№ 1303. The 100th anniversary of birth G.Y. Bahchivandgi (1909- 1943), the test – pilot.

Grigory Yakovlevich Bahchivandzhi (1909-1943) is the test pilot of scientific research institute of the Air Forces, the Hero of the Soviet Union. He was born and grown in village Brinkovskaya nowadays of Primorsko-Ahtarsky area of Krasnodar territory. Since 1931 he was in the Soviet Army. He ended the Orenburg flight military college in 1934, having 2 military specialities: technics on arms and pilot. Since June, 1941 he was the participant of the Great Patriotic War. By August, 1941 the fighter pilot captain Bahchivandzhi made 65 fighting flights, took part in defence of Moscow, personally and in group brought down 5 planes of the opponent, in all during staying at the front destroyed in air 10 planes of the opponent. In 1942 Bahchivandzhi was withdrawn for testing of new jet plane BI-1 with the liquid jet engine and in May of the same year made the first flight. Since August, 1941 he was engaged in new models of planes testing, dicing with death, self-denyingly overcame difficulties of work. G.Y. Bahchivandzhi was lost during the seventh test flight on BI, reached record speed of 800 km/hour. Rank of the Hero of the Soviet Union is posthumously appropriated to him. Y.A.Gagarin said that without flights of Bahchivandzhi, possibly would not be April, 12th, 1961. Stamp represents G.Y.Bahchivandzhi's portrait and plane BI-1 model.