Posted on 10/14/2016 8:14:01 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Turkey to unearth German-made WWII-era Focke-Wulf fighters, buried 'upon US request'
METIN CAN
ISTANBUL
viation enthusiasts hope to shed light on a bizarre chapter in the history of the Republic of Turkey with the excavation of an area in the central city of Kayseri. The site, at a now-defunct airport currently used as a military headquarters, is allegedly home to more than fifty Focke-Wulf FW-190s imported from Germany that were reportedly "buried" after they were decommissioned some 70 years ago.
Although aviation experts dispute the improbability of the burial of the single-seat fighter aircrafts en masse and claim they were sold for scraps after they were decommissioned, others believe they are still preserved underneath, wrapped in sheets.
Turkey had acquired 72 planes from Nazi Germany at a time it was pursuing a delicate foreign policy both with Axis and Allies and was struggling not to take sides. Per an agreement signed in 1941, Turkey sold iron and chrome ore to Germany in exchange for the planes that were handed over to Turkey in 1943. Some 50 planes were sent to Kayseri where a major airbase is located. Secret documents that were recently revealed show an agreement with the United States in the post-war period, which spelt the end for the planes in 1947. Ankara and Washington had signed an agreement for acquisition of the fighter aircrafts after World War II, and according to the agreement, Turkey had to destroy German-made aircrafts in return. Subsequently, the planes "disappeared" from the inventory of the Turkish army, and were reportedly buried for possible future use.
Researchers pressing on the government to recover the planes finally had the opportunity for excavation work at the site last year, but red tape delayed the process. However, the process is expected to resume soon, months after metal detectors detected traces of buried planes.
Uluhan Hasdal, an amateur aviation historian, said the planes may still be operable, as they were made to endure corrosion. Nejat Çuhadaroğlu, founder of Hisart Museum, seeks to exhibit the planes in his museum and hold talks with army officials for excavations. "If recovered and allowed to be exhibited, they may be the first Focke-Wulf FW 190 planes to be exhibited in the world," he says.
There was a story a few years back about Spitfires that had been buried (in shipping crates, partially disassembled) in Malaysia. Never heard any more about the fate of those.
If the FWs were still in crates or packed away in someway…maybe?
Going out on a limb here but I am going to say that the Focke-Wolf FW 190 were powered by BMW engines. Wouldn’t be surprised if they fired right up.
The tale of the Spitfires buried in Burma appears to have been a myth, unfortunately.
They were scrapped a long time ago.
France had some FW-190’s after the war too.
They found it far to difficult to maintain a combat plane whose source for parts was in rubble.
I can’t find anything that says they found Spitfires, but I do remember when it was in the news.
Properly buried a/c in crates might stand a better chance in Turkey (drier), than Burma (tropical). As for flyable, maybe if you “restored” it by replacing everything but the number plates.
Bull dozed into a pile and burned.Just like they did all over the world after the war.They didn’t do that in the pacific islands though.They pushed all the p38s into a revine at clark afb and set a match to them.I will be real surprised if they buried the 190s intact.
Nope.nothing yet and wont be.
LOL so true Byron, so true
This sounds exactly like the 50 Spitfires buried in Myanmar story of a few years ago which was equally rubbish.
If you want to store aircraft (or aircrafts as this article calls them) why would you bury them? I can’t think of a more absurd way to preserve and store aircraft than burying them under ground.
This will go like the 50 Spitfires buried in crates in Burma story ....nowhere
No that’s a myth no Spitfires found
Yes BMW 801
:)
Fokken Aye Right!
Nazi partisans continued to operate for 5 years after the end of the war.
The intent of the fighting was sought to end the war, as opposed to starting new wars using German equipment.
They may be able to be made flyable using CNC machines. The lack of parts may not be a problem. If the are bunkered rather buried.
Really pushing my luck now, but I’m gonna say the Fokker triplanes were powered by BMW engines also, and the Messerschmidts by Mercedes Benz. And the Spitfires by Rolls Royce.
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