Having undergone a major reshuffle in recent years, the Turkish Air Force has dramatically rationalized its F-4 Phantom II fleet as these warriors ultimately face retirement.
ESKISEHIR IS A city synonymous with the very essence of Turkish aviation. Located in the northwestern part of the country, the airfield has a strong link with the godfather of aeronautics in Turkey: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Eskisehir Air Base has housed every fast jet type operated by the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force — THK) and still serves as the home of the 1st Air Base Command, the 1st Air Supply Maintenance Center and, most importantly, the Combat Air Force and Air Missile Defense Command — the glue that cements together all the THK combat elements.
With such a solid legacy, it comes as little surprise that Eskisehir was heavily involved with the arrival of the F-4E Phantom II in Turkish service from 1974. It is dificult to believe that the legendary Phantom II has served for nearly 43 years, and will likely continue in use until around 2020.
Phantom arrival
Turkey has always placed a huge emphasis on its armed forces due to its geographical and geopolitical location. With the country’s entry into NATO in 1952, a new …
