Poruchik Donat Aduiovich Makijonek (19 May 1890 – 18 June 1941[1]) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

Donat Makijonek was born into a peasant family in the village of Dambovka, Osvedskoy volost, the province of Vitebsk, in the Russian Empire on 19 May 1890.

[4] Three days after the start of hostilities, the 3rd Korpusnoi Aviatsionniy Otryad (Corps Aviation Detachment), including Makijonek, was committed to combat in eastern Prussia.

On 21 August 1914, Makijonek air-couriered vital orders from higher headquarters to General Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski of the Guards Cavalry Corps; the pilot earned the Cross of St. George Fourth Class for this feat.

[3] The next month, September 1914, Makijonek took transition training for the Morane-Saulnier Ls with which the 3rd KAO was re-equipping, as its existing craft were badly worn.

The 3rd KAO ended 1914 back on active status as of 23 December, though flying few flights due to winter weather conditions.

After the motor stopped, he barely stretched his glide over enemy lines to safety with Russian troops near Nida.

He pulled his aerial observer from the overturned aircraft and hustled them both in a crawl into a nearby trench as enemy artillery rained in on the wreckage.

The feat won the doughty young pilot the Third Class Cross of Saint George, awarded 28 April 1915.

[3] On 16 June 1915, Makijonek and his observer espied an enemy offensive abuilding in the vicinity of Sandomierz; a bridge was being built across the San River to convey an attack into Russian territory.

[3] A timely report of this to Russian headquarters garnered him a Second Class award of the Cross of Saint George, and a promotion to Podpraporshchik on the 19th.

[4] Makijonek's brave performances continued through the Summer of 1915; on 4 October 1915, his courage earned him a deserved promotion to Praporshchik.

[3] On 13 January 1916, Donat Makijonek was deemed experienced enough to be appointed as a military pilot by Imperial Order.

In December 1916, he was assigned to the 7th Aviatsionniy Otryad Istrebitlei (Fighter Aviation Detachment), which was based near Tarnopol and commanded by Ivan Orlov.

[3] Regardless of which version is true, Makijonek next applied for a transfer to the Polish Corps on the basis of a Supreme Committee order for unifying the Poles in Russian service.