Hi all,
The Turkish exercise Anatolian Phoenix is less known than Anatolian Eagle, but it is gaining popularity amongst aviation enthusiasts. The number of participans is relatively small, but quality is high. And photographic opportunities are great, with live action (including live bomb dropping and shooting) right in front of you. I visited in 2019 and decided to give it another go this year.
As always, all info is actually read of unless between (brackets). Unit or homebase information that is between brackets comes from the crews.
Konya
Participants on Eagle platform:
99-2505/505 AS.532UL c/n 2505, no mks (135 Filo)
01-2523/523 AS.532AL c/n 2523, no mks
96-119/119 CN.235-100M c/n C-119, 135 Filo
86-0071 F-16C 132 Filo
(10052)/052 S-70A-26E c/n 701912, ex J-1912, no mks (Ankara Güverc.)
12309 S-70A c/n 702623, no mks (Isparta)
18-1039/AG T-129B c/n 16-B2-039, no mks (Izmir?)
18-1046/CG T-129B c/n 17-B2-046, no mks (Isparta)
J-3904 S-70i-12 c/n 703904(#21), Jandarma (Ankara Güverc.)
14022/022 AS.532UL c/n 2420, no mks (TRNC base Karter), unit??
163 ye Mi-17-1V c/n 031M22, no mks (Qala, 3 Esk)
166 ye Mi-17-1V c/n 031M25, no mks (Qala, 3 Esk)
Note the CN.235 had this type designation on the plate, not CN.235M-100 as databases say. How come, anybody? And AS.532 01-2523 had type AS.532AL, not UL, on the plate, unlike Scramble database, again how come?
Platforms:
(92-056)/056 CN.235-100M 135 Filo
94-080/080 CN.235-100M 125 Filo (vague badge)
96-113/113 CN.235-100M 135 Filo
LX-N90446 E-3A NAEW&CF
Arrival:
94-067 CN.235-100M white VIP c/s
93-0673 F-16C 132 Filo
94-0091 F-16C 132 Filo
Departure:
90-0021 F-16C 401 Filo, large orange patches
91-0002 F-16C 401 Filo, large orange patches
94-0106 F-16D 401 Filo, large orange patches
Bomb dropping:
89-0028 F-16C 132 Filo
93-0664 F-16C 132 Filo
Aerial cover and flypast:
86-0070 F-16C 132 Filo plus one more, anybody?
VIP shuttle:
02-2558/558 AS.532UL no mks
02-2563/563 AS.532UL 201 Filo
Also seen were an E-7 inside the hangar and one or two that took off early in the morning. Plus the usual gate guards were seen, the F-100 near the former S-platform (that is all broken up now) and the F-4 near the civil terminal. Also still present are the two Turkish Stars NF-5s in the park next to the airbase.
Necmettin Erbakan Üniversiteti, Konya
66-0293 F-4E pr, no mks (last unit anyone?)
OR-2434 AS.365N2 pr, ex DGM (ministry of forestry)
The Phantom here is a relatively new arrival (2019 AFAIK), so that needed to be picked up. It is outside, together with the Dauphin that I have included for completeness sake (as I consider it civil).
And that concludes the day. As said not too many aircraft, but it certainly beats a day at the office…
As always, additions, corrections and comments are welcome.
That’s all folks!
Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation