FighterControl

And the next set of scanned prints out the cupboard!........

So this set were also taken in 2003, during a business trip to Istanbul. The Havacilik Museum is, essentially, the Turkish Air Force collection with a few civvies thrown in. For those that don't know, its located on the south side of Istanbul (Ataturk) Airport, on the landside portion of the old Airbase. When I visited it was dirt cheap to get in - I think it was the equivalent of 50 pence entry , plus an extra 75 pence for a photo permit. The museum consists of one indoor hall displaying most of the older exhibits and everything post WW11 being outside. My visit gave me one of my more bizarre experiences as an enthusiast....despite it being a museum and open to the public, I was followed around the whole time by an armed soldier ! Every time I stopped to look at an exhibit or take a photo, he would stop about 20 yards behind me and pretend to look at something else. It was utterly bizarre !

I also have to say that, whilst this is only a sample of my shots, there are various exhibits that I cannot include. After visiting I sent some of my shots to a well known and popular enthusiast society for inclusion in their monthly magazine. Whilst the included them, the editor managed to lose my shot and then blame me for sending them to him..... - step forward Air Britain!!! This means you don't get to see the P-47, etc

Anyway....numerous Huns, Hooters, Rhinos and even the odd F-5 to look at........hope you enjoy !

Lets start with another Hooter on a stick !
Lockheed F-104G-12344-140603-1 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

PZL P24, bought by the Turkish AF in the 1930s. It was completely outclassed over Poland and Rumania by both German and Russian fighters. Fortunately, the Turkish examples never saw front line action
PZL P24G-2015-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

F84F Thunderstreak 28941
Republic F84F-28941-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

For all those fans of old propliners, they have a Viscount !
Vickers Viscount - 430-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

I bet 'you know who' likes this one !
Northrop F-5A-14460-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Everyone has a T-6 somewhere !
North American T-6G-7504-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

You can't beat a nice 'Hun'
North American F-100C-54-2089-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

whats better than one hun? two huns!!
North American F-100F-56-3788-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Tracker
Grumman S-2E - 149877-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Another one for the old prop afficienado's......C54D
Douglas C-54D-10683-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

How well do you know your Dorniers? This is a DO28B-1
Dornier O028B1-10013-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

C47
Douglas C47-6052-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

RHINO ALERT !!!!!
McDonnell F-4E-67-0360-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Beech AT-11
Beech AT-11-6930-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Sabre (Canadair variety)
Canadair CL13-19207-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

This ones a DO28B-2....they have two here, but the other was covered in pictures of disney characters !
Dornier DO28B2-10022-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

Twin stick hooter
Lockheed TF-104-63-5725-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

RF84F Thunderflash
Republic RF84F-11901-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

RF-5A
Northrop RF5A-97147-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

and to round things off....another hooter with 'what might have been' in the background
Lockheed F-104G-12619-140603 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

If you made it this far - thanks for looking and hope you enjoyed them !!

Thanks for posting. In 1975 my sister was teaching in Southern Turkey. Whilst passing though Istanbul Airport, I saw five C47s parked here at the far side of the field, next to what looked liked QRA type hangars. YSL-52 was one of them. At that time Turkey was having arguments with quite a few of its neighbours. I saw a Pan Am B707 escorted by a police armoured car, and if I remember right I was searched four times while waiting six hours for my conecting flight - I think that I logged most of the THY fleet.

Happy Days, and a return visit to Istanbul Airport/Museum is still in my bucket list.

Good stuff thanks for posting

Nice shots, what a good looking museum and a Viscount, what's not to like.

Stewart

Great Photo's

I too had a "escort" around the museum in 2004
That Viscount was a common sight in the UK in the 80's

Great post, I visited the place twice (2011 & 2015) it's a lot more relaxed at the museum now (no armed escort), but you still have to cough up for a photo permit there . The other great museum to visit in Turkey is at Ankara (sorry forgotten the name)

Hi Jon

Yet another superb museum

A couple there for me to cuddle

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

I've been using Turkish Airlines to get to Luxor via IST for the last 5 years or so and kept seeing this museum off to the side as we landed.
I 'was' making plans to get a longer time between flights so I could grab a taxi and go round there.......
Then, last year, they moved the International Airport about 35km away........
Seeing your pix the school report phrase came to mind 'Must Try Harder'
I'm an A-B member but whether them or anyone else would never send originals to anyone. It's obviously much simpler these days where we've all gone digital (At least I think 'all' is the right word - maybe I should put 'nearly' in front of it just in case)
But your great album has me thinking about my next flights - whenever that might be

Interesting set Jon and a great experience for you Some game old birds in the collection which take me back to when I was a lad

Thanks for posting