- Yes
- No
- Don’t know
My suggestion today, is to suggest the worlds first female fighter pilot as a profile picture to use in war thunder.
Who is Sabiha Gokcen?
Sabiha Gökçen was a pioneering figure in aviation history. She was the first female combat pilot in the world, as well as the first Turkish female aviator. Born in 1913 in the Ottoman Empire, she was adopted by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, and became one of the first female students at the Turkish Aviation Institute.
Gökçen achieved numerous milestones in her aviation career, including participating in various military operations and becoming a symbol of women’s empowerment in Turkey. She passed away in 2001, leaving behind a legacy of bravery, determination, and breaking gender barriers in aviation.
Sabiha Gokcen’s early life
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Birth and Orphanhood: Sabiha Gökçen was born on March 22, 1913, in the Ottoman Empire. She was of Turkish descent but was orphaned at a young age. The circumstances of her birth and early life remain somewhat unclear, but she was reportedly found as an orphan during Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s visit to Bursa.
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Adoption by Atatürk: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the Turkish National Movement and the founder of the Republic of Turkey, took a special interest in Gökçen. Impressed by her intelligence and potential, Atatürk adopted her and brought her into his household. This act changed the trajectory of her life and provided her with opportunities that would have been otherwise unattainable.
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Education: Gökçen received her education under the care of Atatürk. She attended various schools, where she excelled academically. Her interest in aviation began to develop during her formative years, influenced by Atatürk’s vision of modernization and progress for Turkey.
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Aviation Training: Gökçen’s passion for aviation led her to pursue flight training at a young age. She became one of the first female students at the Turkish Aviation Institute, where she received rigorous training in piloting aircraft.
Sabiha Gokcens Military Accomplishment(s)
Sabiha Gökçen primarily participated in the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923), where she served as a combat pilot. This war was a significant conflict fought by the Turkish National Movement under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk against various occupying powers and local militias in Anatolia and Eastern Thrace following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.
Gökçen’s service as a combat pilot during this war marked a historic milestone, as she became the world’s first female combat pilot. Her contributions to the Turkish National Movement and her bravery in combat missions played a role in the success of the independence struggle and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.
She is recognized as the first female combat pilot by The Guinness Book of World Records
She was selected as the only female pilot for the poster of “The 20 Greatest Aviators in History” published by the United States Air Force in 1996
That year, she was also honored at the Air Command and Staff College’s Gathering of Eagles at Maxwell Air Force Base. The program encourages the study of aviation history by emphasizing the contributions of aviation pioneers.
