WesWorld

Indian Army Air Corps

Founded in 1914 a couple of months before the beginning of the Great War the Imperial Army Air Corps received their baptize during the wars in the Asir Mandate. The battles in the Arabian Peninsula shaped this force into one tasked to defend the country against the designs of the European nations (1) and support the Army in their military operations for that same purpose. Currently close to 15% of the manpower of the Standing Army is part of the Air Corps; either as pilots, mechanics, air crews, logistics personnel, AA guns crewmen and other assorted personnel. The Air Corps is the second largest in the World as today, only second the one fielded by Russia.

Five major companies control the aeronautical business in India; Alleppey Aeronautics, Kiran Industries, Mayawati, Awali Brothers and Imperial Aeronautics. While Kiran Industries and Awali Brothers by the beginning of the 1930’s started to concentrate in the Naval Aviation the other three companies started to compete for the more profitable Army Air Corps contracts. By the year 1936 Alleppey lost their fight with Imperial Aeronautics for the fighter market while the smaller Mayawati started to use Imperial engines in their bomber designs since early in the decade.

By 1936 the Indian Imperial Air Corps was composed of 80 fighter regiments, 60 bomber one and 12 ground attack ones. While Alleppey fighters are know for the use of radial engines the one from Imperial plus the bombers build by Mayawati are powered by inline engines and after the performance first of the Mayawati bombers and later of the Imperial fighters cemented the dominance of inline engines in the procurement and requirements bureau.


List of new aircrafts since 1932; the rest of the regiments are fielding aircrafts designed before the aircraft that follow. Those must likely will be phased out with the new aircrafts entering service.

Fighters since 1932:

Name: Alleppey Aeronautics Sikara I (Hawk)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 250 mph at 13,000 feet
200 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x AA 200 at 650 hp radial
Range: 630 miles
Armament: 1 x 7.92mm machine guns(Nose), 1 x 15mm machinegun(Nose); 5 30lbs bombs or 2 100lbs bombs.

Notes: Started production on January 1932 and by the time production was ended in December 1935 over 1500 of then were build between it and their improved version. Exported to Persia. Over 30 regiments currently using this aircraft or the improved version.
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Name: Alleppey Aeronautics Sikara II (Hawk)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 260 mph at 13,000 feet
220 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x AA 200 at 750 hp radial
Range: 640 miles
Armament: 1 x 7.92mm machine guns(Nose), 1 x 15mm machinegun(Nose); 5 30lbs bombs or 2 100lbs bombs.

Notes: Using a newer engine that raised the horsepower by one hundred. Over 30 regiments currently using this aircraft or the improved version.
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Name: Imperial Aeronautics Sher (Lion)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 290 mph at 14,000 feet
260 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x IA 300 at 750 hp inline
Range: 510 miles
Armament: 1 x 7.92mm machine guns(Nose), 1 x 15mm machinegun(Nose); 5 30lbs bombs or 2 100lbs bombs.

Notes: Started production in early 1933 and was the reason Alleppey increased the horsepower of their engine in an attempt to keep at par with their competition. Close to 20 regiments currently using this aircraft. Faster that their competition but with shorter legs.
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Name: Imperial Aeronautics Syen (Falcon)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 355 mph at 15,000 feet
300 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x IA 350 at 1150 hp inline
Range: 350 miles
Armament: 2 7.92mm machine guns(Nose); 2 15mm machine guns(wings)

Notes: The lessons of the concluded war in Asir were mated with the newest Imperial Aeronautics engine to build the most heavily armed and armored fighter in the world by the time it entered began production on January 1935. Currently serving in less than 10 regiments.
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Interceptors since 1932:

Name: Imperial Aeronautics Garu (Eagle)
Type: land based interceptor
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 380 mph at 25,000 feet
370 mph at 15,000 feet
340 mph at sea level
Engine: 2 x IA 350 at 1150 hp inline
Range: 800 miles
Armament: 2 7.92mm machine guns(Wings); 2 25mm cannons (Nose)

Notes: First twin engine fighter in the Imperial Air Corps; using the same engine as the Syen it was 40mph faster and carried the heaviest main armament in the world at the time. It was ordered in anticipation to what was perceived as the eventual war with the European powers and their large fleets of bombers. Serving in less than 10 regiments.

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Bombers since 1932:

Name: Mayawati Haathee I (Elephant)
Type: land based bomber
Crew: 4
Max Speed: 230 mph at 13000 feet
Engine: 2 x IA 300 at 750 hp inline
Range: 700 miles with 2000lbs of bombs
Armament: 1 7.92mm machinegun (Nose), 1 7.92mm machinegun (Dorsal), 1 7.92mm machinegun(Ventral Hole); 3000lbs maximum bomb payload.

Notes: Mayawati’s decision of dropping of the fighter competition and to concentrate in bombers paid off by getting the contract for the Haathee in late 1932. The production of the Haathee started in 1933 and continues strong; with the improved Haathee II entering service early in 1935. Close to 30 regiments either with the Haathee I or II versions.

