page_title: History of the Indian Air Force
section_title: World War II (1939–1945)
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Indian Air Force / World War II (1939–1945)
caption_attribution_description: English: Royal Air Force Operations in the Far East, 1941-1945. Personnel of the RAF, Indian Air Force and Womens' Auxiliary Corps (India) at work in the Operations Room at a Group Headquarters in North-eastern India.
context_page_description: The history of the Indian Air Force began with its establishment in 1932 and continues up to the present day.
context_section_description: During World War II, the IAF played an instrumental role in blocking the advance of the Japanese army in Burma, where its first air strike was on the Japanese military base in Arakan. It also carried out strike missions against the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand.
  The IAF was mainly involved in Strike, Close Air Support, Aerial reconnaissance, Bomber Escort and Pathfinding missions for RAF and USAAF Heavy bombers. RAF Pilots were embedded in IAF units and vice versa to gain combat experience. IAF pilots participated in air operations in Europe as part of the RAF.
  During the war, the IAF went through a phase of steady expansion. New aircraft, including the U.S. built Vultee Vengeance, Douglas DC-3 and the British Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire and Westland Lysander, were added to its fleet.
  Subhas Chandra Bose sent Indian National Army youth cadets to Japan to train as pilots. They went on to attend the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Academy in 1944.
  In recognition of the services rendered by the IAF, King George VI conferred the prefix "Royal" in 1945. Thereafter the IAF was referred to as Royal Indian Air Force. In 1950, when India became a republic, the prefix was dropped and it reverted to Indian Air Force.
  Post war, No. 4 Squadron IAF was sent to Japan as part of the Allied Occupation forces.
caption: Personnel of the RAF, Indian Air Force and Womens' Auxiliary Corps (India) at work in the Operations Room at a Group Headquarters in North-eastern India.
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