Before the earthquakes in early February, March 18 had been earmarked as something of a red letter day for Turkish Aerospace.
March 18 is celebrated in Turkey as Victory Day, commemorating the battle of Canakkale (also known as Gallipoli) in 1915.
It had a particular resonance this year – the 100th anniversary of Turkish independence.
Victory against the Allies at Canakkale boosted Turkish morale, and provided a stimulus for the war of independence in 1919-1922, which led to the eventual formation of a modern republic in 1923 by Kemal Attaturk.