How
did Fethiye get it's name ?
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Many
great leaps forward in aviation history were made in the early 1900's,
the first flight between Paris Istanbul and Cairo took place in 1913.
The Turkish Government of the time wanted to show that they were not
behind Europe in aviation development; the Turkish Minister for Defence
Enver Pasa ordered two planes to fly from Istanbul to Cairo, allowing
the Ottoman pilots to prove their ability in flying long distance routes.
The first plane was flown by Captain Fethi Bey (1887-1914), with Navigator
First Lieutenant Sadik Bey both of the Turkish Navy.
Captain Fethi Bey's Bleriot XI monoplane named "Muavet-i Milliye"
took off on the 8th of February 1914 from Istanbul heading for Alexandria.
Sadly his plane crashed on the 27th of February between Damascus and
Tiberias. Captain Mehmet Fethi Bey and First Lieutenant Sadik Bey were
killed and are buried in Damascus. The town of Megri was renamed Fethiye
in the Turkish pilots honour.
Monument
to Fethi Bey looking out to sea opposite Fethiye Marina
Fehi
Bey born in 1887 was trained as a pilot in England between 1912 and
1913 becoming an officer on graduation from naval academy. Awarded the
Silver Merit Medal during the Balkans war, then leading the Istanbul
to Cairo attempt in 1914.
The impressive bronze statue of Fethi Bey looking out over the sea can
be found just off the promenade near Fethiye (Ece)Marina.
The
Flight To Cairo
| Feb
8th 1914 |
Took
off from Istanbul |
| Feb
8th-10th |
Eskishehir |
| Feb
10th |
Afyon |
| Feb
10th |
Konya |
| Feb
11th |
Tarsus |
| Feb
12th |
Adana |
| Feb
13th-15th |
Aleppo |
| Feb
15th |
Homs |
| Feb
15th |
Beirut |
| Feb
19th |
Forced
landing due to engine trouble |
| Feb
19th-23rd |
The
Bleriot undergoes repairs in Beirut |
| Feb24th |
The
pilots continued then their journey to Damascus |
| Feb
27th |
Amidst
difficult flying conditions on the Golan heights, the plane crashed
near Samakh.Captain Fethi Bey and Sadik Bey did not survive the
crash, and they were buried in Damascus. |
