Turkish Stars
| Turkish Stars Turkish Air Force aerobatic demonstration team | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | November 7, 1992 |
| Country | Turkey |
| Branch | Turkish Air Force |
| Role | Aerobatic demonstration Team |
| Size | 10 Pilots, 7 Public affairs, 11 Maintenance personnel |
| Garrison/HQ | Konya Air Base |
| Motto(s) | A perfect harmony of skill, speed and discipline... |
| Colors | Red, White |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Major Esra Ozatay |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter |
10 NF-5A Freedom Fighter 2 NF-5B Freedom Fighter |
| Transport |
1 C-130 1 C-160 1 CN-235 |
The Turkish Stars (Turkish: Türk Yıldızları) are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the national aerobatics team of Turkey.
The team was formed on November 7, 1992 and was named the Turkish Stars on January 11, 1993.[1]
Turkish Stars fly with eight Canadair NF-5 fighter planes obtained from the Royal Netherlands Air Force,[2] making them the only aerobatics team with formations of eight supersonic aircraft and one of few national aerobatics teams to fly supersonic aircraft. Twelve NF-5 fighter planes are available to the team. The team uses CN-235, C-130 and C-160 support aircraft in Turkish Stars colours. The team is stationed at the Konya Air Base of 3rd Main Jet Base Group Command.
On August 24, 2001, Turkish Stars demonstrated an airshow to more than one million people in Baku, Azerbaijan that is to be a world record.[3]
Leadership
Current squadron leader Major Esra Ozatay assumed the role on 08 September 2016. She is the first and only female pilot holds this position in Turkish Air Force. [4]
Incidents
On 13 March 2012, one of the team's NF-5 fighter planes crashed during a training session in Konya Province 2 km (1.2 mi) from the airbase where the team is stationed. Pilot Flight lieutenant Ümit Özer, who had joined the Turkish Stars shortly before, died in the crash.[5]
Gallery
NF-5A during landing
NF-5B of the team, at takeoff
Turkish Air Force Transall C-160D, one of the team's support aircraft
Performing during the 2011 Northern Cyprus Peace and Freedom Day
One of the C-160 support airplane of team , behind the follow me car, photographed in RAF Fairford, England.
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.turkyildizlari.tsk.tr/TR/index.aspx
- ↑ Hv. K. K. Mebs (19 May 2011). "About the NF-5 Aircraft – Türk Yıldızları". Turkyildizlari.tsk.tr. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ↑ http://www.turkyildizlari.tsk.tr/TR/IcerikDetay.aspx?ID=16
- ↑ https://www.turkyildizlari.tsk.tr/en-us/Pilots-Personnel/Pilots Turkish Stars
- ↑ Yıldız, Mehmet Kayhan % Hasan Dönmez & Hakan Kaya (2012-03-13). "Uçak düştükten hemen sonra çekildi". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 2012-03-13.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Turkish Stars. |
