Turkish Air Force

The Nieuport 6H was the military version of a long series of Nieuport floatplanes started with the Nieuport IV G in 1912. When France entered the war the navy had two Nieuport floatplane escadrilles, one of these was equipped with six Nieuports VI G based at Saint-Raphael and the other was equipped with Nieuports VI H embarked at the seaplane carriers Foudre and Campinas operating on the Mediterranean. Some of these planes were lent to the British. These planes helped the French and British navies maintain dominance over the area, and later conducted some of the early reconnaissance flights over the Dardanelles. But by 1917, the Nieuports were replaced with F.B.A seaplanes and relegated to training duties. Some of these served with the Royal Naval Air Service for floatplane training at Lake Windermere in the UK.

First flown in 1915, the AR was a two-seat parasol-wing monoplane constructed largely of wood with fabric covering. About 400 were built after World War I (when it was known as the MS.35), mainly as intermediate trainers in three principal versions: MS.35R with a 59.6kW Le Rhone 9c rotary engine; MS.35A with an Anzani engine; and MS.35C with a Clerget 9B engine. The MS.35EP2 served with French Aeronautique Militaire 'Ecoles de Pilotage' up to 1929. Other military users were Poland (60), Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Guatemala, Romania, Soviet Union (30) and Turkey. A number also went to civil users.

At least 10 units were bought by THK (Turkish Air League) by the donations made by the people. The planes which arrived in May 1926 were handed over to the TuAF as a gift of the Turkish people.The MS-35s, whose design was based on the old WWI technology were deployed at the Operational Training Company and they were started being dropped from active duty in 1928. They were totally scrapped in 1931.

The Miles M.9 Master was a British 2-seat monoplane advanced trainer built by Miles Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. It went through a number of variants according to engine availability and was even modified as an emergency fighter during the Battle of Britain. It was a fast, strong and fully aerobatic aircraft and served as an excellent introduction to the high performance British fighter aircraft of the day; the Spitfire and Hurricane.

The Miles M.14 Magister was a British two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft built by the Miles Aircraft for the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. Affectionately known as the Maggie, the Magister was based on Miles' civilian Hawk Major and Hawk Trainer and was the first monoplane designed specifically as a trainer for the RAF. As a low-wing monoplane, it was an ideal introduction to the Spitfire and Hurricane for new pilots.

In 1941 the British Goverment promised to supply 25 Mk.1s in 1941 and 75 in 1942. However only 76 were despatched in 1941. 6 of these planes were lost enroute to Turkey which were shipped later on. Kayseri Aircraft Factory obtained the rights of under licence production from the Miles Co. and they produced 5 in 1941 and 21 in 1942. The rights of under-licence production was transferred to THK, The Turkish Aerial League and they produced a further 20 in their facilities located in Ankara. These planes were deployed at the Hava Okulu, 1st Training Battalion, 1st 2nd Companies in between 1942-50, Air Force Academy in between 1951-60. 60 of these planes were transferred to THK at different times and they remained in active service until 1963. Concerning the Miles Master, It was planned to procure 100 planes. But since is was observed that the CW-22s were having a much better performance the quantity was dropped to 27. On July 1943 8 Mk.II models arrived which was followed by 7 Martinet target towing models on March 1945. Within the same year 12 more Mk.IIs arrived. They were assigned to target towing duties in various regiments and they remained in service until being replaced by the T-6C Harvards.

During the first years of the newly founded Turkish Republic only three ex-WWI Gotha WD-13s were available as float planes to control the long Turkish coastline. These planes were smuggled from the Maritime depot in Haliç-İstanbul by the Turkish underground named the MM group and they were successfully transferred by boat to Amasra on the Black Sea shore. Until the end of the War of Independence they served the Dz.Tay.Bl (Maritime Airplane Co.) stationed at Amasra. The company was then transferred to İzmir-Güzelyalı. In 1924 eight MS-16bis/m equipped with 300HP Fiat engines were purchased. The planes who came within the same year were assigned to the company located in İzmir-Güzelyalı. This purchase was followed by an order of 12 MS-16bis/m equipped with 400HP Lorraine-Dietrich engines. Last order was placed in 1928 covering 8 S.59s equipped with 450HP Lorraine-Dietrich engines. They remained in service until the arrival of Supermarine Walruss in 1938.

