Ottoman Aviation Squadrons

Ottoman Aircraft pilots in early 1912

The Aviation Squadrons of the Ottoman Empire were military aviation units of the Ottoman Army and Navy.[1] The history of Ottoman military aviation dates back to June 1909[dn 1] or July 1911.[2][3][dn 2] The organisation is sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Air Force.[dn 3][dn 4] The fleet size reached its apex in December 1916, when the Ottoman aviation squadrons had 90 airplanes.[4] The Aviation Squadrons were reorganized as the General Inspectorate of Air Forces (Kuva-yı Havaiye Müfettiş-i Umumiliği) on 29 July 1918.[5] With the signing of the Armistice of Mudros on 30 October 1918, the Ottoman military aviation effectively came to an end. At the time of the armistice, the Ottoman military aviation had around 100 pilots; 17 land-based airplane companies (4 planes each); and 3 seaplane companies (4 planes each); totalling 80 aircraft.[5]

  1. ^ Edward J. Erickson, Ordered To Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, "Appendix D The Ottoman Aviation Inspectorate and Aviation Squadrons", ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 227.
  2. ^ Development of Turkish Aviation in 'Turkey in the First World War' website Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  3. ^ Hv. K. K. Mebs. "The First Establishment and the Early Years". Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Turkish Aircraft in 'Turkey in the First World War' website". Turkey in the First World War. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b John Pike. "Ottoman Air Branch – 1914–1918 – The Great War". Retrieved 24 December 2014.


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