1966 To 2019: Then And Now Image Of IAF’s ‘Hell’s Angels’

If you scrolled past this black and white image, without any text to explain what it was, you might not even remember seeing it. It looks just like any other photo on the internet, perhaps less impressive due to the lack of colour. But this is no ordinary photo. This image recently went viral on Reddit, and Twitter to some extent. Even Anand Mahindra stumbled across it and was curious to know who these gentlemen were. According to a Reddit thread, the black and white photo was taken before the 1971 war. The pilots are seen posing on their Jawa bikes – which was a statement at the time. These guys actually flew over East Pakistan and shot down Sabre jets in dog fights. So, when the Jawa Motorcycle Company recently launched a modern version of these iconic bikes, it tracked down four survivors in the old photo. They were invited to Delhi for a presentation ceremony that took place at the Manekshaw Centre. While people have been speculating about the missing pilot in the recent photograph, the whereabouts of the fifth pilot are not clear. A Twitter user also shared a detailed account of the bravery of this legendary squad known as the Hell’s Angels, and then rechristened ‘Sabre Slayers’. Take a look: https://twitter.com/Patel_p3/status/1122490117241888768/photo/1 Our forces work extremely hard in an unimaginably harsh environment to keep us safe. This photo is a reminder of exactly how badass our pilots can be