Rise and death of a best hawker hunter pilot in the world

Cpt_Shofiqul_BAF · June 15, 2020

Saiful Azam (1941 – 14 June 2020) was a Bangladeshi pilot who first served as a fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (1960-1971) and later the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) (1971-1979). During his career as PAF pilot, he shot down one Indian Air Force (IAF) and three Israel Air Force (IAF) aircraft. For his actions, he received various gallantry awards from Pakistan, Jordan and Iraq. He also took part in 12 ground-attack missions against the Indian forces.[3] After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Azam left the PAF and joined the newly-formed Bangladesh Air Force. He retired as a Group Captain from Bangladesh Air Force.

In late 1966, Azam was dispatched to Amman as a technical advisor to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. After only a few months in the region, he suddenly found himself at war as Israeli jets mounted a string of pre-emptive surprise attacks on Syria, Egypt and Jordan on June 5, 1967. The raids, which were part of the opening moves of the Six Day War, thwarted top secret Arab plans for an upcoming invasion of the Jewish state.

As fighting broke out all along the border with Israel, the Jordanians quickly appointed Azam and his Pakistani comrades to the RJAF. Within hours, the foreign pilots were intercepting enemy jets in their Jordanian Hawker Hunters. During one of these encounters, Azam intercepted the formation of 4 Vantour Bombers and also brought it down, it was flown by Capt Golan, who also ejected. Azam also managed to bring down an Israeli Dassault Super Mystère while damaging another as a flight of the French-built jets struck the Jordanian airbase at Mafraq. The crippled Mystère crashed on its way back to base.

Within 3 hours, Azam was in the air attacking a flight of four Israeli Vatour bombers and their Mirage escorts. Flying in a Hawker Hunter as No.2. His formation was intercepted by the formation of 04 Vatours & 2 Mirage III of Israeli Air Force. One of the Mirage IIIs was flown by Capt. Gideon Dror, who has shot down Azam’s Wingman, but he himself fell prey to Azam’s dwelling brilliance, Dror got ejected and was taken as POW.

Azam’s four victories during the Six Day War give him the distinction of downing more Israeli aircraft than any other fighter pilot in history. In 2001, US government rewarded him as "Living Eagle

Azam passed away on 14 June 2020 at a Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka Bangladesh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82QVLiZZqaU