Baku is a beautiful town. In Azerbaijan not many aviation monuments exist and the Military History Museum, Azərbaycan Hərb Tarixi Muzeyi, is the only one of its kind in the country.
We bring you an exclusive report.
After the Russians left the country after 1991, around two dozen L-29 were left behind. It is unclear whether they were actually used although many received Azeri markings. All aircraft in the museum are devoid of 'bort' codes.
MiG-21s are a rarity in Azerbaijan. Only a handful were sourced in Ukraine. However, this is a SMT variant, probably obtained in Russia for preservation purposes only.
This anonymous Mi-8T in a two-tone green colour scheme sits in the museum. Nowadays, the backbone of the army and air force is formed by its more modern cousin, the Mi-17.
Obviously, The MiG-17s are from the Soviet-era and five remain in the country as far as we know. Of course, the museum has one of its own.
The diminutive Mi-2 were present in numbers, for civil duties like agriculture. The armed forces of Azerbaijan used a small quantity of them. The white 127 chalked on, may indicate its former 'bort' code. In any case, its identity is 544502115.
The past ten years saw an enormous influx of Mi-24 and Mi-35 helicopters. Upgraded V and P aircraft and factory fresh Mi-35M joined the ranks. This is a Mi-24V built in May 1980 enjoying its retirment in the museum.
Antonov 2s form the silent force of Azerbaijan. The Dövlət Sərhəd Xidməti (DSX) operate around 100 of them in white colour schemes. This example is clad in olive drab however.
Four Ka-27PS were stationed at Baku-Qala helicopter base in the Soviet times and three of these unserviceable helicopters were completely refurbished at Kumertau returning as Ka-32S. This preserved Ka-27 could be the fourth, or another airframe altogether.
Basic training is, or was, done with the Yak-52. We do not know if they are still active. This one, 899705, was built in 1989 and still looks quite good.
Star exhibit is this impressive MiG-25PDS. Azerbaijan inherited a regiment from Russia and also the MiG-25 rework centre at Nasosnaya.
Plans are still simmering to bring a couple back to active duty, let us hope this plan comes through!
More military hardware is on show, rows of guns, armoured personnel cariers and tanks are displayed.
We finish our pictorial overview of the museum with a triplet of helicopters on show.
Not at the museum, but found elsewhere are the following two monuments that we would like to include here as an 'encore'.
First up is a MiG-15 situated in the town of Yevlax at the local monument commemorating the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. Well over 700.000 Azeri soldiers were conscripted into the Red Army and around 300.000 lost their lives.
Another relic left behind by the Soviets is this Su-15. Azerbaijan built an impressive staircase monument next to it, with tombstones to honour those fallen in past decades. Most were martyred in the conflict over Nagorno Karabach with arch-enemy Armenia.