Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 12:21 am
Googling around I came across an interesting aircraft combination during WW2 ...
Turkey did not enter World War II on the side of the Allies until February 1945. However, the Turkish Armed Forces went on full alert and were prepared for war following the military alliance between neighbouring Bulgaria and the Axis Powers which was formalized in March 1941, and the occupation of neighbouring Greece by the Axis Powers in April 1941. Within a year, Turkey's borders were surrounded by German forces in the northwest and west, and Italian forces in the southwest. The Turkish Air Force made daily reconnaissance flights over Bulgaria, Greece, the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, and the Dodecanese Islands which then belonged to Italy, to monitor the positions of the Axis forces. The large cities in western Turkey were darkened at nights, and anti-aircraft guns and searchlights were deployed for defence against possible enemy planes. Almost all available money in the Turkish Government Treasury was used to purchase new weapons from any available provider in the world. The Turkish Air Force received large numbers of new aircraft in this period, including Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I/V/IX/XIX, Curtiss Falcon CW-22R/B, Fairey Battle-I, Avro Anson-I, Hawker Hurricane I/II, Morane Saulnier MS-406, Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, Westland Lysander-I, Consolidated Liberator 3B-24D, Bristol Blenheim IV/V, Bristol Beaufort, Bristol Beaufighter Mk.I/X, Focke Wulf FW-190-A3, Martin Baltimore-187, De Havilland DH-98 Mk.III/IV, B-26B/C Invader, P-47D Thunderbolt and C-47A/B Dakota.
The Focke-Wulf 190 was not distributed in large numbers to non-German air forces, but Turkey and Hungary were notable exceptions. France also used the FW 190 in the post-war period. Many other nations captured FW 190s, or received very few of the type.
In the middle of 1942 the RLM issued an export order for FW 190s to be sent to Turkey. Turkey received 72 FW 190 Aa-3 (a for auslandisch - foreign) aircraft between October 1942 and March 1943. The first FW 190 Aa-3 was built in August 1942. The FW 190 Aa-3 received its own Werk Nummer block, 0134 101 - 0134 172 (although it is not known if W.Nr 110, 123, 146 and 148 were handed over). These aircraft were basically FW 190 A-3s, with BMW 801 D-2 engines, and FuG VIIa radios. However, they did not have FuG 25 radios, and had an armament fit of four MG 17s, with the option of installing two MG FF/M cannon in the outer wing position.
The Turkish FW 190s served as fighters during their time in service, and left the Turkish Air Force in 1948 and 1949. Basic camouflage scheme for these aircraft was RLM 70/71, with RLM 65 undersides. There is speculation that RLM 76 or RLM 02 light mottling was used on the tail and fuselage sides of FW 190 Aa-3s. Other sources state that RLM 74/75/76 was the standard camouflage scheme for the FW 190Aa-3. Around 1945, some of these aircraft were painted in overall dark green. Four Turkish squadrons flew the FW 190 Aa-3, including the 5th Regiment's 3rd and 5th Squadrons. The four Squadrons were nicknamed Akbas (Whitehead), SarýbasAlbas (Redhead) and Karabas (Blackhead), with their propeller spinners matching colours with their nicknames.
A rare scene during WWII, Two Turkish FW 190 Aa-3s in flight with a Turkish Spitfire. The Turkish armed forces did not participated in any military operations of WWII.
Photos and text Courtesy of several google searches.
