The Team | Signature Formations | The Aircraft | Gallery | Facebook Page | Website | Back to Military-Team

The Turkish Stars are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the national aerobatics team of Turkey. The team was formed on November 7 1992, and was named the Turkish Stars on January 11, 1993.

Turkish Stars fly with seven Canadair NF-5 fighter planes obtained from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, making them one of few national aerobatics teams to fly supersonic aircraft. Twelve NF-5 fighter planes are available to the team. The team uses CASA/IPTN CN-235, C-130 and C-160 support aircraft in the Turkish Stars colours and also an A400M. The team is stationed at the Konya Air Base of 3rd Main Jet Base Group Command. As a part of modernization programs of the Turkish Air Force, the NF-5 aircraft are planned to be replaced with locally produced TAI Hurjet in the mid-2020s.

On August 24, 2001, Turkish Stars demonstrated an airshow to more than one million people in Baku, Azerbaijan that is to be a world record.

Canadair NF-5A

Canadair NF-5A is a single-seat fighter version of the CF-5A for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and the extensively updated F-5E and F-5F Tiger II variants. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and a low cost of maintenance. Smaller and simpler than contemporaries such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the F-5 cost less to procure and operate, making it a popular export aircraft. Though primarily designed for a day air superiority role, the aircraft is also a capable ground-attack platform. The F-5A entered service in the early 1960s. During the Cold War, over 800 were produced through 1972 for U.S. allies. Though at the time the United States Air Force (USAF) did not have a need for a light fighter, it did procure approximately 1,200 Northrop T-38 Talon trainer aircraft, which was based on Northrop's N-156 fighter design.

Canadair NF-5B

Canadair NF-5B is a two-seat training version of the CF-5D for the Royal Netherlands Air Force.