MiG-21, the most produced supersonic fighter, has been a cornerstone of the Indian Air Force for over six decades, demonstrating incredible versatility from the 1971 Dacca bombing to downing an F-16 in 2019. Despite early operational challenges and a controversial "flying coffin" nickname, its adaptability and long service have cemented its legacy as a pivotal aircraft in Indian military aviation In the history of military aviation, no fighter has been made in such large numbers—more than 11,500 worldwide, with 850 of them flown by the Indian Air Force. None has been so versatile, so long-serving, so glorified—and so unkindly reviled—as the MiG-21.
The ‘angels’ were on their way. US President Richard Nixon,
who had armed Pakistan and warned India against war, had dispatched the 7th
Fleet, led by nuclear powered carrier USS Enterprise. The fleet had entered the
Bay of Bengal and was steaming towards Chittagong.
Signals picked up by air intelligence revealed that East
Pakistan’s military governor A.M. Malik had called a meeting at the Dacca
Circuit House, inviting UN representative John Kelly. If Malik appealed for UN
or US help, India’s hands would be tied and victory would slip away. The
meeting had to be prevented—without spilling civilian or foreign blood. All
eyes turned to Group Captain Malcolm Wollen, who was in control of two MiG-21
squadrons in the east. Barely an hour remained for the Dacca meeting when
orders reached the squadrons in Guwahati and Hasimara; strike near the building
where the meeting was going to take place, but avoid killing. Dacca was a 20 minute
flight away.
A new problem arose: there was no military map of Dacca.
Someone got a few tourist maps. Wollen chose four of his best MiG-21 pilots and two
Hunters. Wing Commander B.K. Bishnoi, the team leader, had already shown what
the MiG-21 could do when handled with skill. A few days earlier, he had led a
team of three on a mission to bomb the enemy’s communication hubs. Operating
without intelligence, they had entered the enemy’s firing range and were forced
to retreat. The following day, they took their planes dangerously low over the
runway of the enemy’s Tezgaon airbase and bombed it out. After dropping two
bombs, Bishnoi went for a second strike, even taking photos of the target,
proving that the high-flying interceptor could be sent on recce missions.
Now, on 14 December, as the MiGs were
revving up, Bishnoi was told the meeting would be at the governor’s house, and
not the circuit house. In military parlance, ‘the target had moved’. There was no time to lose by giving
new coordinates to the pilots. They took off, and from the sky Bishnoi radioed
his buddies about the new target. They located the governor’s house from the
limousines parked outside. Spotting a dome atop the building they concluded
that the conference room would be right below. Bishnoi and his three MiG
buddies flew over the dome, firing rockets straight through the roof, followed
by the two Hunters which had only guns.