Aviation Facilities of Nuri Demirağ in Beşiktaş and Yeşilköy

Abstract

20th century at its dawn was referred to as “age of aviation” by the invention of aircraft. Founding of aviational activities triggered growth of aviation and aircraft industry rapidly. Aviation facilities and its architecture began developing in Europe and the United States. While military aviation had a significant role in creating and developing aviation, civil and commercial aviation began to develop accordingly. As in Europe and the United States in 1920s and 1930s, there were also some important developments in the newly born Turkish Republic. Along with international civil and commercial aviation companies in Istanbul (such as Italian AEI, French CFRNA/CIDNA), national entrepreneurs established a number of facilities for providing services in civil and commercial aviation. Vecihi Hürkuş and Nuri Demirağ were among these entrepreneurs. In this article, aviation facilities of Nuri Demirağ being established in Istanbul are reviewed by tracing Prime Ministry Republic Archive (BCA) documents and by the images related to that period.