Those Leaving a Mark on the Development of Industry in Turkey ‘‘Selâhattin Reşit Alan’’

In  this article, my elderly colleague Aeroplane Engineer Selâhattin Reşit  Alan; who has left deep marksin the industrial  development in Turkey, having a separate importance as of the reasons of being the first example in my profession in the Republic of Turkey, having started the profession similarly like me (as a member of the Air Force) and as having same initial assignment at the same factory  (Eskişehir Aeroplane Repair Shop ; 1st Air Supply and Maintenance Center in its current name) as me and who was also included in my previous studies “Mühürdarzade Mehmet Nuri Demirağ” and “Turkish Aeroplane Society and the Aeroplane Engineering Students and Trainee Mechanics Sent to Europe”; has realized in our national aviation industry and the thoughts and proposals caused as its effects are included.

Selâhattin Reşit Efendi born in the Prilep city in Macedonia in the year 1901 (Hijri 1319) has been among the group sent abroad for education by the Turkish Aeroplane Society (T.Ta.C) to get educated as the first Aeroplane Engineers of the Republic of Turkey and has been the first aeroplane engineer to return to the country as a military brevetted pilot.  

As is known, just after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, under the scope of the education of qualified personnel abroad necessitied by the young republic for the practice of the education of “Aeroplane Engineers” actualized in accordance to the instruction of Veteran Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; “I am sending you as a spark; you must return as flames!”.  “Aeroplane Enginnering” Education program has been initiated in the year 1925 where,

The management was on the Ministry of Education,

Administration and financial burden was on T.Ta.C. 

T.Ta.C. has prepared the “Regulatory Book for the Students to be Sent to Europe for Aeroplane Engineering Education by the Turkish Aeroplane Society” covering the selection of the students, rules to be followed, and principles regarding the compulsory services to be fulfilled after the completion of the education, with the aim to provide for the preparation by practicing with the education to be completed abroad of the trained and qualified aeroplane engineers  that the General Inspectors of Aviation Arms shall need in the year 1926. The first students chosen as to this instruction book who have; 

Finished their advanced science education, 

Strong French, have been determined as a result of the contest organized by the Ministry of Education from among those who have finished the first term of the Engineering Academy (Istanbul Technical University in its current name).  

As to T.Ta.C. records, 

Selâhattin Reşit Efendi as one of those chosen to become Aeroplane Engineer in the first group was sent to France on 01.10.1926,

Residing in Paris, 46 rue de Cronchtad,

Attenting École Supérieure D’Aéronautique school,

During his education in Paris,

Kadri Efendi  was his ‘Student Auditor’  for T.Ta.C.’,

S.Zeki Efendi  was his ‘Student Inspector’ for the Ministry of Education

After his graduation from the École Supérieure D’Aéronautique school in the year 1928 Selâhattin Reşit Efendi after having, 

Technical internship at Societe Hanriot company,

Pilotage course at Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier (Société Anonyme de Constructions Aéronautiques) company (brevet militarie), has returned to Turkey in the year 1931.

As the responsibility of educating abroad and the education of aeroplane engineers has been transferred to National Defence Ministry from T.Ta.C. in time, the first service place of  Selâhattin Reşit Efendi after coming back to Turkey was Eskişehir Aeroplane Repair Shop under the administration of General Inspectors of Aviation Arms.

The daughter of Selâhattin Reşit Efendi; married to the 1931 Turkey Beauty Queen Naşide Saffet (Esen) in the year 1932 during his service in Eskişehir; Meral (Alan) Sevil was also born in the year 1934 in Eskişehir.

With the Surname Act entering in force, Selâhattin Reşit Efendi adopting the surname Alan, has,

completed the design of the second military aeroplane in national character, “Selâhattin-1” aeroplane,

realized the “Milli Müdafaa Vekâleti 1” (M.M.V.1) aeroplane vested on the design of “Selâhattin-1” as the second Turkish military aeroplane prototype in Eskişehir Aeroplane Repair Shop, 

but not being able to find the necessary support for the production of the M.M.V.1 aeroplane, has resigned from the Aeroplane Repair Shop  to benefit from the business partnership with Mühürdarzade Mehmet  Nuri Demirağ thinking to establish a national aviation industry. 

Alan, moving from Eskişehir to Istanbul (Rumeli Caddesi Güven Apartmanı) with the business partnership he has established with entrepreneur Demirağ in the year 1935, has actualized the first practice of the co-operation between “Capital” and “Knowledge” in aviation in the Republic of Turkey.

In the technical team to serve under the scope of this business partnership some engineers and technicians sent abroad for airplane engineering by T.Ta.C. have also been included. Alan and his technical team have performed reviews and evaluations at the sites in Europe (Germany, Czechoslovakia and England) and in the USA together with Demirağ. 

During the performed review and evaluation visits, some German engineers have also been included in the team with the mediation of the German Civil Air Federation and as a result of the performed visits a 10 year “Action Plan” was made with the determination of the detection”In contrast to the latest system aeroplanes of Europe and America, a brand new Turkish type aeroplane must be brought into being.”  where the opening of,

An aeroplane designatelier in Istanbul,

An aeroplane factory in Sivas Divriği were also covered. 

According to the action plan prepared, the start of the aeroplane atelier was on the day 17th of September, 1936, at the Hayrettin Pier (Beşiktaş, İstanbul) and “Nuri Demirağ Tayyare Atelyesi (Aeroploane Atelier), NuDTA” has been established on the day of February 1st, 1937 so as to cover design (including R&D) activities as well.

