Anniversary of the Turkish Aeronautical Association

On February 16, 1925, 16 months after the foundation of the Republic, the first step and foundation of the Turkish Aircraft Society was laid, with the awareness that the independence of the Turkish Nation can only be achieved by dominating the skies for the growth, development and advancement of Turkish Aviation.

When the first foundation of the Turkish Aircraft Society was laid, there were hardly any people who realized the great and vital importance of aviation today, and who got on the plane apart from the members of the air army. Atatürk, Bolu Deputy Cevat Abbas; “Aviation is extraordinarily important militarily, Europe and America have begun to see aviation as a sporting issue, think about it. Let's not be late, let's raise a knowledgeable, brave and winged youth. Expand your imagination. Even consider making a plane. Establish the association and let me know you have started working”. The Turkish Aircraft Society, which was shaped in the hands of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, wanted the establishment of the Turkish Aircraft Society to be started and implemented in order to direct it and to carry out studies on aviation under its leadership as a result of the thought that westernization is an indicator of modernization and a stronghold of the struggle against western imperialism. In this context, the "Türkiye Münakalatı Havaiye Cemiyeti (Turkish Air Transport Society)", which was founded in 1919 by 5 aviators together with Captain Fazıl, was established on February 16, 1925 under the name "Turkish Aircraft Society (TTC)" and Cevat Abbas was appointed as its president. Plt. Lieutenant-General Şakir Hazım, Plt. Ast.B. Vecihi Hürkuş and Rasıt Hasan İskender became the founding members. The Statute of the Society was determined by Atatürk himself; Prepared by Lieutenant Fazil, Lieutenant Commander Şakir Hazım, Plt. Fehmi Yemenli, Mazlum Keyüsk and Plt. Subordinate Vecihi Hürkuş. At the opening ceremony of the Turkish Aircraft Society on May 15, 1925, Atatürk; “The future is in the skies, because nations that cannot protect their skies can never be sure of tomorrow. As in every job, you will fill your place waiting for us in the skies at the highest level in aviation, in a short time. O Turkish Youth! Soon you will take your place in the sky waiting for you. Otherwise, that place will be invaded by others, and then this country and nation will be lost.” He emphasized that future wars will be in the heavens and that the dominance depends on our power in the heavens. He directed the Turkish youth by drawing attention to the importance of aviation, stated the importance of aviation for the survival of Turkish independence and independence, and showed the Turkish nation the target that needs to be reached until today.

In this context, the establishment purpose of the Turkish Aircraft Society; establishing the aviation industry, laying its foundations and ensuring its development, explaining the military, economic, social and political importance of aviation; to ensure the development of military, civil, sportive and touristic aviation; to prepare the necessary tools and equipment for all these; to train personnel and to create a "Flying Turkish Youth". It is aimed to explain, promote and popularize the military, economic, social and political importance of aviation in the civil and military fields, to the Turkish nation and especially to the Turkish youth. The forward view and truth expressed by the motto “The Future is in the Skies” has been adopted by the nation, and it has become a national goal, not a foresight. This target has not remained in the field of ideas and sports, it has reached the level of “Building Your Own Aircraft” with modern aviation technology by making large investments. In line with this purpose and target, training of amateur pilots, gliders, model airplanes and parachutes began to be given to the youth by training the personnel and supplying the materials.

