The Istanbul Aviation Museum, also known as the Turkish Air Force Museum, is a military aviation museum owned and operated by the Turkish Air Force. At the end of World War I, the presence of some German aircraft and some other aircraft in the hangars, which are older than 1912, led the Air Force Inspectorate to decide to establish an Aviation Museum, and began collecting the spoils of aircraft seized from the enemy. During the War of Independence, these planes were brought to Maltepe Kartal to protect them from damage, however some of the planes were severely damaged during transportation.