Alam shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets in one minute during the 1965 war, making a world record in shooting most jets in shortest time. In total, he shot down 9 Indian jets and damaged two via F-86 Sabre flying ace during the 1965 war.
He was awarded Sitara-e-Juraat twice for his services to the PAF. Alam retired as Air Commodore in 1982. A main road, that runs from Main Market to Gulberg is named after him along with PAF Air Base MM Alam, previously known as Mianwali Airbase.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal paid tributes to the Pakistani hero saying that his flying skills, precision and professionalism remain unparalleled in the history of airforce.
https://twitter.com/DrMFaisal/status/1107486309822681089
Truly the GOAT.
https://twitter.com/Esha_Ali94/status/1107555789219291136
‘Salute to the national hero Air Commodore Muhammad Mahmood Alam SJ’
https://twitter.com/AboHuzaifa/status/1107517197017104384
‘A Real Hero’
https://twitter.com/Huma_quiet/status/1107501612812193792
‘Hats Off To Our Nation Hero’
https://twitter.com/xor_ain/status/1107503844328640512
‘The King Of Pilots’
https://twitter.com/mirwaleed7/status/1107500922203238402
British Aviation Writer John Ficker describes M.M. Alam in these words:
"Mohammad Mahmood Alam is a scrap of a man who appears almost lost in the none-too-roomy cockpit of a Sabre. Yet during the 1965 conflict with India, this Pakistani squadron commander established a combat record which has few equals in the history of jet warfare...Many pilots have scored several air victories in one sortie, and have exceeded or equaled Alam’s...shooting down up to five enemy aircraft of superior performance within a few minutes. But few are likely to be able to match his record of destroying at least three opponents – Hawker Hunters of the IAF [Indian Air Force] – within the space of somewhere around 30 seconds."
Alam passed away in Karachi on March 18 in 2013. He was battling with respiratory problems during the last months of his life.
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