The "Turkish Aircraft Feast", which Turkish aviators celebrated for the first time on August 26, 1923, the 1st anniversary of the Great Attack, in Izmir for the first time, the Turkish Aircraft Association decided to celebrate it every year on August 31 in 1925. However, a year later, due to the importance of the Air Force in the defense of the country, it was combined with the 30 August Victory Day celebrations with the 25 August 1926 decree of the Council of Ministers, and since 1926, "30 August Victory and Airplane Day" was declared as the great day of the Turks and started to be celebrated. The Turkish Aircraft Society held its first major congress on October 19, 1925, and Prime Minister İsmet İnönü, who was elected as the Honorary President, at the congress; “When we say airplane, we think about the airplane and aim at removing and providing the engineer who can create the airplane, the measures to manufacture the airplane from the most scrap parts, the most sensitive parts to the roughest parts, and all the basic materials that will be useful for airplane production from the country.” With his speech, he set real goals of vital importance for the society. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, on the other hand, at the opening of the Assembly on November 1, 1925; “Sirs, we are grateful for the special attention our nation has shown to its defense. The Aircraft Society, created by the citizens with their own initiatives, gives hope for a wide development with the products it provides in a short time” and in a statement he gave to Anadolu Agency on 8 June 1926; “The fact that the Turkish nation realizes the need to strengthen our Air Force and makes admirable sacrifices is the greatest evidence of political maturity and civility. I appreciate the activity of the Airplane Society working for this purpose.” Again, at the opening of the Assembly on November 1, 1926; “The one-year effort and success of the Tayyare Society, which is the product of the citizens' own efforts and help, is commendable.” He praised and appreciated the efforts of the people to support and help, and stated that giving importance to Turkish aviation is a necessity of a political and contemporary humanitarian duty for a country and nation.

In order to create an effective and strong Turkish Aircraft Society, the "Aircraft Delivery" donation campaign was launched. With the collection of these donations, it was aimed primarily to purchase aircraft and to establish aircraft factories in the future in order to have a modern air force for the protection of independence and integrity. Donations and applications for aircraft purchases have formed the basis of breakthroughs in the aircraft industry and have contributed greatly to the development of aviation. “Aircraft Association”, the official publication of the society, “Kartal” magazine and flyers, and “These airplanes that hover over your head and make your hearts swell with pride and pride were born from the money you gave to the Airplane Society. Do not forget that; Turkish skies need thousands of more planes like this.” It was stated that the need to create financial resources and meet the costs for the purchase of warplanes by collecting donations from the public. With the publication of the announcement, it received great support from the public and the deputies. The first donation aircraft purchased with the donations of the Turkish people was the Ansaldo A-300-4 model aircraft purchased from Italy with the support of the people of Adana-Ceyhan district, named "Ceyhan" and brought to Istanbul on May 28, 1925. The plane was brought to Ceyhan by Plt. Vecihi Hürkuş on 21 June and made a demonstration flight among the enthusiastic cheers of the people of Ceyhan. The campaign was not limited to cities, but tradesmen groups gave great support to the campaign. Fishermen, tobacconists, farmers, school students and women's unions of the cities donated for the purchase of aircraft in their names. The Istanbul Porters' Association donated their earnings to the purchase of aircraft by working an extra hour once a week to purchase aircraft in their name. Erzurum businessman Nazif Kotan, Vehbi Koç, Naci Demirağ, personnel of the 174th Infantry Regiment, the people of Eskişehir, Niğde, Sivrihisar and Gümüşhacıköy, and non-Muslim citizens living in İzmir and İstanbul supported the purchase of aircraft. A group of planes made up of Armenians living in Sivas donated for aid. Armenians established "Number One Aid Association" to buy airplanes, and Jews established "Aircraft Society Turkish Jewish Association" number two. With the declaration published by the Chief Rabbinate of Istanbul, it is stated that it is a national ideal to help the Aircraft Society, which serves the defense of the homeland and country. Elite Jewish doctors, lawyers, and merchants formed a commission and established neighborhood charities. Atatürk telegraphed the donors; “This nation has rushed to its homework in the most difficult times. They will achieve more than they want. The way they take is right.” He verbally expressed his appreciation. Atatürk addressed the circles who were uncomfortable with the Aircraft Society in this period; “Our Nation should see for once to believe. There is nothing you can't make him do or make him adopt. When we established the Aircraft Society, we attributed its main source of income to the state on the one hand and the benevolent feelings of our nation on the other. In addition to fitra and zakat, the Council of Ministers decided to give the skins of the victims to the institution. 

