New Delhi, Sep 21. Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke, the Indian Air Force veteran who earned the Vir Chakra for his daring aerial combat against Pakistani fighters during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, died at the age of 87 at a military hospital in New Delhi on September 18.
Cooke, who flew the Hawker Hunter, had famously engaged three Pakistani Sabre fighters over Kalaikunda on September 7, 1965, shooting down one and forcing another to break away as an enemy formation abandoned its attack.
More than five decades later, he passed on the lessons of that combat experience to younger IAF officers when he presented his Vir Chakra to his old unit, No. 14 Squadron, the “Bulls”, at Ambala in September 2015.
“You need to know the training books, your capability and the capability of your machine backwards, but you also need to go beyond the books,” Cooke told the officers, urging them to combine knowledge of established procedures with innovation and initiative.
Ten-minute battle with Pakistani Sabres
Cooke was on combat air patrol over the Dum Dum-Kalaikunda area with his wingman on September 7, 1965, when they were ordered to intercept six Pakistani Sabres approaching to attack.
While his wingman engaged three aircraft, Cooke went after the remaining three. The ensuing dogfight lasted around 10 minutes, involving intense manoeuvring at extremely low altitude.
Recalling the encounter during an interaction with The Tribune, Cooke said the Pakistani Sabres had an advantage in turning capability, while the Hunters were faster and more powerful.
“Sabres could turn quicker, but our Hunters were more powerful and faster,” he had recalled, describing the engagement as a “fast and furious” battle.
The aircraft came so close during the combat that Cooke said he could make out the name stencilled on the back of an opposing pilot’s helmet. At one point, his Hunter’s wingtip brushed vegetation while flying at very low altitude.
He eventually shot down a Pakistani Sabre and engaged another aircraft, disrupting the attacking formation and compelling it to withdraw.
Cooke later recalled that he had gone into the engagement without a proper meal. Having missed breakfast before his first sortie, he grabbed a packet of biscuits before taking off again.
The intensity of the mission was reflected in another episode after he returned to base. Ground personnel reportedly spotted a bent aircraft fin with pieces of vegetation lodged in it and questioned him about flying dangerously low. Another airman noticed black residue on the aircraft and suspected that its guns had been fired.
Cooke said the mission had ended with virtually no fuel left. While he was still taxiing after landing, the engine stopped after the last drop of fuel had been consumed.
From Agra to the IAF
Born and raised in Agra during the Second World War, Cooke developed an early fascination with aviation after watching Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs operating in the region.
He was commissioned into the IAF in December 1961 as a member of the 80th Pilots Course and served for seven years before leaving the service in December 1968. He subsequently settled in Australia but continued to visit India and maintain his association with his former squadron.
No. 14 Squadron was raised in August 1951 with the Spitfire and converted to the Hunter in 1959. The squadron operated the Hunter during both the 1965 and 1971 wars. In 1979, it became the first IAF squadron to be equipped with the Jaguar strike aircraft and was later based at Ambala.
Cooke had also reflected on the contrasting tactics used by the two sides during the 1965 conflict. He said Pakistani pilots were aggressive but followed relatively structured tactics influenced by US training, while the Indian training approach allowed its pilots to anticipate and counter some of their manoeuvres.
For the younger generation of IAF personnel, however, his enduring message was broader than the details of one aerial battle: master the fundamentals, understand the capabilities of the aircraft and then have the confidence to think beyond established procedures.