Turkey did not enter World War II on the side of the Allies until February 1945. However, the Turkish Armed Forces went on full alert and were prepared for war following the military alliance between neighbouring Bulgaria and the Axis Powers which was formalized in March 1941, and the occupation of neighbouring Greece by the Axis Powers in April 1941. Within a year, Turkey's borders were surrounded by German forces in the northwest and west, and Italian forces in the southwest. The Turkish Air Force made daily reconnaissance flights over Bulgaria, Greece, the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, and the Dodecanese Islands which then belonged to Italy, to monitor the positions of the Axis forces. The large cities in western Turkey were darkened at nights, and anti-aircraft guns and searchlights were deployed for defence against possible enemy planes. Almost all available money in the Turkish Government Treasury was used to purchase new weapons from any available provider in the world. The Turkish Air Force received large numbers of new aircraft in this period, including Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I/V/IX/XIX, Curtiss Falcon CW-22R/B, Fairey Battle-I, Avro Anson-I, Hawker Hurricane I/II, Morane Saulnier MS-406, Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, Westland Lysander-I, Consolidated Liberator 3B-24D, Bristol Blenheim IV/V, Bristol Beaufort, Bristol Beaufighter Mk.I/X, Focke Wulf FW-190-A3, Martin Baltimore-187, De Havilland DH-98 Mk.III/IV, B-26B/C Invader, P-47D Thunderbolt and C-47A/B Dakota.
The Focke-Wulf 190 was not distributed in large numbers to non-German air forces, but Turkey and Hungary were notable exceptions. France also used the FW 190 in the post-war period. Many other nations captured FW 190s, or received very few of the type.
In the middle of 1942 the RLM issued an export order for FW 190s to be sent to Turkey. Turkey received 72 FW 190 Aa-3 (a for auslandisch - foreign) aircraft between October 1942 and March 1943. The first FW 190 Aa-3 was built in August 1942. The FW 190 Aa-3 received its own Werk Nummer block, 0134 101 - 0134 172 (although it is not known if W.Nr 110, 123, 146 and 148 were handed over). These aircraft were basically FW 190 A-3s, with BMW 801 D-2 engines, and FuG VIIa radios. However, they did not have FuG 25 radios, and had an armament fit of four MG 17s, with the option of installing two MG FF/M cannon in the outer wing position.
The Turkish FW 190s served as fighters during their time in service, and left the Turkish Air Force in 1948 and 1949. Basic camouflage scheme for these aircraft was RLM 70/71, with RLM 65 undersides. There is speculation that RLM 76 or RLM 02 light mottling was used on the tail and fuselage sides of FW 190 Aa-3s. Other sources state that RLM 74/75/76 was the standard camouflage scheme for the FW 190Aa-3. Around 1945, some of these aircraft were painted in overall dark green. Four Turkish squadrons flew the FW 190 Aa-3, including the 5th Regiment's 3rd and 5th Squadrons. The four Squadrons were nicknamed Akbas (Whitehead), SarýbasAlbas (Redhead) and Karabas (Blackhead), with their propeller spinners matching colours with their nicknames.
A rare scene during WWII, Two Turkish FW 190 Aa-3s in flight with a Turkish Spitfire. The Turkish armed forces did not participated in any military operations of WWII.
Photos and text Courtesy of several google searches.
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 7:35 am
I have often wondered if Turkey could be a fruitful area for warbird searches. I know due to beauracracy it would be very tough to export anything and military secrecy is probably pretty extreme but did anything survive from the WW2 era? What about wreck chasing? I know they have some interesting aircraft in musuems.
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 8:09 am
John Dupre wrote:I have often wondered if Turkey could be a fruitful area for warbird searches. I know due to beauracracy it would be very tough to export anything and military secrecy is probably pretty extreme but did anything survive from the WW2 era? What about wreck chasing? I know they have some interesting aircraft in musuems.
*yawn*...I suppose that would mean looking for more long-nosed P-40's as well... boring...
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 10:48 am
Weren't some Spitfires exported from Turkey years ago?
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 12:16 pm
Good looking schemes actually .... And yes that is a dark underside on the Spitfire.
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sat May 21, 2011 9:17 pm
bdk wrote:Weren't some Spitfires exported from Turkey years ago?
He he , try asking that on the Flypast forum
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sun May 22, 2011 12:05 am
*yawn*...I suppose that would mean looking for more long-nosed P-40's as well... boring...
Now if someone turned up a Martin Baltimore, that's a whole 'nother story!
SN
Re: Turkish Air Force during WW2, Spits & Fw190's
Sun May 22, 2011 12:10 am
Franklin wrote:Good looking schemes actually .... And yes that is a dark underside on the Spitfire.
That is some fine artwork.Did you do that?