we took it out. There were bigots who wanted to oppose this decision, and there were those who wanted us to abandon this practice due to politics. Covered or implicit, even articles appeared in the newspapers. However, these two incomes were going to very wrong places. It was becoming to serve the benefit of individuals and groups, not the benefit of the country. What can be more natural than the public's access to places that the state cannot reach? There are some sacred duties that fall on everyone living in these lands. In countries with poor budgets, the public should take on some responsibilities as well as the state. Tayyare Society is one of our moves towards the west.” For this reason, he always accepted the nation as an essential part of its own existence, and emphasized that in order to be strong, the benevolence of the nation should not be contented with, and the legal basis should be prepared and permanent sources of income should be provided.

For this purpose, donations to have contemporary and modern air power; Fitre and zakat and sacrifice skins, Airplane lottery, one penny petition stamp, one cigarette difference fee for each cigarette pack, operating income of 2 mercury mines in Küre and Bağcılar villages of Balyanbolu sub-district in Ödemiş district, Income from printing and selling military discharge charts , Transfer of old stamps, shares to be taken from hand and wall advertisements, Member fees, glued receipts, incomes of affiliates, interest incomes, aids from private and general budgets, the first product of Uşak Sugar Factory every year, will pass from Bulgaria to Thrace to winter. The copyrights of the guarantees to be given to the sheep-goat herd owners have been determined as the revenues obtained from the granting of the Reel and Thread Establishment Rights. In addition to these donations, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk showed his passion for the aviation ideal by donating the copyright income of "The Speech" to the institution. Donations, from the richest provinces to the poorest provinces, a race was started for aid and donations continued to increase, and donations were made in a wide range from pocket money of primary school students to money in shrouds. On January 9, 1926, a law was enacted to organize the "Aircraft Lottery" and to make a lottery, and it became the richest of the similar lotteries in the world. Atatürk stated that making donations in Friday sermons and participating in the Airplane Lottery is not a problem in terms of religion and that it is a "religious obligation". In the Turkish sermon published in 1927; “According to the command of Allah, the most important force we can prepare against the hidden and obvious enemies is the airplane, the aeroplane. It is our duty to help our aircraft society, which was created for this cause. Thus, cause the advent of aviation. Let's have airplane fleets. May we have heroes who will fight in the sky. Then no one can look badly at us.” It was explained that it is permissible to donate and it was aimed to enlighten the Muslim people. In newspapers and magazines; It is written that giving fitra, zakat and sacrificial skins is a religiously correct and beneficial behavior.

The Turkish Aircraft Association was invited to the International Aviation Federation (FAI) conference in 1925, which is the highest level body in the field of sportive aviation, which enables the worldwide development of aviation activities, applied for membership in 1927 and became a full member in 1929. In this context, it has gained the authority to represent the country in air sports at home and abroad. Fuat Bulca, who was appointed as the chairman at the 2nd General Assembly of the Aircraft Society held on November 28, 1926; “The Aircraft Society, the dominance of the Turkish airspace and the desire for innocence is a national need. Its future fields of activity are to establish Turkish aviation in the country and to open a civilian school to train needed pilots. Other fields of activity are to train engineers at the level of engineers who can make aerodynamic and material controls, understand aircraft engines and their malfunctions, and draw technical drawings and plans when necessary. To open the Machinist School, to build a private laboratory for aircraft production, to establish a military and national observation organization. Establishing and operating airlines and opening sports clubs will be their primary goals.” It has shown the aim of the society to be reached in the coming years. In the "Regulations" adopted at the 3rd General Assembly held on November 16, 1928; Its general headquarters, central administrative committee and place of legal residence became Ankara. It aimed to introduce the military, economic, social and political importance of aviation, to increase the people and materials needed for aviation, and to awaken the love of aircraft in the Turkish youth. In order to realize this aim, the "Aircraft Machinist School" was put into service on April 23, 1926 to train the technical personnel needed by aviation. Within 2 years, 172 machinists were trained and 10 of them were sent to Hanrio School in France for machinist foreman training. In the 4th General Assembly held on 25 November 1930; Provincials, districts, associations, professional groups that donated 150 aircraft were purchased. 

