Turkish Stars

The Turkish Stars (Turkish: Türk Yıldızları) are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the national aerobatics team of Turkey.

Turkish Stars
Turkish Air Force aerobatic demonstration team
ActiveNovember 7, 1992
CountryTurkey
BranchTurkish Air Force
RoleAerobatic demonstration Team
Size10 Pilots, 7 Public affairs, 11 Maintenance personnel
Garrison/HQKonya Air Base
Motto(s)A perfect harmony of skill, speed and discipline...
ColorsRed, White, Gray
Commanders
Current
commander		Major Esra Özatay
Aircraft flown
Fighter10 NF-5A Freedom Fighter
2 NF-5B Freedom Fighter
Transport1 C-130
1 C-160
1 CASA/IPTN CN-235

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 one of few national aerobatics teams to fly supersonic aircraft. Twelve NF-5 fighter planes are available to the team. The team uses CASA/IPTN 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 Özatay assumed the role on 8 September 2016. She is the first and only female pilot to hold this position in the 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]

  • 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
  2. Hv. K. K. Mebs (19 May 2011). "About the NF-5 Aircraft – Türk Yıldızları". Turkyildizlari.tsk.tr. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  5. Yıldız, Mehmet Kayhan % Hasan Dönmez & Hakan Kaya (2012-03-13). "Uçak düştükten hemen sonra çekildi". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 2012-03-13.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
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