|
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE F-4E PHANTOM II IN THE TURKISH
AIR FORCE
Karo-Aviation
visit Eskişehir airbase
Over the weekend of November 16/17, 2024, the Turkish Air Force (Türk
Hava Kuvvetleri) celebrated the 50th anniversary of their F-4E Phantom
Terminator 2020 in service at the Ist Main Jet Base Eskişehir; the
operational home base for 111 Filo and the test unit 401 Filo.
Fifty is a significant milestone and the Turkish Air Force was
determined to mark the occasion in style.
Most dramatically was the event on Saturday November the 16, the
anniversary jet and one other standard-painted F-4E performed high- and
low-speed passes down a river valley. Providing the gathered
photographers with a never-to-be-forgotten experience highlighting the
raw power of this classic Cold War jet at a very special spot .
| At the center of this
was specially painted F-4E serial number 77-0303, in a red and black
anniversary scheme. The upper sides of the jet carry a huge Turkish
flag, while the belly is painted with the famous “Spook” character
found across the global Phantom community ever since it first appeared
in the late 1950s. |
A bit of history
By
the early 1970s the Phantom II had begun to win a number of export
orders. With tensions rising between Greece and Türkiye, in 1972 Greece
decided to purchase the F-4E Phantom II.
The Turkish Air Force knew they needed to respond and acquire a modern
sophisticated aircraft. Under Peace Diamond I forty F-4E Phantom IIs
were ordered in August 1972.
On the 30thAugust 1974 the first two F-4E Phantom IIs were delivered to
1st Main Jet Base at Eskişehir. After an initial eight examples were
delivered, an embargo arising from the Cyprus invasion,
temporarily delayed the remainder of the Peace Diamond III order.
The embargo was finally lifted in late 1975. In 1976, it was decided
that an
additional 32 F-4E and 8 RF-4E aircraft would be purchased and the
delivery
programs for these aircraft started in 1978.
In addition to the eighty new builds, Turkish ranks were augmented
during the 1980s by several batches of former US Air Force F-4Es and
twenty former Luftwaffe RF-4Es.
In total some 205 examples of the
Phantom II were acquired and served with eight front line units at Eskişehir, Konya and Erhac-Malatya.
Squadrons
1 st Main Jet Base (Eskişehir)
• 111st Squadron Command “Panther”, (F-4E, F-4E/2020
Interceptor/Bombardment)
• 112nd Squadron Command “Devil”, (F-4E Intercept/Fighter)
• 113rd Squadron Command “Light”, (USAF/GAF RF-4E, reconnaissance)
• 401st Test Squadron Command (F-4E/2020 Test)
3 rd Main Jet Base (Konya)
•131st Squadron Command “Dragon”, (F-4E, Training)
•132nd Squadron Command “Dagger”, (F-4E, F-4E/2020 Weapon &
Tactical)
7thMain Jet Base (Erhaç-Malatya)
•171st Squadron Command “Pirate” (F-4E, F-4E/202
Terminator/Interceptor/Bombardment)
•172nd Squadron Command “Falcon”, (F-4E Intercept/Fighter)
•173rd Squadron Command “Dawn” (GAF, RF-4E, reconnaissance)
.
|
Standing close to the runway gave the opportunity for some different angles.
|
The event in Eskişehir
On Saturday,
November 16 the celebations started with a low flying event in the area of Eskişehir.
The location chosen for the low flying event was a hill on the south
side of the Sakarya river valley in the Çatacik Forest. The road
to the location was a nice drive and on arrival all was well organised.
With a reception party guiding you to the right location on a rock
above the river looking down the valley.
After
a long wait for a break in the wetter around 3pm the cloud did start to
break just as the first F-4E was spotted arriving from the west. This
first pass was straight and level and fairly sedate compared with what
was to follow. The first jet was 77-0303 and in a wonderfully striking
red white and black colour scheme not previously seen by most people
present.
It
was followed by a ‘standard’ marked 111 Filo F-4E 73-1052 which again
made a straight and level pass from west to east. The numerous passes
showed all angles of the jets from topsides to belly shots with
afterburners and vapour off the wings.
Some
of the passes where so close that taking pictures was tricky, but even
without taking pictures the experience was one never to forget..
On Sunday
, November 17 the event was on the base at Eskişehir.
After
passing the security, it was off to the location off the static
display, Four F-4 Phantoms where displayed there and in the hanger
there were some others displays and merchandise.
Next it was off to the runway for the action, after some interesting
moves everyone was positioned close to the runway which made for some
challenging options to take the shots, but in de end it worked out with
pictures in an angle you would normally cannot take.
The event started with five F-4 Phantoms including the anniversary bird
preforming multiple flypasts before returning while deploying the
chute; sadly the weather was not cooperating this day with a low cloud
and little light.
During
this lunch break there was the opportunity to view the four F-4
Phantoms on the opposite ramp along with most of the armament they are
able to carry. The four where joined with the 50th anniversary jet to
complete the picture.
The
afternoon session was a repeat of the morning mission; it was nice to
see the Phantoms coming from the shelter area with the possibility of
some nice pictures.
On
recovering all four F-4 Phantoms rolled along to the end of the
runway were they were joined by six more F-4 Phantoms which then formed
up to make an elephant walk of ten back down the runway. The elephant
walk comprised off eight 111 Filo jets and two 401 Filo jets from the
based test squadron. These rarely seen F-4 Phantoms from 401 Filo made a
very nice addition to the day.
While the days of the Turkish F-4 Phantoms have been numbered for some
time, the turbulent nature of the country’s fighter force means the
jets have shown remarkable longevity and are still important frontline
assets.
The hospitality of the Turkish Air Force was truly outstanding and we would like to thank them for an unforgettable experience.
What a sight , ten F-4Es all taxying slowly down the runway during an Elephant Walk.
|
|
