Cold East Wind Blowing: Soviet Aviation Documents From The Era Of "Dr. Strangelove"

[Rick Research]

Here is the outside of an Army 3rd Class Pilot's Qualification Booklet, granting that class of wings, from 1951:

[Rick Research]

The certification and photo ID pages, here for Captain Vladimir Ivanovich Vidman, attested by the Chairman of the Classification Committee, Lieutenant General of Aviation Bogorodetsky on 28th February 1951. Captain Vidman is wearing Unclassed Pilots' wings, and ribbons for the Military Merit Medal, Victory Over Germany Medal, and 1948 Military Jubilee Medal on his M1949 service tunic.

[Rick Research]

Vidman passed his qualification per order of the Commander of Long Range Aviation of 24th October 1950, again signed by the same general.

Long Range Aviation was the main nuclear bombing force. Later members often used to buzz my personal coast during the Brezhnev years, testing response time from local air forces (when we still HAD any! )

[Rick Research]

Here are Captain Vidman's pilot's wings, over 2nd Class Navigator Wings for Naval Aviation Major Verbitzky, whose ID will follow. Both badges show manufacture by the "Victory" Factory in Moscow on the screw-nuts.

[Rick Research]

The format on flying badge documents seems to have always been this style. This is a Naval Aviation version for Navigator 2nd Class. The issuing Ministry and type/class of badge always appears on the front cover. Whether the color of the cover is distinctive between army and navy, or simply a question of time of issue, I don't know.

[Rick Research]

The interior of this one has had the photo of Major Boris Ivanovich Verbitsky removed, and the three red bars are obviously meant to void it as a valid ID-- since he was still alive in the 1980s, this was done probably when he upgraded qualification to 1st Class.

Issued in 1956, it shows annual renewals for 1957 and 1958. Unlike Captain Vidman's 5 page booklet, this has only these two pages, glued to the covers.

Major Verbitsky had been a naval aviator in the Soviet Arctic since WW2.

[skip]

Hi Rick,

Nice book and very difficult to find such documentation.
Beg to differ but those are not actually navel pilots wings, rather the normal bomb aimer/navigators wings.
I´ve got the whole run of soviet aviators badges from WW2 up to the fall of the soviet union.
If your interested I´ll post them when I´m back home.

Gruss Skip

[Rick Research]

Right, the WINGS were the same for both, but the qualification BOOKS are issued either by Army or Navy Ministries, as shown on the covers' text above the design of the wings. What I'm not sure about is whether the color of the covers had anything to do with which branch of service, or simply changed over time.

[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

Thanks for posting Rick. Very interesting.

Skip, I would certainly appreciate seeing any WW2 era Russian Pilot items that you may have. Please post them.

Regards
Mike K

[skip]

Here, as promised a really very small part of my huge soviet collection. Lieber Christian Zulu, ich bin sicher das hier auch ein paar stücke ihrer intresse wecken konnen.

Skip

[skip]

and more

[skip]

sorry about this but they are all on cards and I can't be bothered to take them all off. If you'r interested just view sideways!!

[skip]

so, thats enough for now

[skip]

whoops,forgot some.

[Christian Zulus]

"Meritorious Pilot of CCCP" - how to attach?

Skip,

I have a "Meritorous Pilot of CCCP" in my collection - extremly rare as an authentic one.

How to attach the jpg here?

Regards from Vienna