Cengiz Topel
Encyclopedia
Cengiz Topel was a fighter pilot
of the Turkish Air Force
, who was shot down during the Battle of Tylliria
.
and Mebuse Hanım in İzmit
, where his father was working for the Turkish tobacco company Tekel
. He was the third sibling of four children.
Cengiz Topel was schooled in Bandırma
and Gönen
of Balıkesir Province
. He finished the primary and the secondary school in Kadıköy
, İstanbul
, where his family moved following his father's death. After a brief time at Haydarpaşa High School, he entered Kuleli Military High School
, from which he graduated in 1953. Cengiz Topel joined the Army
in 1955 in the rank of a Second Lieutenant
following his education at the Turkish Military Academy.
His interest in aviation took him to the Turkish Air Force. He was sent to Canada for flight training. In 1957, he returned to Turkey and was appointed to the 5th Air Wing in Merzifon Air Base. Cengiz Topel served from 1961 on at the 1st Tactical Air Force Command at Eskişehir Air Base. In 1963, he became Air Force Captain.
during Turkey's military intervention during the Battle of Tylliria. He led a four-fighter flight
of the 112nd Air Squadron leaving Eskişehir Air Base around 17:00 local time for Cyprus
. Topel's F-100 Super Sabre
was hit by 40mm anti-aircraft fire from a Greek Cypriot gun emplacement and shot-down as he was strafing Arion, a Greek Cypriot patrol boat. He was able to eject his aircraft and made a safe parachute jump
over land. He was promptly captured and brought to a hospital. However, members of the Cyprus National Guard allegedly took him from the hospital to their headquarters at Kykkos Monastery
, where, according to Turkish sources, they tortured and lynched him.
His corpse was returned on August 12, 1964 to the Turkish authorities only after insistent attempts. On August 14, 1964, he was laid to rest at the Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery
in Istanbul.
He is known as the first Turkish pilot killed in action
.
, is named after him. A monument was erected on the coastal road in the village Gemikonağı near Lefka
in Northern Cyprus, where he had landed by parachute. A bronze statue in Eskişehir depicts him in flight suit
. A number of places, schools in Turkey and a hospital in Northern Cyprus are named after him.
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
of the Turkish Air Force
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It ranks 3rd in NATO in terms of fleet size behind the USAF and Royal Air Force with a current inventory of 798 aircraft .-Initial stages:...
, who was shot down during the Battle of Tylliria
Battle of Tylliria
The Battle of Tylliria or Battle of Kokkina was a battle between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot forces at Tylliria area, in the Eastern Mediterranean.- Location :...
.
Career
He was born on September 2, 1934 to Hakkı Bey, a tobacco expert from TrabzonTrabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
and Mebuse Hanım in İzmit
Izmit
İzmit is a city in Turkey, administrative center of Kocaeli Province as well as the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city center has a population of 294.875...
, where his father was working for the Turkish tobacco company Tekel
Tekel
Tekel, is a Turkish tobacco company. It was nationalised in 1925 from a French company, the "Regie Compagnie interessee des tabacs de l'empire Ottoman". Tekel evolved into the sole manufacturer and distributor of all alcohol and tobacco products in Turkey...
. He was the third sibling of four children.
Cengiz Topel was schooled in Bandırma
Bandirma
Bandırma is a city in northwestern Turkey with 113,385 inhabitants on the Sea of Marmara. Also, Bandırma is a district of Balıkesir....
and Gönen
Gönen
Gönen is a district of Balıkesir Province of Turkey, located in the southern part of Marmara Sea. The town is mostly known for its therapeutic hot springs, leather processing and rice production. The mayor is Hüseyin Yakar .-Location:...
of Balıkesir Province
Balikesir Province
Balıkesir Province is a province in midwestern Turkey, having coastlines on both the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. Its adjacent provinces are Çanakkale to the west, İzmir to the southwest, Manisa to the south, Kütahya to the southeast, and Bursa to the east. The provincial capital is Balıkesir City...
. He finished the primary and the secondary school in Kadıköy
Kadiköy
Kadıköy is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of İstanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus...
, İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where his family moved following his father's death. After a brief time at Haydarpaşa High School, he entered Kuleli Military High School
Kuleli Military High School
Kuleli Military High School is the first military high school in Turkey, located in Çengelköy, Istanbul. It was founded on September 21, 1845 by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I.-History:...
, from which he graduated in 1953. Cengiz Topel joined the Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
in 1955 in the rank of a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
following his education at the Turkish Military Academy.
His interest in aviation took him to the Turkish Air Force. He was sent to Canada for flight training. In 1957, he returned to Turkey and was appointed to the 5th Air Wing in Merzifon Air Base. Cengiz Topel served from 1961 on at the 1st Tactical Air Force Command at Eskişehir Air Base. In 1963, he became Air Force Captain.
Combat mission
On August 8, 1964, Cengiz Topel was appointed to a combat missionMilitary operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
during Turkey's military intervention during the Battle of Tylliria. He led a four-fighter flight
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
of the 112nd Air Squadron leaving Eskişehir Air Base around 17:00 local time for Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. Topel's F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
was hit by 40mm anti-aircraft fire from a Greek Cypriot gun emplacement and shot-down as he was strafing Arion, a Greek Cypriot patrol boat. He was able to eject his aircraft and made a safe parachute jump
Parachute Jump
The Parachute Jump is a defunct amusement ride in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, whose iconic open-frame steel structure remains a Brooklyn landmark. tall and weighing 170 tons , it has been called the "Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn"...
over land. He was promptly captured and brought to a hospital. However, members of the Cyprus National Guard allegedly took him from the hospital to their headquarters at Kykkos Monastery
Kykkos Monastery
The Holy, Royal and Stavropegic Monastery of Kykkos , which lies 20 km west of Pedoulas, is one of the wealthiest and best-known monasteries in Cyprus....
, where, according to Turkish sources, they tortured and lynched him.
His corpse was returned on August 12, 1964 to the Turkish authorities only after insistent attempts. On August 14, 1964, he was laid to rest at the Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery
Edirnekapi Martyr's Cemetery
The Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery is a burial ground located in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It consists of an old, historical part and a modern one....
in Istanbul.
He is known as the first Turkish pilot killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
.
In remembrance
A former Turkish Air Force base located near İzmit, currently in use as Cengiz Topel Naval Air StationCengiz Topel Naval Air Station
Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station , aka Topel Airport or formerly Cengiz Topel Air Base, is a Turkish Navy air station located east of İzmit in Kocaeli Province, Turkey. The airport is in joint use for military and civil...
, is named after him. A monument was erected on the coastal road in the village Gemikonağı near Lefka
Lefka
Lefka is a town in Northern Cyprus, overlooking Morphou Bay. It is located in the Nicosia District , in the area under Turkish control since the 1974 invasion. In 1997 Lefka had 6,000 inhabitants. The town is the site of the European University of Lefke....
in Northern Cyprus, where he had landed by parachute. A bronze statue in Eskişehir depicts him in flight suit
Flight suit
A flight suit is a full body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical , and durable . Its appearance is usually similar to a jumpsuit. A military flight suit may also...
. A number of places, schools in Turkey and a hospital in Northern Cyprus are named after him.