Did the Azad Hind Fauj have an air wing?

Asked 15-Sep-2022
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The Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA), was formed in 1942 by Indian nationalists in Southeast Asia with the aim of driving the British Raj out of India. The INA was initially made up of Indian soldiers who had been captured by the Japanese in the early stages of the war in the Far East.

The INA soon came to include a large number of Indian civilians who had been living in Japanese-occupied territories. One of the most famous members of the INA was Subhas Chandra Bose, a nationalist leader who had been living in exile in Germany.

Bose arrived in Japan in 1943 and soon took charge of the INA. Under his leadership, the INA became a formidable fighting force and even managed to capture the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the British.

However, the INA was ultimately defeated by the British Indian Army in the Battle of Imphal in 1944. Bose was killed in an airplane crash in 1945 and the INA was disbanded soon afterwards.

So, did the INA have an air wing?

There is no clear answer to this question as there is very little information available on the subject. However, it is generally believed that the INA did not have its own air force and instead made use of captured British and American aircraft. While the INA did not have an air wing, it did have a small fleet of aircraft. These aircraft were used for reconnaissance and transport missions.

Some of the most famous pilots of the INA were Mohan Singh, Mehar Singh, and Prem Singh. They were all trained in Japan and later flew sorties against the British in India. So, while the INA did not have an air force of its own, it did make use of captured aircraft to wage war against the British Raj.

Did the Azad Hind Fauj have an air wing?