TOMTAS, the first aircraft factory of Türkiye, has an interesting history full of closures and transformations, dating back to the 1920s.
Changing power dynamics amid two world wars affected the formation and then led to the closure of the factory.
In cooperation with a German company, the aircraft facility witnessed the French-German competition in aircraft manufacturing. As the US mounted pressure leveraging the Marshall Aid of 1950, the Turkish aircraft factory became the air supply and maintenance center of the Turkish Defence Ministry.
Rendered defunct for seven decades due to the pressures of bipolar world order, the factory has now been revamped, thanks to Türkiye’s independent policy making.
TOMTAS, however, represents a significant historical era shaped by the harsh realities of World War I and II. Its reopening as part of the country’s fast growing national aviation sector also carries a symbolic weight.
A Glimpse into its history
Following the establishment of the Turkish Aircraft Society in 1925, the factory was established in a partnership with the German company Junkers. It was formally opened on October 6, 1926 in Türkiye’s Kayseri province.
The factory was officially named as “Tayyare (Plane) and Motor Turk AS (TOMTAS).”
However, the partnership between Germany and Türkiye was short lived, ending in 1928 because of the German company’s failure to fulfill the agreement and to address the issue of wage difference between German and Turkish workers.
On October 27, 1928, the factory was officially declared bankrupt.
At that time, there was also a French pressure on the German company since France was selling aircraft to the Turkish Air Force.
After this breakup in 1931, the factory was reopened and started with a new name, the Kayseri Aircraft Factory.
During its active years, all aircrafts produced in the factory has been designed by foreign companies and based on license agreements with the foreign firms such as Junkers, The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company Inc., Gothaer Waggon Fabrik A.G., Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze, Phillips and Powis Aircraft.
In 1950, it was turned into an air supply and maintenance center of the Turkish Defence Ministry, focusing on the maintenance and repair activities instead of producing aircrafts.
Behind this change, the Marshall Aid shows up.
Since the US, after the Second World War, wanted to hand out military equipment to Türkiye through this aid, the aircraft production at home was pushed to the background. Also, the US demanded German-patented aircrafts of Turkish factory to be demolished after the deal.
For this short span of time, 200 airplanes were produced in the factory with the help of foreign firms.
Why is TOMTAS important?
In addition to being the first aviation factory in Turkish history, it complements other Turkish efforts to be strategically autonomous and independent, by improving industrial and technological capacities.
As of this moment, it is aimed that main assembly parts and engine parts will be produced at TOMTAS Aerospace which ASFAT, Erciyes Technopark, TAI and the TOMTAS Investment Partnership were partners in the establishment.
In the short run, it is aimed to produce aircraft parts for both home and abroad.
The factory will have 420.000 kilograms annual production capacity.
In addition to TL 205 million investment, $10.2 million worth equipment and machinery will be imported.
As the factory grows bigger, it will be a fully equipped aircraft factory to meet the needs of the defence and aviation sectors of Türkiye and at the same time exporting the aircraft products.
A series of governmental support is planned to encourage the activities of the factory, such as vat and customs duty exemption and tax reductions.
The move is an important step for the development of the national aviation industry of Türkiye, supporting the previous moves and successes in the defence sector.
Historical loads of the factory marks the symbolic meaning of its reopening to foster independent industries.
Source: TRTworld.com