Brass, silver plating, enamel. Measures 56.4 mm wide, 35.6 mm tall.

In outstanding, excellent condition. The red enamel on the star is essentially perfect with only a couple of microscopic flaws near the edges that may well be manufacturing flaws and are completely invisible to the naked eye. The details are perfect. The silver finish on the obverse is exceptionally well preserved having only very light wear on the raised points. The original gilt on the crossed wrenches emblem is still visible. The silver finish on the reverse is completely pristine and

Brass, silver plating, enamel. Measures 56.4 mm wide, 35.6 mm tall.

In outstanding, excellent condition. The red enamel on the star is essentially perfect with only a couple of microscopic flaws near the edges that may well be manufacturing flaws and are completely invisible to the naked eye. The details are perfect. The silver finish on the obverse is exceptionally well preserved having only very light wear on the raised points. The original gilt on the crossed wrenches emblem is still visible. The silver finish on the reverse is completely pristine and has very attractive patina. The copper screw post is about 8.5 mm long, possibly reduced by a couple of mm for convenience - which doesn't affect its functionality in any way. Comes with original mint marked crew plate in nickel plated steel.

The badge was manufactured for only a brief period of time until the beginning of the Patriotic War in June 1941. The existing stock was probably continued being issued beyond that point, but this and the other badges of the 1938 air force school series appear far more often in the early WW2 photos of Soviet airmen than the ones taken later in the war.

/See "Avers 8" p. 477, fig. 225a, also Borisov, "Badges of the Soviet Armed Forces, 1918 - 1991", fig. 308/
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