I and personal names were given. City names are written on the fuselage and vertical tails of the aircraft. The "Name Naming Ceremony" ceremonies were held on 29 October Republic, 30 August Victory and Aircraft Holidays. Aka Gündüz in the National Domination; “August 30 is the Turkish great day. This nation falls into trouble, even tastes the heavy pain of defeat, endures many poverty, but everything changes immediately at the business plane point. Then there is unconditional sacrifice. This number will increase in the coming years”. He stated the sacrifice and admiration of the nation and spoke highly of his work.

Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; “The duties of the Turkish nation on this path, where all nations are working with great sacrifices in order to take aviation forward and protect themselves from the danger of air, are of great importance. TTC, which has taken on the task of teaching the nation how to work in order to establish national aviation, should consider the assistance of every person and institution as a debt that is among the national thoughts. In order to increase the income of the TTC, every citizen and every civil servant must encourage and enlighten the people as much as they can, as a manifestation of this national cause.” He stated that material and moral assistance should not be spared for the development of Turkish aviation. İnönü at the 5th General Assembly of the Turkish Aircraft Society on 27 November 1932; “It is worth showing the balance sheet of the country's efforts to create air defense and an air fleet. Aircraft is also a great means of civilization. It is our duty to keep the Turkish nation closely interested in aircraft, not only as a weapon but also as a constantly evolving vehicle of the century. He stated that aviation was exalted with the interest and supply of the nation. Atatürk at the 10th Anniversary Ball to his sons of aviators, whom he never left his side; “Remember that the greatest dangers of tomorrow will come from the skies. For this reason, you will always try to be ready and to grow up in order to resist the dangers that may come suddenly. A nation's aviation is not limited to military aviation alone. The necessity of aviation on a national scale to reinforce the national power with civil aviation has become clear today. We should prepare for aviation as a nation” He saw that the great development that would be at the service of humanity would be in the field of aviation and space, he felt that one day human beings would go to space and conquer even the Moon and other planets. Sabiha Gökçen, who stated that Atatürk was extremely enthusiastic and excited on May 3, 1935, expressed the spiritual enthusiasm of that day; “Come on, Gokcen said. We are going. Today is a holiday day for us. It is also a holiday where we will open an institution that we will be very proud of in the future. We are opening Türkkuşu as part of the Tayyare Society. We will train thousands, hundreds of thousands of young aviators there. Take Zehra, come together”.

Türkkuşu was established in Etimesgut on May 3, 1935 and Atatürk at the opening ceremony; “While establishing our navy alongside our land army, the Government of the Republic of Turkey did not fail to organize our air fleets with the latest aircraft. Our air officers and commanders, whose personalities we are proud of, have been trained. Our Uçmans are always and probably of high value, which will bring the nation to face. It wouldn't be right to see this as enough. It is necessary to broaden the aerial work according to the degree of importance it receives all over the world. Taking this into account, the Government of the Republic; It is determined to make aviation the function of the whole nation. Just as a Turk walks and walks in the mountains, forests, plains, seas, and every corner of the country with the same knowledge and confidence, he should wander in the sky of the country in the same way. Turkish boy, you will soon fill your place in the sky waiting for you at the highest level in aviation, as in every job. Our true friends will rejoice at this, and the Turkish nation has been happy”. He gave a task to Turkish youth and showed the target that future generations will reach. Türkkuşu has taken its honorable place in Turkish aviation history as an important symbol that proves Atatürk's vision as a sportive aviation organization. He started his work on aviation sports, which is his great prophecy in Turkish sports, and accomplished great things in the field of gliding and parachuting. In the process of rapid and conscious development, the "Türkkuşu Aviation School" was established in order to train and train the personnel, who are the basic elements of aviation, and to instill a love of aviation among the youth, and it was the forward leap of the period. Prime Minister İnönü; “We should not welcome the opening of Türkkuşu with the joy of opening a sports club alone. We should applaud Türkkuşu as an attempt to introduce and accustom a great nation to the vast world of air. Sportsmen who will develop their supreme talents in Türkkuşu are the pioneers of those who will make the Turkish air a meeting place for civilization. They will also take the initiative to base the Turkish airspace on new foundations.” It is aimed to awaken the interest in aviation in the country and to give the love of flying to the youth. Türkkuşu has grown rapidly with the Republic. Sabiha Gökçen, Sabiha, Muammer Öniz, Sait Bayav, Tevfik Aytan, Ferit Orbay, Hilmi Hüseyin. Emrullah Ali Yıldız, Nurettin Demirsoy and Mustafa İrkin were trained by teachers from Russia. Eight students, who received A and B badges, were sent to the "Koktobel Glider School" in the Soviet Union in July 1935 for higher glider training, and as a result of the training, they worked as a teacher in the Türkkuşu staff.

