Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station
Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station (Turkish: Cengiz Topel Deniz Hava Üssü), a.k.a. Topel Airport or formerly Cengiz Topel Air Base, (IATA: KCO, ICAO: LTBQ) is a Turkish Navy air station located east of İzmit in Kocaeli Province, Turkey. The airport is in joint use for military and civil. Restructured in 1976, it hosts the Turkish Naval Aviation Command with two flying units, the 301st Squadron of fixed-wing aircraft and the 351st Squadron of rotorcrafts.
Cengiz Topel Airport Cengiz Topel Havalimanı | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | military and public | ||||||||||
| Owner | Turkish Navy | ||||||||||
| Operator | DHMI | ||||||||||
| Serves | Kocaeli | ||||||||||
| Location | Kartepe, Kocaeli Province | ||||||||||
| Built | 1976 | ||||||||||
| In use | Active | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 182 ft / 55 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°44′06.10″N 030°05′00.01″E | ||||||||||
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KCO Location of airport in Turkey KCO KCO (NATO) KCO KCO (North Atlantic) | |||||||||||
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Source: World Aero Data | |||||||||||
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| Naval infantry |
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The facility, formerly a base of the Turkish Air Force, is named after the Air Force fighter pilot Capt. Cengiz Topel, whose F-100 Super Sabre was shot down on August 8, 1964 during Turkey's military intervention in Cyprus. He ejected safely over land, but was promptly captured after landing and lynched by members of the Cyprus National Guard. He was the first Turkish pilot ever killed in action.