Tahsin Şahinkaya

Tahsin Şahinkaya (1 May 1925 – 9 July 2015) was a Turkish Air Force general. After completing his compulsory military service in the Turkish Army Artillery between 1943 and 1945, he was commissioned as a Supermarine Spitfire pilot in the Air Force. From 1955 he flew the North American F-86 Sabre and was a squadron commander from 1958 to 1961. In 1960 he also qualified as a pilot for the North American F-100 Super Sabre. Promoted to colonel in 1962, he commanded a regiment of Sabrejet fighters between 1962 and 1964 and a regiment of Super Sabre fighters from 1966 to 1968. Between 1964 and 1966 he was an instructor at the Air Warfare School. Promoted to brigadier general in 1968 and appointed as the air attaché to Israel till 1971. From 1971 to 1974 he was deputy director of air planning as a staff officer. Promoted to major general in 1974 and commanded all Turkish Air Force units in the Cyprus War. In 1976 promoted to lieutenant general and chief of Air Training Command. In 1978 became commander of the First Air Force. In 1979 a full general. and later on also in Istanbul.

Death Şahinkaya died at age 90 in the Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) in Haydarpaşa, Istanbul on July 9, 2015.