AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 4 – War Diary CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 55 of 237 slipped out through the escape hatch and moved back to the electronic bay. I tried opening the stud/bolt, securing the panel cover with my thumbnail as a screwdriver. This resulted in a split nail with blood oozing out. A coin might be able to do the job. Searching for something in my flying overalls’ pockets, I found a packet of Pakistani currency which was allotted to us along with a loaded revolver before departure. It was a thoughtful move to include some coins in that packet likely to be used for bus fare in an attempt to escape if being shot down. I managed to open the panel with a coin and put hand inside to reach to the circuit breaker of the generator. It had indeed popped out. I tried pushing it inside with an increasing force, but in vain. Standing in the dark with two jet engines screaming at a high pitch, I realized that “I might have to abort the mission”. It was difficult to live with the feeling that I failed to complete the first task allotted to me. In sheer desperation, I clenched my fist and whacked the circuit breaker. Surprisingly, it did set in. Quickly closing the panel, I climbed into the cockpit. The red light had gone off; I released the brakes, lined up on the runway and took off. The red tracer of anti-aircraft guns could be seen from miles. The maps were put away to point the aircraft at the centre of that hell fire. The bombs were released accurately at the time over target assigned to me. I was happy to complete the mission after carrying out running repairs on the way. To my greater satisfaction, I paid the enemy back in their own “coin”.