Flying Officer Gian Singh still remains a much-remembered name who used to regularly ferry in the Vampire aircraft for servicing at Hanger No.6 of the Depot. Nostalgic moments included induction of India’s first jet aircraft, the Vampire in 1954 and the Depot affecting its first major servicing in that very year.
1 Base Repair Depot and Group Captain Harjinder Singh MBE PVSM became the first Commanding Officer of this new unit. On 09 August 1948, the two units were merged to form No. Group Captain DAR Nanda became the first Commanding Officer of both these units. 10 Aircraft Storage unit for storage activities were formed at Chakeri, Kanpur. 1 Aircraft Repair Depot for servicing and No. On 15 August 1947, the historic day of India’s Independence, Wing Commander Ranjan Dutta DFC took over the command of Air Force Station, Kanpur from the Royal Air Force. 322 Maintenance Unit was disbanded and Royal Air Force Station, Kanpur came into formal existence. In August 1945, after Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces and hostilities came to an end, this No. The unit was further expanded to include aircraft storage and servicing activities, while the logistics support and aeroengine storage functions operated at Armapur Estate, 25 Km away from Chakeri. The functions included arming of bombers and fighter aircraft like Liberator, Lancaster, Hurricane, Tempest and Dakota. 322 Maintenance Unit was formed in 1940 in the 21 TATA hangers at Chakeri, Kanpur. To support air operations in the Far East during World War II, No. Additionally, HQ MC oversees production and product support activities of HAL and BEL through Liaison Establishments and Liaison Cells. Maintenance Command is responsible for product support, maintenance, repair and overhaul of all de-centralised variants of aircraft, aero-engines, missiles, ADGES Radars, Communication, Power and Air Conditioning equipment, GW equipment, Ground Radar, Radio and Nav aids including GCA, Airborne avionics, EW equipment etc.
Technical activities undertaken by Maintenance Command are carried out at Base Repair Depots (BRDs), Equipment Depots (EDs), Air Storage Parks (ASPs), Air Force Liaison Establishments (AFLEs), Air Force Liaison Cells (AFLCs) and numerous other smaller units. 1 BRD, the mother BRD, however, has been allowed to retain its original motto of SAHAYATA SEVA. The motto inscribed on the insignia is KAYA KALPA which indicates rejuvenation of the body and explains the role of the Base Repair Depots where aircraft, aero engines and other technical equipment, having completed certain life, are overhauled and sent out with a new lease of life. The genuinely unique crest depicts the mythical bird Phoenix rising out of the flames with a gear wheel encircling its head. In May 1978, Air Mshl D Subia PVSM VrC, AOC-in-C, MC used this philosophy to give the Base Repair Depots a uniform Unit Crest and Motto. The ancient concept of the Phoenix is, in many ways, the essence of the mythological treatment of themes of renewal and rebirth, particularly considering the emphasis on fire, metaphorically the spark of life and, practically essential for existence. Early Christian tradition adopted the phoenix as a symbol of both immortality and resurrection. In the mythology of ancient Egypt, the phoenix represented the Sun, which dies at night and is reborn in the morning. According to tradition, the phoenix consumed itself by fire every 500 years, and a new, young phoenix sprang from its ashes. Phoenix was a legendary bird that lived in Arabia. Nagpur was eventually selected as the new site for setting up Maintenance Command Headquarters. IAF, however, was poised to expand in times to come and Kanpur alone could not absorb the futuristic industrial activities. This division of HAL is today known as Transport Aircraft Division or HAL (TAD), and is based at Chakeri, Kanpur. In the perspective of the industrial revolution in India, when the role of IAF was more clearly defined, AMD was transferred to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). A unit called Aircraft Manufacturing Depot (AMD) was subsequently added to undertake manufacture of Avro aircraft. The only Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the Indian Air Force existed at Kanpur, along with a Repair and Manufacturing Depot (RMD). Kanpur was the hub centre of maintenance activities even before independence. Maintenance Command was formed at Kanpur on 26 January 1955 with Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh MBE PVSM as its first Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief. “OUR MOTTO ‘SARVADA GAGENECHARET’ (ALWAYS FLYING IN THE SKY) TO ENABLE IAF TO ‘NABHA SPARSH DEEPTAM’ (TOUCHING THE SKY WITH GLORY)”