A year later he was detailed on the Day Fighter Leaders Course in UK, which he completed with distinction. An enemy aircraft flight was located in the same station. He took the initiative to fly the German fighter planes Fw 190 and Me 109 located there. He was particularly impressed by Fw 190 and discussed its design details later with Dr Tanks, the HF24 fighter designer at Bangalore.
Shortly before Independence, he drove from Pakistan to India in his open sports car. Perhaps he managed it as the Pakistan Air Force personnel also wore the same uniform. He saw dead bodies all over. He broke through a police barrier and at one place had to shoot his way through a mob. No sooner had he arrived that the Air Force HQ detailed him to go back to Pakistan to escort some air force families to India. He used his school contacts to obtain personal arms for all his men and travelled in the driver’s cabin. His personal pistol helped in keeping the hostile driver from any mischief.
During the 1947 – 48 War in Kashmir, he was the Senior Air Staff Officer [SASO] in the Operational Group. He planned and flew several missions on the Kishanganga Bridge. In the second attack, he flew low and knocked out the enemy gun positions to facilitate the formation to attack. He again led four aircrafts and scored a direct hit on the bridge. The target was heavily defended and his plane received some shots and was heavily damaged. He managed to fly back to Jammu. He also carried out reconnaissance sorties and attacks on Gilgit and Skardu. For his outstanding services, he was decorated with Vir Chakra. In 1952, he attended the RAF Staff College in UK and served as Director Operations. As usual, he was outspoken and in his thesis on Commonwealth defence criticised the concept as primarily for defence of Australia, New Zealand and Canada in spite of the contribution by India in the World War.
He was promoted as Air Vice-Marshal at the age of 37 and was probably the youngest holder of this rank in the entire commonwealth. In 1961, he took over as MD Hindustan Aircraft Ltd [HAL]. He flew the newly designed fighter aircraft, HF 24. Ranjan supported the project for enhancing the performance of Fairchild Packet C119G planes by installing an additional engine. He tried the various fighter planes and successfully pushed for selection of MIG-21. Under his leadership, Hindustan Aircraft changed into Hindustan Aeronautics and undertook a project to manufacture 450 MIG-21 planes under licence.
After retirement, he went to UK and returned in 2011. He settled down in Chennai and passed away on 13 August 2013. He was one of the greatest commanders and leaders of the IAF. He was a born aviator and ranks high in aviation combat thinking.