Авіатори Азербайджану в роки першої світової війни

Abstract

During World War I, Azerbaijani pilots actively participated in combat operations, with Farrukh-aga Gayibov and Ali-bek Verdiyev emerging as the nation's pioneering aviators. Farrukh-aga Gayibov, the first Azerbaijani military pilot, demonstrated exceptional bravery on the Eastern Front. Serving aboard the heavy bomber "Ilya Muromets No. 16," he conducted critical raids into enemy territory. Prior to his heroic death during an unequal dogfight with four German fighters in September 1916, his crew successfully executed a strategic bombardment of the 89th German reserve division near Boruny, destroying vital enemy infrastructure. Conversely, Ali-bek Verdiyev, educated in Paris, became a certified aviation engineer. He earned his pilot-aviator diploma from the International Aeronautical Federation in 1916 and served as a flight instructor in France before returning to foster Azerbaijan's industrial development. Although their subsequent fates diverged significantly – one achieving immortality through battlefield sacrifice, the other driving long-term economic progress – their trajectories serve as enduring examples of professionalism and dedicated service. Today, the preservation of their historical memory, evidenced by monuments and museum exhibits, remains an integral part of Azerbaijan's military aviation heritage.