Vikrant, then and now

May 15, 2017 12:39 am | Updated 12:39 am IST

My eyes welled up as I read the story, “In the heart of the iron beast” (‘Ground Zero’ page, May 13) — on the building of India’s new and indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at the Cochin Shipyard. It was exactly 57 years ago when I was sent to stand by during the construction of the first INS Vikrant at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard, that built the Titanic in Belfast, North Ireland. Named HMS Hercules , it was one of the three carriers which were launched in 1943 but never commissioned. The other two were sold to the Australian Navy and Canadian Navy, rechristened as HMAS Melbourne and HMCS Bonaventure , respectively.

I remember losing myself in the maze of gangways and staircases on the first day. I was proud to be a member of the commissioning crew and doubly delighted when I was appointed the flight deck chief — the first Indian. The then new powerful BS10 Catapult equipment — to launch aircraft at an end speed of 100 mph — was a beast of a steam machine. The arresting gear, which comprised four wires stretched across, was the most modern hydraulic equipment of its time. As in charge of that equipment and several others, I was immensely pleased to be associated with the ship in its new avatar. The carrier was commissioned in March 1961 by Vijayalakshmi Pandit, the then High Commissioner in the U.K. Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, was also present.

I distinctly remember the first test flight programme in the sea off Belfast, when Royal Naval officers were still present while we were launching Gannets jet propeller aircraft. As we were leaving, Big Sam, the foreman in the yard, told me: Be watchful as in this test run someone may be in danger to his life.” I had a youngster, Inamdar, who was assisting me while launching the first sorties. We were on our knees as the aircraft revved up to full thrust. I gave a thumbs up when the firing button in the Howdah (the control cabin) was pressed. Inamdar, who was crouched next to me, raised himself despite my warning not to and was instantly blown away by the jet exhaust. After two rolls on the deck he hit an iron clip of the magazine locker. He was flown to a London hospital but declared dead on arrival. Sam was right.

We reached Bombay late that year and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Defence Minister V. K Krishna Menon came to receive us. I served on the ship in the same capacity for over three and half years, till I left the Indian Navy in 1963.

K.R.A. Narasiah,

Chennai

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