The Supermarine Southampton was the first flying boat designed after the First World War to enter RAF service, and was the first of a series of successful military flying boats designed by Reginald Mitchell. It was based on the single Supermarine Swan flying boat, and was ordered off the drawing board in August 1924 after the Swan impressed in tests. The Southampton would become the second longest serving RAF flying boat (behind the Short Sunderland), entering service in 1925 and remaining in use for over ten years, while the related Stranraer was still in use at the start of the Second World War. The Southampton was a two-bay biplane. The lower wing was mounted just above the fuselage, and was supported by spar bracing tubes (standard practise was to build the lower wing roots into the hull). The wooden hull of the Mk I was built with an inner fuselage section with the planning bottom and two steps attached to the base. The gap between the two was divided into watertight compartments. On the metal-hulled Mk II this system was replaced by a simple single skin, which helped reduce weight and increase storage space. The two engines were mounted on pylons carried between the wings. The Southampton uses a triple fin and rudder, similar to the one used on the Swan. Three crew positions were placed ahead of the wings – the bow mooring position with a single Lewis gun was in the nose, followed by twin open tandem cockpits. The engineering and navigation stations were placed below the wing centre-section. Behind the wing were two offset Lewis gun positions.

As a replacement for the aging Rohrbach Rodra Ro.IIIas 6 were purchased in 1933 by the funds allocated from the National Budget. The planes arrived the same year and they were deployed at the newly formed company 31st Dz.Ty.Bomb.Bl. (31st Maritime Airplane Bomber Co.) located in Izmir. In 1943 they were dropped from active duty after the arrival of the Mosquitos.

The Southampton entered service in the summer of 1925 with No.480 (Coastal Reconnaissance Flight). It was best known for a series of long distance flights, carried out partly as flag waving exercises and partly to gain experience in operating flying boats in remote waters. The most famous of these tours lasted for over a year, and saw four aircraft from the Far East Flight travel 27,000 miles between October 1927 and 11 December 1928. During this journey the Southamptons circumnavigated Australia, and visited Hong Kong, Indo-China and Burma, before ending the journey at Singapore, where the flight was reformed as No.205 Squadron.

Its design works were started by the British firm Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd. in 1932 and its first prototype flight took place in 1933. They started serving the RN in 1935. Walrus is a single engined biplane with a pusher propeller. They can take-off from the sea or they can be catapulted from the warships. In 1937, with the funds allocated from the National Budget 6 were ordered. The planes arrived at April 1938 and they were deployed at the 11st Dz.Tay.Bl (11st Maritime Airplane Co.). Starting on 1944 they were transferred to the 105th Torpedo Co.. They were written off in 1947.

The Gotha Go 145 was a German two-seat basic trainer wooden construction biplane of the Second World War first flown in 1934. The Gotha Go 145B was powered by a 240 hp Argus As 10C inverted-Vee piston engine which provided a top speed of 212 kmh and a range of 630 km. From December 1942 Gotha Go 145 aircraft were also used on the Eastern Front as nuisance raiders, dropping small bombs on the Soviet positions during darkness.

he first 3 planes were brought from Germany and the remaining 43 planes were produced at the Kayseri Aircraft Factory in between 1936 and 1939. They were deployed at the Flying School replacing the Caudron C.59s. They remained in service until 1943 when they were started to be replaced by Miles Magisters. Then they were used as communication planes by air regiments until mid-1947.

In 1934 the Turkish Goverment decided to procure 12 Dewoitine-510s in order to stregthen the interceptor units and signed an aggreement with the producer. One of the planes produced was exhibited at the Paris Air Show in 1935 but the French Goverment embargoed the despacthment of the planes putting forward the unsettled situation in the Hatay Sandjak. This behaviour which was completely contrary to the international law caused anger and furiousity in the Turkish Goverment and the contract was immediately cancelled. Turkey who was in search of an alternative started investigating the Polish built P.24 together with four other Balkan countries which were namely Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece and with a Baltic country Estonia. In the meantime a P.24/III arrived Turkey and made demostration flights. The performance was found acceptable and an order was placed in 1936.

The first order was covering 20 P-24As 14 of which would be produced in Poland by PZL and the remaining 6 would be assembled at KTF (Kayseri Airplane factory). These planes had had 4 underwing racks for 12.5kg bombs, four 7.9mm Colt-Browning machine guns and two 20mm Oerlikon cannons. All of these planes were supplied within 1936. The second order covered 46 P-24Cs. 26 of these planes would be manufactured by PZL and 20 would be produced under licence by KTF. These planes were supplied within 1937. They were equipped with four 7.9mm Colt-Browning machineguns and they had two underwing rails for 50kg bombs. The P-24A and P-24C models were equipped with French made Gnome-Rhone reciprocating radial engines with an output of 900HP each.

