Saiful Azam

Flt Lt Saiful Azam was an ace fighter pilot who fought for three different countries during three different wars and emerged as the only fighter pilot to have been awarded a state medal by three different countries.

On September 19, 1965 during the India-Pakistan War he was part of a four–ship formation of F-86 Sabres executing a ground attack strike when the flight was bounced by Indian Air Force Folland Gnats. In the ensuing dogfight Azam shot down one of two attackers (the pilot, Flying Officer V Mayadev safely ejecting to be taken POW) and let the other Gnat escape after sensing that it had surrendered.

In November 1966, he was deputised along with another Pakistan Air Force officer, Flt Lt Sarwar Shad, to fly Hunters with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, and became caught up in the 1967 Arab-Israeli. On June 5 1967 while flying from al Mafraq, he added to his total by shooting down two Israeli Mystere IVs

Two days later, on 7 June 1967, after being seconded to the Iraqi Air Force, he was based at the Western Iraq airfield H-3 when it was attacked by Israeli jets. Taking off in an Iraqi Hunter he downed a Mirage III and later a Vautour bomber (bits of which were found embedded in his Hunter when he returned to base, which led many of his fellow aircrew to presume that he had actually rammed the Israeli aircraft).

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