Greece-Turkey 1918-1922 Airco DH.9

Airco D.H.9 of the Second Greco-Turkish War

Slowly but surely I am getting back to normal after the holidays. Between medical appointments and working up profiles and new galleries and new navigation for them which are been viewable on galleries on my main site I have been a bit busy. Life has been interesting. I use the term advisably since the Chinese use the phrase as a curse. “May you live in interesting times” is not a friendly wish.

Today's post is another look at the aircraft used during the Second Greco-Turkish War. Once again both sides used the same aircraft type. The Greeks were supplied by Britain, and the Turks by captured Greek equipment. Such are the fortunes of war.

Royal Hellenic Naval Air Service

Airco D.H.9 - 1918

This aircraft had carried a typical RNAS color scheme before entering Greek service. In some profile examples show the fuselage and fin painted in very light gray to white paint scheme. Greek roundels are only painted on the wings. The forward fuselage section was natural metal both sides of the fuselage carry a Greek flag. This was the personal aircraft of the top Greek ace of WW1 Aristides Moraitinis during 1918. This aircraft served with the Royal Hellenic Naval Air Service and was stationed at the Moudros airfield, Lemnosin January of 1921.

Airco D.H.9 - 1921

This British built DH.9 first served RNAS before it was given to the Royal Hellenic Naval Air Service and was stationed at Alfion-Karahisar airfield during July 1921. The aircraft is finished in PC10 Dope on upper flying surfaces, fin, undercarriage legs and rear fuselage. The fuselage panels were painted battleship gray, and the under surfaces and wheel covers are clear doped Linen. The blue and white Greek national markings were converted from existing RNAS roundels from when they were based at Moudros during WW1. The serial number is painted in white, and is partially obscured by a dark gray or black wavy line. This pattern was a theater marking applied to all operational aircraft involved in the Greco-Turkish war of 1919-1922. Note that roundels on the lower wing surface do not have a 1 inch White outline.

Turkish Air Force

Airco D.H.9 - 1921

This was a Greek aircraft captured by the Turks when it made a forced landing at Mugla on 27th July 1921. The plane was named “Ismet” after the commander of the Western Front. The name is painted onto the red square of the national insignia both sides of the fuselage.this aircraft was used extensively throughout the Turkish War of Independence. After the war it was converted into a two-seat trainer and it was used at the flying school in Gaziemir-Izmir until it was retire in 1924.

Airco D.H.9 - 1922

This was one of three Greek Navy planes deserted at the Gaziemir airfield after the Greek withdrawal and evacuation of Izmir on 9th September 1922. It was named “Ganimet” which translates as War Gain. The name is painted onto the red square of the national insignia on the starboard side of the fuselage. The port side insignia bears the identification number 262. It was converted into a two-seat trainer and used at the flying school in Gaziemir-Izmir until 1924.

References

1. Wings Palette - Airco DH.9/9A - Greece: retrieved from http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/b/47/23/0
2. Wings Palette - Airco DH.9/9A - Turkey retrieved from http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/b/47/137/0

A Side Note:

Recently during image searches I have noticed a trend which is does not bode well. It seems users of several highly trafficked and well known forums are not only “Hot linking” (using a URL to images on other people's server so they are stealing bandwidth) but they do not even have the common courtesy to ask permission to use images or give credit to the owner of the material and a link back to the site they are robbing. Hot linking and use media without attribution is theft of intellectual property pure and simple. Not only has my work been pilfered but the work of many others have been treated the same way. There is a trend where the hosts of the forums are turning a blind eye to the problem even after receiving email about the problem. I see them just as culpable as the abusers. We are better than that people.