Barrackpore AFS

Barrackpore Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base located in Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is one of the oldest stations in the Indian Air Force and operates transport units. During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force as a reconnaissance airfield, flying unarmed P-38 Lightning aircraft equipped with mapping cameras to gather intelligence on Japanese forces in occupied Burma. In the early 1950s, several Spitfire Squadrons were based here. In 1963, No. 11 Squadron IAF, flying Douglas Dakotas, was located at Barrackpore. The base has also been home to Mi-17 squadrons. Its ancillary units include 5 Tettra and 3 Tettra, with 157 HU as a flying unit. Several Spitfire airframes salvaged from Barrackpore in the 1970s and 1980s have been restored to flying status.