One of a fleet of some 120 or so of these rugged transports flown by the Indian AF being readied for a mission from Palam AB

Originally intended for the RAF as XH237 but diverted off MoD contract as part of a 68 aircraft deal for India in 1.57. India was the largest foreign user of the Canberra and required that their B(I)58s were fitted with extra navigation equipment, including a radio altimeter and other mods

Above all in India this was the target I most wanted to shoot. Nicely preserved and looking like it's ready for another VIP mission, this was one of three delivered to India in Oct 1966. V642 was recently rediscovered in Lucknow (that is what I call Luck Now!) preserved sat the zoo and V643 crashed on landing at Jorhat in Assam on 5.11.77

Taken secretively of a Hindustan-built HS-748 preparing to depart from Bombay Santa Cruz shortly after dawn. This example served IAL from July 1968 until crashing into a mountain near Bombay/Mumbai on 4 August 1979.

This Friendship 600 served Biman from September 1972 until crashing near Dhaka airport on 5 August 1984.

This ex USAAF Far East AF C-47B taxying in at Dum Dum was operated by Jamair from February 1965 until placed in storage in March 1977 and later scrapped.

Two Border Security Force aircraft. This shot snatched through the window of my taxiing A330 is not up to normal standards of quality but included out of pure rarity. VT-EHL was ntu by Indian Airlines in 1982 and went to the BSF instead. Older sister-ship here is VT-EAV (cn 542) which did go to Indian A/l first, spending ten years with them from 1972

About 40 Flying Boxcars remained in service with the Indian AF till the early 80s. This one, with Hindustan-built BS Orpheus jet booster pod for better performance at high-altitude locations, was ex 53-4646. One of two Iskras displayed is visible at the right