March 28, 2024
MiG-23MF SK-412 is the first air defence variant of the MiG-23 to be preserved for public display at Chiloda Traffic Circle. Pic Courtesy : Rahul Devnath
Another view of MiG-23MF SK-412 as seen around the begining of the year. Pic Courtesy : Rahul Devnath -

The most prominent warbird of Gandhinagar is the MiG-23MF SK-412 . The aircraft was installed at the Chiloda Traffic Circle towards the begining of 2006. The aircraft was formally inagurated by Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi when he visited the HQ of SWAC on January 17, 2006. Contributor Rahul Devnath was on site to take photographs of the aircraft as it was being prepared for display and these are presented on this page.

HQ, South Western Air Command

The Headquarters of South Western Air Command [SWAC] was formed in Jodhpur in Rajasthan in the year 1980. The existing Operational Group was converted into a Command HQ. Recently in 1998, the HQ of SWAC was moved to Gandhinagar near Ahmedabad. SWAC has under its command, besides the airfield at Jamnagar, supplementary airfields at Bhuj and Nalia in Kutch. It was from Nalia , that in August 1999, an intruding Pakistani Naval Atlantique was shot down by MiG-21bis aircraft of the No.45 Squadron.

For years we have thought that there was a Hunter airframe displayed at the SWAC HQ in Gandhinagar. Various sources have given the id of the Hunter as A492. This was confirmed via Google Maps Images. Also known to us is the the presence of a HAL HF-24 Marut parked just outside the main administrative block of SWAC HQ.

The Air Officer Commanding in Chief of SWAC in 2004, Air Marshal Satish Kumar Jain poses with his staff officers in front of the HF-24 Marut preserved at SWAC HQ. Pic Courtesy : Sainik Samachar -
- A group photo with Air Marshal S P Tyagi in front of the SWAC HQ. Pic Courtesy : Rahul Devnath

Aircraft Type Serial No Remarks
HAL HF-24 Marut D-1220 SWAC HQ
Hawker Hunter A-492 SWAC HQ
MiG-23MF SK-412 Chiloda Traffic Circle

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