Oorials
| No. 4 Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 February 1942 - Present |
| Country |
 Republic of India
|
| Branch |
 Indian Air Force
|
| Role |
Air superiority Precision Strike Interdiction |
| Garrison/HQ | Uttarlai AFS |
| Nickname(s) | "Oorials" |
| Motto(s) |
Maan Par Jaan Death over Dishonour |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | MiG-21Bison |
No. 4 Squadron (Oorials) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with MiG-21Bison and based at Uttarlai AFS.
The squadron adopted 'The oorial head' as its emblem in December 1944 just before the Supreme Commander of the allied forces Lord Lewis Mountbatten visit to Squadron. The squadron crest consists of an Oorial head with the Ashoka on top and the squadron Motto 'Honour unto death' written below. When the squadron was formed at Peshawar the Afghan tribals used to conduct regular fights amongst a local mountain sheep known as the Oorial or urial. The Oorial is a wild sheep, with a very lengthened sense of smell and sight. They have the ability to climb the steepest hillsides with remarkable ease, and are even wary and alert with significant strength and endurance. This animal has the ability of being a ferocious fighter that continues the fight to death rather than lose face and honour by turning away.
No. 4 Squadron of the IAF was born in the war at Peshawar on 1 Feb 1942. The squadron was first equipped with Lysander aircraft. The Second World War was in its third year, and Japanese forces were advancing towards India's eastern frontiers. Within a few days, the squadron moved to Kohat in NWEP.
In 1942 the squadron moved on a detachment to Hyderabad, Sindh (now Pakistan) to operate in support of the Army during operations against the Hurs. The Indian Army was then dealing with the insurrection instigated by the Fakir of Ippi.
During 1942 the squadron also operated Lysander detachments from Miranshah, a forward base in the NWFP, for action against insurgent Pashtuns in Waziristan. During this period the squadron operated its aircraft as bombers, besides carrying out its Army air co-operations role, tactical recce and mail dropping missions.
In June 1942, the squadron moved to the RAF station at Risalpur, near Rawalpindi, for converting onto Hurricane fighter bombers. The conversion training was completed by August 1942 and No. 4 Squadron moved to Phaphamau to collect its branch new Hurricane IIC aircraft.
In September 1943 the squadron moved from Phaphamau to Bhopal for air-to air armament training. it was a disastrous move, as out of the 12 Hurricanes that took off, 3 crashed due to bad weather.
On completion of armament training, the squadron moved to Sulur in November 1943 to practice for eventual operations in Burma. In Feb 1944, the squadron moved to Ranchi to carry out special low flying and ground attack training before moving to the front for its operational tour to Burma.
In March 1944, the squadron moved to Feni for operations against the Japanese. The role of the squadron was to provide close Air support to the XIV Army. it was from Feni that the squadron carried out its first operational sorties by providing fighter escort to Dakota, engaged in supply dropping missions in the northern Burma.
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Wikipedia