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Name: Mayawati Haathee II (Elephant)
Type: land based bomber
Crew: 4
Max Speed: 260 mph at 16000 feet
Engine: 2 x IA 350 at 1150 hp inline
Range: 900 miles with 2000lbs of bombs
Armament: 1 7.92mm machinegun (Nose), 1 7.92mm machinegun (Dorsal), 1 7.92mm machinegun(Ventral Hole); 4500lbs maximum bomb payload.

Notes: Improved Haathee with extended range, speed and payload.

(1) the Air Corps is being designed to protect the nation of enemy aircrafts and to support the ground forces. The navy is considered the one that should project power abroad but in operations like Asir is considered necessary to take the offensive.

List of new aircrafts from 1937 to 1940. Date entered service is beside name.

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Name: Imperial Aeronautics Syen II (Falcon II) (1937)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 380 mph at 15,000 feet
320 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x IA 400 at 1300 hp inline
Range: 400 miles
Armament: 2 7.92mm machine guns(Nose); 2 15mm machine guns(wings)

Notes: Had improved engine delivering more horsepower making possible an increase in speed and range.
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Name: Imperial Aeronautics Syen III (Falcon III) (1940)
Type: land based fighter
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 400 mph at 15,000 feet
325 mph at sea level
Engine: 1 x IA 500 at 1400 hp inline
Range: 500 miles
Armament: 2 15mm machine guns(Nose); 2 25mm machine guns(wings)

Notes: Had the new 1,400 hp IA-500 engine, which offered 300 more horsepower at full throttle, and had various aerodynamic cleanups to the fuselage. Increase in main armament also increased weight of the aircraft and it was considered they reached their maximum development. Was built despite negative reviews by test pilots, who preferred the new test aircraft being called the Syen IV in performance, handling and other characteristics. The High Command in order to keep the production lines running smoothly as a total changeover to the newer Syen IV would have delayed production by almost a year and they considered more tests were needed before production could be approved for the new aircraft.
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Interceptors since 1937:

Name: Imperial Aeronautics Garu II (Eagle II) (1940)
Type: land based interceptor
Crew: 1
Max Speed: 430 mph at 25,000 feet
400 mph at 15,000 feet
370 mph at sea level
Engine: 2 x IA 500 at 1400 hp inline
Range: 850 miles/ 1750miles with drop tanks
Armament: 2 15mm machine guns(Wings); 2 35mm cannons (Nose)

Notes: Improved version of the Garu; had same engines as the Syen III improved engine and improved armament. it was the first aircraft to get the light weight version of the quick firing 35mm. Had a new "high visibility" hood, which improved vision as much as could be done with the existing airframe, which was already pencil thin and could not be cut down any further.

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Bombers since 1937:

Name: Mayawati Haathee III (Elephant III) (1939)
Type: land based bomber
Crew: 4
Max Speed: 280 mph at 16000 feet
Engine: 2 x IA 400 at 1300 hp inline
Range: 1000 miles with 2200lbs of bombs
Armament: 1 7.92mm machinegun (Nose), 1 7.92mm machinegun (Dorsal), 1 7.92mm machinegun(Ventral Hole); 4500lbs maximum bomb payload.

Notes: A ever more improved Haathee with extended range, speed and payload.

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Attack aircrafts since 1937:

Name: Junkers Gaval (Buffalo) (1937)
Type: land based dive bomber/ attack aircraft
Crew: 2
Max Speed: 242 mph at 13000 feet
Engine: 1 x Junkers 211 at 1200 hp
Range: 300 miles
Armament: 2 fixed 7.92 mm machine gun, firing forward; 1 ring-mounted 7.92 mm machine gun in rear cockpit; 1 x 250kg on centreline underneath fuselage; 2 x 50kg under wings

Notes: First ground attack aircraft in the IAC. 48 units were purchased from Germany and entered service by the middle of 1937.

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Name: Imperial Aeronautics Gendaa (Rhino) (1940)
Type: land based attack aircraft/dive bomber
Crew: 4
Max Speed: 310 mph at 16000 feet
Engine: 2 x IA 400 at 1300 hp inline
Range: 700 miles with 1000lbs of bombs
Armament: 2 25mm cannons (Nose); 4 15mm machine guns (Nose); 2 x 550lbs on centreline underneath fuselage or 4 x 250lbs on centreline underneath fuselage or 8 x 100lbs on wing racks.


Notes: Heavily armed and protected aircraft following studies of Japanese attack aircrafts. The pilot sat in an armored tub protected up to 15mm weapons while both engines were armored underneath to protect against 7.92mm weapons.

List of Aircrafts from 1941 to 1945. Data entered service is beside name

Fighters (1941-1945)

Later

Interceptors (1941-1945)

Later

Bombers (1941-1945)

EWIL Type 108 Heavy Bomber

Crew: 8
Length: 23.60 m
Wingspan: 39.50 m
Empty weight: 18000 kg
Max takeoff weight: 32000 kg
Powerplant: Four GWM L-1500, 1482hp each
Maximum speed: 445 km/h
Service ceiling: 11000 m
Range: 6000 km
Armament: Six 15mm machine guns, 5000 kg bombs

Notes: A deal was reached with EWIL for the delivery of 150 aircrafts late in 1940 with delivery in 1941.

Attack bombers (1941-1945)

Later