Mikhail Sergeevich Machavariani
Machavariani Mikhail Sergeevich, (Russian: Мачавариани Михаил Сергеевич) Russian Imperial Army Airforce pilot, colonel
He was born on March 20, 1888, Kutaisi, Georgia. Served in Russian Empire military airforce as a pilot. In 1910 he graduated from the Konstantinovsky Artillery School in St.Petersburg and joined the 39th Artillery Brigade. In 1913, on the basis of a personal report sent to the fortress of Kars aviation detachment to the position of the pilot - observer.[1]
In November 1913 he applied for the military flying school in Gatchina, Russia and in May 1914 began to practice at the Gatchina airfield. After school, with the rank of a military pilot was assigned to the 3rd Aviation company, located in the city of Lida Vilnenskoy province.[2]
On August 15 of 1914 he was assigned to the 10th Army Aviation Detachment at the 1st Army Gen. Rennenkampf standing in Verzhblovo.[3]
In January 1916 he was transferred to the Caucasian front. Since the summer of 1916 he was the commander of the 2nd Air Force unit of the Caucasus Front. During a critical mission personally shot down two Turkish airplanes and was awarded The Order of St. George, highest purely military decoration of the Imperial Russian Army and the Russian Federation.[4]
In 1929, discharged from the military aviation due to health issue with a personal pension. After retirement from military held various senior positions in the Georgian government.[5]