Development of the aviation industry in the Republic of Türkiye: A historical evaluation of official and private aircraft manufacturing (1925-1952)

This study evaluates the aircraft production activities carried out by the public and private sectors in the Republic of Turkey between 1925 and 1952 and the country's development in the field of aviation. The study is important in terms of putting forth the development process of aircraft manufacturing technology, aircraft technology, and aviation training. During the Balkan wars, World War I, and the Independence war, outsourced aircrafts were used in defense of the country, but there were difficulties in the supply of aircraft and spare parts. Therefore, with the establishment of the republic, studies were initiated to manufacture aircraft in accordance with the technological developments of the period in the field of aviation. In this framework, manufacturing activities of the Kayseri Aircraft Factory and Eskişehir Aircraft Factory, which were opened in 1931 after the closure of the Aircraft Engine Turkish Joint Stock Company (TOMTAŞ), which was opened in 1926, The Etimesgut Aircraft Factory established by the Turkish Aeronautical Association in 1939, and the Gazi Aircraft Engine Factory, which were established in 1944, and Vecihi Hürkuş Aircraft Factory established by the private sector in 1930 and Nuri Demirağ Aircraft Factory established in 1936 were evaluated. Aircraft production activities that were caried out between 1925 and 1952, prepared the ground to the development of aircraft production industry, aviation technology, aviation education activities, training of qualified personnel, engine and spare parts production sector in Turkish aviation. Therefore, the studies conducted in this period are of particular importance in terms of the development of aviation industry, which is a subfield of industry, in Türkiye.