Early Life, Military Career, and Controversies
The first issue of the Irkutsk aircraft plant’s newspaper “Stalinets” in 1944, published on January 3rd, contained an obituary announcing the death of Shio Bidzinovich Bidzinashvili at the front. Born in 1904 in Gori, Georgia, to a railway worker’s family, Bidzinashvili worked as a fitter and machinist in Batumi and Tbilisi before entering military school. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1929.
At 13, Bidzinashvili started as an apprentice at a private factory, later spending almost a decade working at various power stations. Concurrently, he completed an industrial technical college and two years at Tbilisi University. In 1927, citing “poor material conditions,” he left the university to voluntarily join the Leningrad Military-Theoretical School of the Red Army Air Force, followed by the 2nd Military Pilots’ School.
In March 1930, Bidzinashvili was assigned to the 32nd Light Bomber Squadron, quickly proving himself a promising specialist. In 1932, as a senior pilot, he was sent to the N.E. Zhukovsky Air Force Academy. After graduation, he commanded the 24th Squadron of the Baltic Fleet Air Force. His multifaceted abilities—flying, technical, organizational—were rapidly recognized. In January 1938, with the formation of mine-torpedo units in the Baltic, equipped with new DB-3 aircraft, Captain Sh.B. Bidzinashvili was appointed commander of a special purpose squadron. This unit not only studied the DB-3 but also identified design flaws, developed tactical methods, and even proposed technical improvements based on combat experience.
A year later, Major Bidzinashvili’s squadron became the best in the 1st Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment (MTAP), which, in turn, was considered one of the Baltic Fleet Air Force’s top units. This regiment played a significant role in a series of tragic events that began in the Baltic in 1939. On the first day of the attack on Finland, November 30, 1939, eight DB-3s from the 3rd squadron, unable to find their naval targets, bombed Helsinki.
This devastating attack, which killed 91 people and wounded hundreds in a densely populated area, led to the Soviet Union’s expulsion from the League of Nations. Following this incident, Bidzinashvili took command of the 1st MTAP. For his leadership in the Winter War, during which his regiment conducted 1064 bombing sorties over 1833 hours, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in April 1940.
In June 1940, during the naval and air blockade of Estonia, Bidzinashvili’s units received orders to inspect and, if necessary, attack any vessel or aircraft attempting to leave the country. On June 14, 1940, a pair of MBR-2 flying boats under his command intercepted and shot down the Finnish civilian aircraft “Kaleva” (Junkers-52) in neutral waters, which was carrying diplomatic mail, including American and French correspondence. This incident caused an international scandal and led to Bidzinashvili’s dismissal from command in October 1940.
Test Pilot and Return to the Front
On February 18, 1941, Bidzinashvili became a test pilot for Irkutsk Aircraft Plant No. 125, which was beginning production of the Pe-2 dive bomber. His combat experience was crucial for evaluating the new aircraft. His predictions about the landing gear’s instability and the need for a heavy machine gun in the navigator’s turret were confirmed just months later with the outbreak of war.
Despite his persistent requests to return to the front, his expertise was too valuable to the factory. In February 1942, he was appointed head of the plant’s flight test service, playing a pivotal role in improving the Pe-2 and developing the Pe-3 long-range fighter. Thanks to his vision, significant structural modifications, such as a heavy machine gun turret, reinforced armor, an extended wheelbase landing gear, and leading-edge slats, were implemented without transitional series.
Known for his high principles, demanding nature, willpower, and composure, Bidzinashvili shared his knowledge with other factory pilots and specialists, teaching them to identify “future front-line illnesses” of aircraft. His nickname “Benzych” (derived from “benzine”) stemmed from his rigorousness, such as when he nearly prosecuted an aircraft technician for using a dirty bucket to draw gasoline. In 1943, his latest request to be sent to the front was finally approved.
The Fateful Constanța Raid and Posthumous Recognition
In August 1943, German intelligence claimed to have virtually destroyed Soviet aviation in the Black Sea region. In response, Admiral N. Kuznetsov ordered a daring daytime attack on the Romanian port of Constanța, a major enemy naval base. On September 28, 1943, the 36th Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment, equipped with “Boston-III” torpedo bombers, was selected for the high-risk mission. Colonel Bidzinashvili, who had accepted a demotion to join the torpedo regiment and return to combat, led a group of seven highly trained crews.
The mission involved flying at low altitude without fighter cover for about 800 kilometers. However, surprise was lost when the “Bostons” encountered a German Do-24 flying boat near Constanța. Upon reaching the port, the formation was met by 15 anti-aircraft batteries and about 40 naval guns. Bidzinashvili, paired with Dyukov, attacked via the southern breakwater, drawing the main bulk of coastal anti-aircraft fire, while other groups attacked from the open sea.
The mission proved devastating for the Soviet force. Bidzinashvili, with his aircraft ablaze, crashed into an oil depot on the city’s outskirts, sacrificing himself to inflict maximum damage. His last communication was: “The aircraft is on fire. The crew is dead. Goodbye…”. Subsequent Romanian reports confirmed the destruction of ships and warehouses, and the death of over 700 people. Only half of the strike group returned.
Following the Constanța operation, Soviet losses were so severe that recognition for the heroes was delayed. Months later, navigator A.S. Klyushkin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, followed by A.I. Fokin, V.P. Rukavitsyn, and A.D. Rykhlov. However, the crews of Bidzinashvili, Levashov, and Dyukov, who perished in Constanța, remained largely unremembered for some time.
In 1975, for the 30th anniversary of Victory, a memorial was opened in Irkutsk’s Komsomol Park dedicated to fallen factory workers, where Sh.B. Bidzinashvili’s name is listed. The spelling of his surname on the memorial was corrected in 1980. Subsequently, on March 28, 1981, a monument to Black Sea pilots was unveiled in Sevastopol, also including Colonel Sh.B. Bidzinashvili’s name.
Ironically, exactly half a year after his death, a decree from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, published on April 30, 1944, posthumously awarded Shota Bidzinovich Bidzinashvili the Order of the Red Banner for his “exemplary performance of government tasks in testing combat aircraft.” Many believe he deserved the Gold Star of a Hero of the Soviet Union for his sacrifice at Constanța.