In 1939 an additional aggrement was signed for the production of two P-24Gs at the KTF facilities. These planes were equipped with two 20mm Oerlikon cannons, four 7.9mm Colt-Browning machine guns. Their engine was altered to 950HP Gnome-Rhone 14N-07. All of the P-24s were deployed at the 21st, 41st, 42nd, 43rd Interceptor Companiers. The planes at the 42nd at the 43rd were transferred to Flying School in 1943. They were droppped out of service in 1943 by the arrival of Hawker Hurricanes. The only existing example in the whole World is at the Aviation Museum at Yeşilköy-Istanbul.

The de Havilland D.H.84 Dragon was designed by Arthur Hagg in response to Fox Moth operator Edward Hillman's request for a twin-engined aircraft to be used on a proposed service from southern England to Paris. The slab-sided plywood box used successfully in the Fox Moth was adopted forthe fuselage of the new design, a two-bay biplane with wings that could be folded outboard of the two de Havilland Gipsy Major engines. The pilot was provided with a separate compartment in the extreme nose and the main cabin could seat six passengers. The prototype made its maiden flight on 12 November 1932, at Stag Lane, Edgware. It was later delivered to Hillman's Airways at Maylands, Essex, together with three examples of the production Dragon 1, which facilitated inauguration of the Paris route in April 1933. British production totalled 115 aircraft built at Stag Lane and, from 1934, at Hatfield. A further 87 were built in Australia during World War II, the de Havilland Australian factory at Bankstown, Sydney, producing navigation trainers for the Royal Australian Air Force, the first of these flying on 29 September 1942.

The Dragons entered service in 1933. 4 of them were purchased by the Turkish Armed Forces in 1934 to be uitilized as flying schools. One of them entered sevice in 1934 and the remaining 3 in 1935. They were deployed at the Hava Okulu (Flying School) until being replaced by the Airspeed Consuls in 1944. Then they were transferred to Transport Command and they were used as transport planes until written off in 1946.

The prototype Curtiss Wright CW-22 two-seat low-wing general-purpose or advanced training monoplace was developed at the Curtiss-Wright St Louis factory in 1940. The two crew members were housed under a continuous glazed canopy, and the all-metal CW-22 showed its lineage by landing gear which had main units retracting rearward into underwing fairings as on the CW-21 single-seat interceptor. Powered by a 313kW Wright R-975 Whirlwind radial, 36 CW-22s were exported to the Netherlands East Indies, but due to the Japanese advance in that region were delivered to the Dutch in northern Australia during March 1942.

A developed CW-22B version was sold to Turkey (50); the Netherlands East Indies (25); and various Latin American countries (totalling about 25). Several Dutch aircraft were later captured and flown by the Japanese. Both the CW-22 and CW-22B were armed with two machine-guns, one fixed and the other flexibly mounted. After a demonstrator had been tested by the US Navy, a CW-22N advanced training version went into production. The US Navy applied the designation SNC-1 Falcon to the type, a total of 455 being purchased in three batches of 150, 150 and 155 respectively; the aircraft of the third batch had a modified, higher cockpit canopy. Many SNC-1s were sold to private owners in the USA after World War II.

Towards the end of the 1930s the TuAF planned an urgent modernisation and 50 CW-22R models were bought from Curtiss-Wright. The planes which arrived in 1940 remained in active duty until 1949 until the arrival of the T-6 Texans. In 1940 a second batch of 50 planes, this time the USN version the CW-22Bs were purchased. These planes were deployed at the Hava Okulu in between 1940 and 1949. Some were used for lisison purposes by some of the regiments. 5 were loaned to THK (Turkish Aerial Foundation) in 1940 but they were returned in 1942.

Good stuff!

The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed down with a three-man crew and a bomb load. Despite being a great improvement on the aircraft that preceded it, by the time it saw action it was slow, limited in range and highly vulnerable to both anti-aircraft fire and fighters with its single defensive .303 machine gun. During the "Phoney War", the Fairey Battle recorded the first RAF aerial victory of the Second World War but by May 1940 was suffering heavy losses of well over 50% per mission. By the end of 1940 the Battle had been withdrawn from combat service and relegated to training units overseas. For such prewar promise, the Battle was one of the most disappointing of all RAF aircraft.

