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By changing a fabric factory into a school, Isıklar Military High School was
founded on February 15, 1845 by the name of “Mekteb-i Fünün-u İdadi”, upon the decision taken by Grand Visier Arif Hikmet, Minister Emin
Pasha and main translator Fuad Pasha in the sovereignty of Abdülmecid to establish the military schools, which was placed around today’s
government house. The first commander of Isıklar Military High School was Captain Ali Efendi.
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When it was first opened, the school was ordered to include all five classes and designed
accordingly, but, in the first academic year only 32 cadets started for the fifth class, the other four classes were opened in the following
years.
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While some of the students stayed at school as boarders the others were day
students. The clothing of the students was a model including one-buttoned broadcloth jacket and pants which were also made of black
broadcloth.
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The school made its first graduation in 1853 and transferred the students to Air
Force Academy; three of which became Brigadier General, another three became Marshal and one of them became Grand Vizier.
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Due to an earthquake in 1855 the school was awfully damaged and students had to
take education in tents for a while. Meanwhile, the school was widened with addition of a couple of houses in the neighborhood. The
building of today’s Isıklar Military High School was first started on May 21, 1890 on a 14,000 square-meter area. On May 29, 1892, with
a glamorous celebration, education in this new building, which costed 1,394,654 Turkish pilasters, was started by Münir Pasha, the governor
of Bursa.
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A week before the Greek besiege, some of the students were sent to War Academy, the others were
sent their homes. Following the Independence War, education started again on October 28, 1922, by the name of Askeri İdadi.
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In 1926, Askeri Idadi was turned over to National Education Ministry under the name of “Second High School
of Bursa”, but, in the same year, it was re-transferred to National Defense Ministry and took the name of “Bursa Military High School”.
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From 1928 on, first five classes and in the following years secondary school classes were one by one
cancelled, the school became to serve only as a high school. Bursa Military High School was abolished again until July 31, 1961; buildings and
facilities were handed over to the Unity of Military Intelligence, after one year to the Personnel School until June 1974.
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Upon the decision taken by the Chief of Staff to establish a second military high school again in
September 1973; historical Bursa Military High School, after 129 years of its first opening, was re-opened by the name of Isıklar Military
High School on June 28, 1974.
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One year after the re-opening of the school, in 1975-76, foreign language-based education was started;
with the addition of prep class, four graded system was put into practice. In prep class, the classes were equally educated in French or German
languages.
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With the protocol made in May 27, 2008, between the Turkish Army Command and Turkish Air Forces Command,
Isıklar Military High School was transferred to Air Forces and took the name of Isıklar Air Force High School in June 27, 2008.
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The commander of Isıklar Military High School, Colonel Selim MERT, handed over his duty to new-appointed
commander Colonel Mehmet ELDEM following the commencement on June 27, 2008.
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In 2008-2009, 34 years after its closure in 1974, Air Force High School started education again.
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Five-year education was started gradually following 2008-2009 academic year by recruiting prep class students
again.
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According to its historical mission, within the scope of contemporary education and training, and in
accordance with the philosophy of student-centered education, Isıklar Air Force High School aims at training and educating students having the basic
cultural values, knowledge and skills required by Basic Laws of National Education Ministry. It also aims at qualifying its students to satisfy the
present and future necessities of the Turkish Air Forces. Its aims radiate to equip the students with the core values of the school, to prepare them
for the education and training in the Air Force Academy. It requires the students have quite powerful physical capabilities and qualified
communicative skills. In addition to all these goals, it is an indispensable feature of cadets to follow Atatürk’s footsteps and perform his
advices throughout their lives.
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The Anthem of Işıklar Military High School
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Inspired by lighting we put wings to steel
With joy plunged we into the heavens
No mind if the universe is stacked against us or the space is on fire and storms and
rains are on our way
We are air cadets our hearts filled with love
We protect our land even when the entire world attacks us
A legendary history we have
A Turkish son do not blemish the bravery in the sky
We are air cadets our hearts filled with love
We protect our land even when the entire world attacks us
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THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST AIR FORCE HIGH SCHOOL
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1950s were a period of great improvements for The Turkish Air Force. In that period, some educational
institutions were built which were all-important for aviation training. Until 1956 aviation was directly under the control of The Command of the Air
Forces. In order to provide services in a faster way and also provide solidarity at the air-training bases, on August 30, 1956, Air Training Corps
Command was founded and all units relating to education went under the control of this cited headquarters and then in 1957 this foundation became
The Air Training Command.
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On September 17, 1957, under the command of Turkish Air Force, it was decided that an Air Force High
School should be built to train students for the Air Force Academy Upon that command, all the needs to initiate Air Force High School met.
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Opening Ceremony of The Military High School (19 October 1957)
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The Air-Force High School started the first academic year in 1957-1958 with 100 cadets in Manisa.
Before its original building was built, two classrooms of a civilian high school were used temporarily.
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(Şemi ERGİN; the Secretary of Defence is on the opening ceremony) (19 October 1957)
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On 19 October 1957, a formal opening ceremony was held in attendance of Şemi ERGİN; the Secretary of
Defence, Suphi GÖKER ;the General of Air Forces, several deputies, the personnel of The Air Training Command and the people in Manisa.
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((A Picture from opening ceremony of The Military High School (19 October 1957))
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In order to provide a better atmosphere for the students, Air Force Military High School moved from Manisa
to the garrison of Güzelyalı in İzmir at the end of one-year long term in 1958.
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The Military Air School used four different buildings in İzmir between the years of 1958 and 1974.
As The Air Force Academy moved to Yeşilköy in İstanbul, The Air Force High School, continuing its education in the barracks used by privates
today since it first moved from the garrison of Güzelyalı to İzmir, took the area of The Air Force Academy in Güzelyalı, İzmir.
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After the garrison of Güzelyalı, in1968 the school used the NCOs’ barracks of The Air Force Language School
located in the district of Üçkuyular in İzmir .The same year, the school was decided to be closed and no freshman was recruited to the school.
Next, it was reopened in Çiğili, İzmir and started to recruit students again to all three grades. In the range of 2nd Main Jet Base, the school
continued its education until 1974.
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In time, the school took several different names; In Manisa The Directory of Barracks of Air-Force
High School”, in İzmir “The Directory of Air-Force High School” and last “The Command of Air-Force High School”
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The cadets are in a classroom (1969)
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Handed over to Land Forces with a protocol signed between Headquarters of Land Forces and Headquarters
of Air Forces on November 5 in 1973, the Air Force High School continued its education with the same status under the control of the Command of
Air Forces between 1973 and 1974. The graduates who succeeded the Flight Health Examinations and the Test Flights were accepted to The Air Force
Academy but the ones who failed the flight tests started the Turkish Military Academy.
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PHOTO GALLERY |
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