In May 2025, Türkiye’s MSÖ Air & Space Museum revealed that it had added a Flugwerk-built Focke-Wulf FW-190A8/N to its growing collection of historic aircraft. The machine, carrying serial number 1134, was purchased earlier in January by museum founder and veteran aviator Ali İsmet Öztürk from Dan Kirkland of California. After a nearly two-month journey from the United States, the aircraft arrived at the museum’s restoration hangar at the Sivrihisar Aviation Center.
Öztürk recently shared an update on the project, noting that work is advancing steadily. The aircraft’s Shvetsov ASh-82 radial engine has undergone a major overhaul, with numerous components refurbished and fuel and oil lines replaced. High-pressure tests of the individual fuel injectors were completed, while the oil radiators were also reconditioned. Structural issues where the engine meets the fuselage have been resolved, and significant improvements were carried out in the tail section, including the tailwheel assembly and elevator systems.
The fuselage has been repainted in a dark finish chosen for the project, and the “Kare-Fors” insignia—used by the Turkish Air Force during the 1940s—has been carefully recreated. The cockpit is receiving a series of upgrades as well; the pilot’s seat, originally configured for a seat-pack parachute, has been modified to accommodate the more modern back-type parachute. Additional refinements are underway across multiple fuselage components. The wings have been separated into two sections, with fabrication already begun on replacement metal parts. Electrical systems within the wings are being renewed, with reassembly into the fuselage scheduled for February 2026. If all continues on track, the restoration is expected to be complete by April 2026.
This aircraft’s history stretches back to the remnants of an original wartime Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 that crashed in France during World War II. Dan Kirkland, a long-time American warbird enthusiast, recovered the remains and partnered with Flug Werk—the German company that builds reproduction FW-190s—and restoration specialists GossHawk Unlimited in Casa Grande, Arizona, to return it to airworthy condition using both original and newly manufactured parts.
Once completed, the FW-190 will join the museum’s distinguished fleet, which already includes the former Duxford-based North American P-51D Mustang Ferocious Frankie, a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX (TE517, c/n SH/CBAF.IX558), and the pristine 1940 Douglas DC-3 Turkish Delight. With this latest addition, the MSÖ Air & Space Museum continues to strengthen its standing as one of the most important aviation heritage centers in the region. For more information about the MSÖ Air & Space Museum, visit www.msomuseum.com.