The Turkish Army Air Force received 30 aircraft. In accordance with the aggrement signed between Turkey and the United Kingdom it was aggreed on the sale of Fairey Battles to Turkey which would be paid back in twenty years with an annual interest of 4%. In the meantime 30 Fairey Battles were being shipped to Poland. But due to Polands sudden occupation by the Nazi Germany the ships route was diverted to Turkey. The planes which arrived on Feb.2.1940 were assigned to the 2nd. Talim Taburu and to the 3rd Talim Taburu as light bombers and recce planes. In 1944 they were replaced by the Baltimores and the remaining aircraft were transferred to the Hava Okulu as trainers. They remained in servise until being replaced by the AT-11s in 1947.

The Weihe (Kite, a bird also called Drache) was one of the most important utility aircraft of the Luftwaffe, in the class of the Anson or Oxford. First flown as a six-seat civil transport in 1935, it blossomed forth in many military versions with up to three MG 15 or other guns, wing and fuselage bomb racks and wheel/ski/float landing gear. About 4,500 Fw 58C were delivered to the Luftwaffe in 1937-42, called Leukoplast-bomber (sticking-plaster bomber) in the ambulance role. A typical duty was spraying Russian areas with germicides.

After negotiations in between Turkey and Germany a loan for the procurement of aircraft was received and 6 pcs FW-58K Weihes and 20 pcs FW-44s were procured. The planes were received within 1937. One of the Weihes crashefd on the way Turkeyt and a substitute was given in 1939. The FW-44s were transferred to THK (Turkish Air League) and the Weihes were deployed at the Hava Okulu (Flying School) for training navigators and bombardiers. In 1943 they were transferred to 3rd 5th Regiments as liaison aircraft where they were written off in 1945.

During the early days of 1937 a He-111 came to Ankara and made demo flights. The demos won admiration and it was followed by an order of 24 He-111F-1s in March. 16 planes arrived within the same year in two paties and the remainder came in 1938. The planes were deployed at the 1st Air Regiment in Eskişehir at the 1st and 2nd Battalions. After the arrival of the Baltimores and the B-24s in the 40s a somewhat peculiar picture was formed. The planes which were serving opposing air forces during the war were flying side by side at the TuAF. During the war spare parts for these planes were the major problem. The were brought from Britain which were collected from the shut-down Luftwaffe planes over the British skies. In 1945 they were withdrawn from active duty after the arrival of the Mosquitos.

The Hurricanes joined the TuAF in 1939 and they remained in service until 1947. A total of 164 Hurricanes of diffrent models served the TuAF. Following the Anglo-French Treaty 15 Mk.Is were ordered in 1939 which were received within the same year. This was followed by a second batch of 15 and they were received in 1940. A further 5 Mk.Is were ordered and they arrived in 1943. Some of the planes in the second batch were ex-Yugoslavian orders and some were ex-Polish orders. All of the Mk.Is were assigned to 5th Regiment, 8th Battalion, 42nd and 57th Hunter Companies. In 1943 they were transferred to the 4th Regiment.

Following the insistant demands of Turkey three MkIICs were given on 31st Dec.1943 which was followed by further shipments on 31st Jan.1943, 31st March,1943 and 1st July 1943 totalling to 47 pieces Mk.IIC. Thses shipments were followed by a batch of 38 Mk.IIBs on 1st.Aug.1943 1st.Sept.1943 and 44 pieces Mk.IIC/R recce types on 1st.Feb.1944. Mk.ııBs were deployed at 4th Regiment, 3rd Company whereas Mk.IICs were deployed at the 4th Regiment, 1st 2nd Companies and 4th Regiment, 8th Battalion, 53rd 58th Hunter Companies. Mk.IIC/Rs were assigned to 101st, 102nd 103rd Aerial Recce Groups. They were dropped from active duty after the arrival of the P-47 Thunderbolts in 1947.

n accordance with the treaty signed by France and Great Britain France promised to supply 40 MS.406C1s to Turkey. The first party of 30 planes came to İstanbul by a streamer and they were assembled under the supervision of French technicians in Yeşilköy. These planes were assigned to the 43rd 48th Companies of the 11th Battalion of the 4th Regiment located in Kütahya. In 1942 the regiment moved to Merzifon where they were reorganised as the 5th Air Base in early 50s. The planes were withdrawn from frontline duty in 1943 and they were assigned to Flying School in Eskişehir. In mid-1945 they were retired from active duty.