At the first stage, after the NuDTA site said to have a 300  training aeroplanes or 150  sport aeroplanes or 50 fighters capacity starts to operate the auction for the supply of 24 training aeroplanes  and 65 gliders was won which was due to the need for the increased demand of aeroplanes and gliders resulting from the development of sport aviation activities as a result of the formation of TürkKuşu of the Turkish Aeronautical Association. After National Defence Ministry Aviation Undersecretary Zeki Doğan’s NuDTA site visit, the state support related to this initiative has also been provided at top levels. 

At the NuDTA sites, , 

An agreement was made with the Czechoslovakian Walter company for the motor procurement

By the team under the technical leadership of Alan, the aeroplanes 

Nu.D.36,

Nu.D.38 (as the first Turkish air transport aeroplane) have been designed based on R&D.

Gliders were built (65 units between the years 1937-1938) and delivered to Turkish Aeronautical Association.

The need for the flight course for the flight tests after the production of the Nu.D.36 aeroplanes, was met by the purchase of the Elmas Paşa Farm of  1559 acres in Istanbul, Yeşilköy (at the area where currently the Atatürk Airport is),with the objective to operate it as the first civil airfield named “Gök Stadyumu”. Alan and Sabri Alev have performed test pilotages in the 1000x1300 meter airport established in here during the test flights of the Nu.D.36 aeroplanes. 

Chief Engineer Alan started the second aeroplane production project at the NuDTA sites in the year 1938 which was Nu.D.38 aeroplane with metal body and closed cabin as well as being the first transport (passenger and load transport) aeroplane project that can be used for bombing –in case of war – at national level.

Aeroplane Engineer Selâhattin Reşit Alan, has passed away on the day July 13th, 1938, during his landing to the İnönü Airfield runway asked to be made in Eskişehir – as a result of getting stuck at the ditch dug to prevent the cattle to enter the runway- after his departure to the acceptance tests for the Nu.D.36 aeroplane of which he was the chief engineer and test pilot.   

As a consequence of this event, the Turkish Air Force has cancelled all orders stating that the Nu.D.36 aeroplane was not fit to the required conditions. 

The picture on the eternal rest-place of the first Aeroplane Engineer of the Republic of Turkey Selâhattin Reşit Alan at Istanbul Edirnekapı, beneath the shadow of an aeroplane machete, also has an engraved the poem “Salah’a” dedicated to him about his intellectual and physical superiorities by the Member of Parliament from Sivas, İbrahim Alaettin Gövsa who was also a clerk and teacher at the Ministry of Justice and Education of the time.

I have heard it during the days when a new airport project for Istanbul was carried to the public agenda for the first time (guess in the year 2005). Later, I also felt that this important development could be the end of our biggest existing airport; just during those days when my researches on the first private airplane factory partnership, Gök Okulları (Sky Schools), Gök Stadyumu (Sky Stadium) supported by the cooperation established between the “capital” of the entrepreneur Mühürdarzade Mehmet Nuri Demirağ and the “knowledge” of the first Aeroplane Engineer of the Republic of Turkey, Selâhattin Reşit Alan... I have finished my related article I have prepared with the effects of the results I have reached in this research as, 

 “...With the inspiration I have had from the systematic and innovative activities supported by sustainable and complementary cooperation supporting the questioning, evaluating and sharing personality of Nuri Demirağ;

Naming the still unnamed third international airport in Istanbul planned to start operation in the year 2016 with 150 million final passenger capacity positioned at the 90 million square meters area having 5-6 runaways between Yeniköy and Akpınar villages as “Atatürk Havalimanı” after the name of our Savior and supreme leader,

To the airport at Yeşilköy where the rumors were  perceived on its cancellation was planned during the process of the third airport  in Istanbul adding;

A “Sky University” (Gök Üniversitesi) at which education and basic researches shall be made on aerospace, aviation and the related advanced technology subjects (like sensors, mechatronics, advanced materials and software),

A “New NuDTA” site where industrial researches, design, production and MRO activities of business jets and helicopters, sport aircrafts shall be made,

An “Aeroplane Engineer Selâhattin Reşit Alan Aerospace Institute and Museum”, oriented to aerospace technology and products as well as the intellectual activities of this field,

and considering that this area was previously the Sky Stadium (Gök Stadyumu, Elmas Paşa Farm) owned by Nuri Demirağ to continue with the name “Nuri Demirağ Aviation Park and Airport”,

and hoping that the days where the concept of “self trust” which is among the most basic inputs of the fidelity at hearts and initiative at minds shall develop more with these adjustments …”.

With this occasion, I am again sharing the proposals I have made in the relevant sections of my book published this year “Can’ca Türkiye’de, Endüstrinin Gelişiminde İz Bırakanlar” Kitabı “Can’ca Those Leaving a Mark on the Development of Industry in Turkey”  (ISBN 978-605-125-753-2)

I hope that we will be able to live the days at its soonest when the Aeroplane Engineer and Pilot Selâhattin Reşit Alan as among or maybe as the first one of those who have contributed to the reminiscence of Eskişehir today as an aviation city, with the mark products for which he has sacrificed his life may be placed in the related industrial and academic institutions, organizations, airport, aviation museum and city centers  and “Aeroplane Engineer Selâhattin Reşit Alan Aerospace Institute and Museum” in Eskişehir.

The pioneer of our current day Aeronautical, Aerospaceand Space Engineers (UHUM), the first “Aeroplane Engineer” of the Republic of Turkey; may your soul rest in peace; may you and all your valuable colleagues, business partners, study friends and your students sleep in enlightenment.