TURKEY MAKES DEBUT ON AIR TATTOO MENU
An F-16 jet fighter from the Turkish Air Force will be making its Royal International Air Tattoo flying display debut at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on July 16-17.
The multi-role aircraft, known as the 'Fighting Falcon', is a nimble dogfighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick for ease of control while maneuvering and a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot.
Although officially a 'Fighting Falcon', the aircraft is better known to its pilots as the 'Viper', due both to its snake-like resemblance - and after the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter.
Friendship between the Turkish Air Force, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and the Air Tattoo goes back many years and the Eastern European air force regularly participates in the airshow. In 2006, two F-4 Phantoms came from their base in central Turkey whilst in 2008, the nation sent its Turkish Stars aerobatic display team.
