Vintage aircraft Kanpur-1 goes to IAF Heritage Centre in Chandigarh

The Indian Air Force Heritage Centre which is coming up in Chandigarh received a rare exhibit – a Vintage Prototype Aircraft “Kanpur-1”. This craft with a single engine had been designed and built in 1958 by late Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh.

The craft was till now the proud possession of Chandigarh’s Punjab Engineering College and now it will be shown at the Centre being set up in Sector 18.

The aircraft was received by Air Marshal R. Radhish of Western Air Command from Prof. Baldev Setia, Director PEC at a ceremony hosted at the Aeronautical Engineering section of the college.

The college was gifted this craft by AVM Harjinder Singh in 1967 and is an important part of Indian aviation heritage.

“Kanpur-1” will be displayed along with other aircraft at the Centre making people aware of IAF and innovations that have taken place over the years in aviation.

The Centre has been conceptualised by Chandigarh Administration, Banwari Lal Purohit, Governor of Punjab and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff last year. It will house artifacts, different vintage aircraft, simulators and interactive boards, in order to highlight the various facets of operations in the IAF.

Besides creating awareness about the force, the Centre will go a long way in motivating and inspiring the youth making a career in the IAF.