New Delhi, Dec. 31 -- The Sino-Indian border war in 1962 contributed to re-kindling life at the airfield in its military role in order to cater to the expanding needs of pilots for the IAF's transport squadrons. The Indian Air Force established No. 2 TTW (Transport Training Wing) at the re-commissioned airfield in August 1963 under the command of a World War II veteran and Dakota king-pin, Gp Capt PL Dhawan, VrC (Dakota supply and night bombing operations under enemy fire during the J&K Operations in 1948) and Bar to VrC (Dakota supply operations in Daulat Beg Oldi area in 1962).
As a young officer, Flt. Lt. Dhawan would carry out stall turns on the Dakota transport aircraft. In 1964, C-47 Dakotas carried out numerous supply dropping and ...