Benares, otherwise known as Varanasi , sprung up on the warbirds map of India in 2001 when a mystery vintage aircraft was exported by a British collector. The Benares Hindu University’s Engineering College (BENCO) sold the derelict aircraft that was lying on its campus to englishman Peter Vacher. After a three year marathon restoration effort to make it airworthy, the Hurricane, R-4118 has taken to the air after a complete restoration.
Varanasi was also home to the No.4 Air Force Selection Board, tasked with selection of Officer Cadets for the IAF. Recently Dennis Duis, passing through the city discovered a HAL Ajeet mounted on a pole outside the AFSB. The location is quite close to the railway station.
| The pole mounted Ajeet E-1964 in Varanasi. Pic Courtesy : Dennis Duis via Hans van herk |
The photograph promptly found its way to us via Hans van herk. The Ajeet is serialled E-1964 and is one of the few Ajeets to feature an all silver nosecone.