The Lysander was designed and produced by the British firm Westland as an army cooperation aircraft in accordance with the demands from RAF. Its first flight took place on June 15th, 1936. In addition to Turkey Lysanders were utilized by France and they were also produced under licence in Canada. Due to its lack of speed they were withdrawn from the frontlines even during the first days of the WWI. During 1939-1940 36 pcs Lysander Mk.IIs were received by the TuAF as British Military Aid. 12 of the he planes which arrived by maritime lines were assembled at Yeşilköy-Istanbul and the remaining 24 were despatched to Eskişehir. 12 of the planes were utilized as trainers and target tugs. 12 were sent to Merzifon. In 1948 they were replaced by P-47 Thunderbolts.

Martin 139-W is an advanced version of the Model-123 developed and produced by the US firm Glenn L. Martin. The version was named as Model-139W initially and they were renamed as B-10 after being deployed at the USAAF starting on 1934. After the start of the Faschist Italy thread in the Eastern Mediterranean it was decided to procure long-range bombers. As a result Capt. Enver Akoğlu was sent to the States to examine the plane. It was decided to purchase 20 planes but with uprated 1000HP engines instead of the standart 750HP ones. These planes were named as 139-WT. These planes were deployed in Çorlu at 55. and 56. Tayyare Bölüğü which were connected to 9. Tayyare Taburu. During 1941-42 they were used extensively in reconnaissance duties over the Black Sea. They were transferred to 1. Alay/2.Tabur/4.Tayyare Bölüğü and to transport commands and they remained in active duty until 1946. 4 of the planes crashed on duty. 1945 16 were within the TuAF 12 of which were active.

Beaufort was produced by the British Bristol Co. whose design was based on the earlier Blenheim and it was initially called Type-152. It was similarly a torpedo-bomber but it was heavier than the previous since it was designed to accomodate a crew of four. The Beauforts started being the standart torpedo-bomber of the RAF in 1940. Eventhough they raided the famous German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau they were not considered successfull planes. 2080 examples including the 700 produced in Australia under licence were produced. Mk.1 is the dominating model with 104 examples which was followed by Mk.V having 520 models produced. They were withdrawn from active duty in 1944. These planes were nicknamed as The Fying Coffins by the Britsh pilots. They were not liked by the Turkish pilots either.

Since Blenheim Mk.Vs in the TuAF were not able to fulfill their duties it was promised by the British Goverment to be replaced by 32 pcs Beauforts. These planes were brought to Turkey from RAFME-Egypt in March,1944 and they immediately replaced the existing Blenheims at the 105th Torpedo Group. They remained in active duty until being replaced by the Beaufighters in 1947.

The origin of the Bristol Blenheim was an executive monoplane called Type-142 with a capacity of 6 passengers designed and produced for the Daily Mirror in 1934. The military version of the plane was designed in 1935. It was initially called Type-142M which was changed to Blenheim Mk.1 later on. 1351 examples of this model were produced. This was followed by Mk.IV whose production rate was 3307 examples and by Mk.IVT torpedo-bomber version and by the Mk.V which was called Bizley among the Turkish aviators. These planes remained on active combat duty within the RAF until 1943 until when they were replaced by the Beauforts and the Beaufighters.

40 examples of MK.I, 3 examples of Mk.IV and 18 examples of Mk.V joined the TuAF at different dates. The first were composed of 12 Mk.Is 2 of which were sent on Oct.1937 and the remaining 10 on Feb.1938 in accordance with the contract signed in 1936 foreseeing the modernisation of the TuAF. Later in 1938-1939 18 more Mk.Is and in Sept.1939 the last 10 Mk.Is joined the TuAF. These planes were allocated to the 10th and the 12th Battalions and to the 3rd Regiment. In 1942 3 examples of Mk.IV were received and they were deployed at the 3rd Regiment. The last Blenheims that joined the TuAF were the Mk.Vs all of which arrived on Sept. 1943. They were deployed at the 105th Torpedo Group and at the Aviation School. Blenheims were started to be dropped out of active duty starting in 1944 and the last example was retired in 1947. They were replaced by the Bristol Beauforts.