“Turkey 🇹🇷 ~Istanbul’s Rahmi M. Koc Museum and Travel Planning for Pakistan 🇵🇰”
It was another rainy day, but we needed to get out of our room for some fresh air and exercise. We have never been to this museum, which is very close to our stay, and just on the other side of the Golden Horn waters, so we got a taxi and went for a visit.
I’m not a huge museum fan, but this enormous collection of “so many things,” was impressive. It was mostly indoors, and/or undercover, so it was a great option on a rainy day.
The Museum started with the extensive personal collections of Mr Rahmi M. Koç, who was introduced to the subject when his father brought home a toy train from a trip abroad. These major collections of models, toys and miniatures have since been greatly enhanced by an influx of full-sized objects, both permanent and on loan. The collection now boasts over 90 cars and motorcycles, several aircraft, trams, railway locomotives, boats, and even a Second World War submarine. The collections are always expanding and offer an ever-changing experience for visitors: additions in just the last few months include a Bell AH-1 Cobra military helicopter, 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith, Morris Mini-Cooper, White Aviation Fuel Tanker.
The Museum offers a variety of opportunities for relaxing after a visit: the famous Café du Levant, with its sophisticated French atmosphere and food, the Mediterranean-influenced and a truly authentic and cosy English Pub. A charming “Tea Room” and “Nostaljic Dodge Truck” and “Fenerbahçe Ferry ” are available for shorter breaks. Personal and corporate entertainment are also catered for, with the special museum ambience proving popular for conferences, dinners and product launches.
PLOESTI RAID “1st of August 1943”
B – 24 D Liberator “Hadley’s Harem” serial no. 41 – 24311 – L, was produced by Consolidated in 1941.
In August 1943, during the raid on the petroleum refineries in Ploesti, Romania, “Hadley’s Harem” was part of the U.S. Air Force 98th Bomber Group “Pyramiders”.
During this historical operation, “Hadley’s Harem” was the first aircraft on the left flank of Col. John R. “Killer” Kane who was heading “Flight One” as group leader.
The crew of ten were on board:
Captain Gilbert B. Hadley
Co – Pilot James R. Lindsay
Navigator Harold Tabacoff
Engineer Russell Page
Bombardier Leon Storms
Radio – operator William Leonard
Gunner Christopher Holweger
Gunner Pershing W. Waples
Gunner Leroy Newton
Gunner Frank Nemeth
The target for the 98th Bomber Group was the Astro Romano refinery, the largest petroleum refining facility in Ploesti, code name “White Four”.
The refinery was armed and protected by quite a few stationary anti – aircraft guns with an additional mobile anti – aircraft gun mounted on a train that went back and forth over the tracks around the refinery.
According to the flight plan, they would fly at high altitude in two groups until Romania and on approaching the refinery they would rapidly lose altitude and execute the raid as previously practiced on mock up models set up in the desert.
Since the two groups had become separated due to adverse weather conditions over the Adriatic, they had to break radio silence thus the Germans were prepared and inflicted heavy losses.
While “Hadley’s Harem” was on its approach to the target, an anti – aircraft shell went through the nose section of the fuselage and exploded causing great damage. Bombardier Storms died instantly as a result of chest injuries received from shrapnel fragments Navigator Tabacoff was also wounded and engine no: 2 had also stopped. Engineer Page manually operated the bomb – bay and released the bombs.
The aircraft was seriously damaged. They set off on their return journey towards Benghazi. However after a while they realised this was not possible and changed their heading towards the British Air Base in Cyprus via Turkey.
Engine #3 stopped over Anatolia. At a position past the Taurus Mountains. the oil pressure for engine #1 began to decrease rapidly. As it was clear that they were not going to reach Cyprus, they decided to land on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast. The aircraft lost its last two engines near Manavgat while trying to land. One of its wings touched the water causing the aircraft to crash and sink rapidly. The pilot and co-pilot could not come out of the aircraft.
The crew who survived, reached the coast by swimming. Their first medical aid came from the Turkish villagers who rescued them. The wounded were then transferred to the American Hospital (Admiral Bristol) in İstanbul. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared these people “shipwrecked mariners” thus allowing them to leave freely once their treatment was complete.
Trying to go to Pakistan
We are continuing with our plans to got to Pakistan, next, but the process and hoop-jumping are taking more time than we imagined.
There are a handful of countries where obtaining a Visa is not easy. While we have experienced much more difficult countries to get the proper permissions to enter, Pakistan has specific requirements; more than usual.
Their customs require we know somebody in Pakistan, who will vouch for us, and take responsibility for us, as guests in the country. We had no idea about such a requirement, till we began the application process.
To make things even more challenging, while US passport holders can apply online for a Visa, we have been unsuccessful in doing so. After hours of frustration, trying to apply online, using every device we own, we finally gave up; due to “device compatibility errors.”
I contacted the Pakistan 🇵🇰 Embassy in Istanbul again; this time to find out if we can apply for our visa in person. Lucky for us, we can. So, on Monday, we will go to the embassy. A multiple entry visa is not cheap, but we have learned in our world travels, the challenging visas to obtain, cost the most. (around $140 pp). This will give us 90 days, and the possibility of an extension.
We also must prove we have arranged a hotel to stay in, in our arriving city, on arrival day, so I have to book one, by Monday, NOT knowing when the arrival date will be, because the visa approvals can take up to three weeks! What? Well, we hope it does not take that long, as we want to go by next week. BUT, we are powerless in these things.
Coordinating this move is most challenging, because I also have to buy plane fare, AND we must acquire another PCR test to prove we do not have COVID19, and arrive in new country within 96 hours of getting the test. What if the connecting flight is cancelled? Well, we do not know, but hope we can test again at the airport in Lahore. Firstly, we will meet at the embassy to apply for the visa and ask how long it will really take to get approved or declined. Guessing dates can be costly as airfare does not get changed easily, and last minute airfare to Pakistan is like a thousand dollars!
We are feeling double lucky, though, because we do know a nice Pakistani who shall remain nameless for privacy, and he is helping us come to his country. We feel very blessed and grateful beyond words.
So, it’s still hurry-up-and-wait time for us, in Istanbul, and looking forward to our next country visit!
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More
Continuing to send love, hugs, and prayers as you continue to navigate and explore this crazy wonderful world we live in. ❤️
Thanks so much.. I needed that. . We shall proceed! Wish us luck at the embassy, tomorrow!