March 29, 2024
Bareilly is located in the northern portions of Uttar Pradesh state, right on the border with the newly created state of Uttaranchal. Bareilly had been the location for the Air Force Base established under Central Air Command in the mid 60s. It had always housed the most secretive of the aircraft of the IAF - starting with the Sukhoi-7s, the EW Squadron with MiG-21Ms and Canberras and finally the No.102 Squadron Trisonics, flying the MiG-25Rs.

Bareilly is located in the northern portions of Uttar Pradesh state, right on the border with the newly created state of Uttaranchal. Bareilly had been the location for the Air Force Base established under Central Air Command in the mid-60s.

It had permanently housed the most secretive of the aircraft of the IAF – starting with the Sukhoi-7s, the EW Squadron with MiG-21Ms and Canberras and finally the No.102 Squadron Trisonics, flying the MiG-25Rs.

The airfield has at least one Canberra T.4 variant preserved on the tarmac. First observed when President KR Narayanan visited the airbase to present colours to No.35 Squadron, the aircraft was photographed recently during the phase-out of the MiG-25Rs. The plane is a rare example as there are no T.4 variants in preservation anywhere.

This Canberra T.4 trainer variant can be distinguished by the “solid” nose and the bubble canopy. Pic Courtesy: Sanjay Simha

As per Google Earth, there were at least three more Canberras which are lying around in one of the blast pens. However, they slowly disappeared by 2015

Initially, the IAF has indicated that at least one MiG-25 airframe will be preserved on the airbase. It is believed that this will most probably be KP-3106, an airframe that has been grounded at Bareilly for quite some time.

It has since been confirmed via Google Earth that there are two MiG-25 airframes preserved.  One at the main entrance gate, and the other at the war memorial near the ATC.

The Technical area holds a Gnat mounted on a pylon.

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