1/32 Revell Piper Pa-18 Super Cub

Gallery Article by Tamer Ozkan on Aug 30 2020

Turkish Victory Day

 

      

I decided to built one of these kits after the inspiration from my friend Ozkan Turker's masterly built yellow version.

Click on images below to see larger images

HISTORY
Until 1944 the Turkish Air Force was a part of the army. On January 31 that year the air force became an independent command. From 1948 the United States assisted the Turkish Armed Forces into becoming an up-to-date military organisation. Large amounts of equipment were transferred, to make the force more effective. Among the initial equipment arriving were 15 AOP (Air observation post) L-4J aircraft. These aircraft were intended for spotting and direction for the Army’s artillery units and an organisation had to be formed for their use. The US Army system was adopted under which small flights were detached directly to Army Corps and Division artillery units. The ‘Kara Ordusu Topçu Havaciliği (The Army Artillery Aviation)’ was formed in 1948 and a number of officers from artillery regiments were posted to the Türk Hava Kurumu in order to be provided with flying training. Basic training was given on Magister trainers and operational training on the L-4Js. From 1948-52 210 officers were trained. Operational training and initial operations were conducted by the ‘Topçu Okulu Hava Grubo (The Artillery School’s Air Group)’ at Polatli which was given the first fifteen L-4Js. Parallel with the training, AOP-Flights called ‘Topçu Alayi Hava Kismi’ were formed with the various Corps and Division artillery units. Overall command was exercised by the ‘Hava Grup Komuntanliği (Air Group Command)’ at Polatli. In 1950 two Turkish L-18B aircraft, with national markings, were detached to the Turkish Brigade in Korea later being replaced by L-19As. Two crew members were killed there while performing their duties. From 1950 onwards hundreds of Piper Super Cubs of the marks L-18B, L-18C and L-21B were received and distributed to an increasing number of ‘Hava Kismi’. (Oje Nikolaysen , A history of Turkish Ground Forces).

The kit was fun to build and I enjoyed it.  I would like to thank Ozkan Turker for the reference photos and Oje Nikolaysen for his books.

Tamer Ozkan

Photos and text © by Tamer Ozkan