Mansur Mazinov

Mansur Mustafaevich Mazinov (Мансур Мустафаевич Мазинов; 1906 1983) was the first Crimean Tatar pilot. Before the German invasion of the Soviet Union he worked for many years as a flight instructor, training many future pilots including the famous Amet-khan Sultan at the Simferopol aeroclub. During World War II he became a decorated combat pilot, flying sorties to support Soviet forces in blockaded Leningrad and other cities. After the war he briefly remained in the military before being forced to move to the Uzbek SSR because of his Crimean Tatar ethnicity. He died in exile in 1983 before the full right of return was allowed.