At the 6th General Assembly held on Friday, May 24, 1935 at 14:00; The name of the "Turkish Aircraft Society" was changed to "Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK)" and Fuat Bulca was appointed as its President. He handed over all his duties to collect donations, buy airplanes for the army and train young people as aviators to THK, and was tasked with organizing and conducting sportive aviation activities. The distinctive feature of the Congress is that the phrase "The Future is in the Skies" was not only a couple of nice words uttered in the enthusiasm of those years, but also became a target. The Turkish Aeronautical Association came to life with the incredible material and moral support of a people who emerged tired and poor from the National Struggle. With this support, 344 aircraft were donated to the Air Force in 1925-1939, and the number of aircraft within the Air Force reached approximately 500 with the aircraft donated until 1940. The Turkish people have created a strong and effective Turkish aviation with the donations they have increased from head to toe. Parachute, glider and model airplane schools were opened. “İnönü Glider Camp” was established on July 10, 1936, and the “Etimesgut Motor Flight Camp” opened in 1937, Ankara and İzmir Parachute towers, which were built in the same year, brought thousands of our young people together. One of the Türkkuşu Teachers, Plt. Ali Yıldız broke the world record with a glider flight of 14 hours and 20 minutes on June 12, 1938. The gliders required for THK's training were provided from Akköprü Workshop. At Etimesgut Aircraft Factory, THK-1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 13 gliders and THK-2, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15 types until 1952, 172 units of training, health and medical facilities. transport aircraft and 106 gliders were produced. The THK-16 jet type training aircraft project called "Mehmetçik" remained on the basis of a project without being produced. In the 1940s, in aviation, it reached the strongest Air War Industry among the Balkan States, and the 3rd largest in Europe, in terms of state and private sectors. Keeping the ideal of bringing aircraft technology to his country and establishing the Air War Industry alive, Atatürk predicted today's aviation and the level it can reach, read the future, and everyone from the villagers to the citizens of the city became one heart. Since its establishment, it has done works that will not fit into a century with its successful works, contributed greatly to air power, created great efficiency and efficiency in homeland defense, and carried out aviation and training activities. Average as a national requirement 

Today, we celebrate the 96th Anniversary of the Turkish Aeronautical Association, which is on the moon and is the foundation of Turkish aviation, with great pride and honor. In order to continue on the path and reach their goal in accordance with the word "The Future is in the Skies" shown by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; has enabled him to grow up as good citizens who love his nation and country, have a high environmental awareness, have a developed sense of social responsibility. The Turkish nation believed in its great leader and the Turkish Aeronautical Association founded by him, and was proud of his existence, and its trust, belief, support and contribution continued and will continue in the years to come.

REFERENCES;

TATAR Cengiz, “The Future is in the Skies” Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK and Turkish Aviation, Galeati Publishing, 2021.