It is for the air defence forces. There were two levels of air defence forces (PVO - protivo-vozdushnoi oborony) in the USSR. PVO-Voiska were air defence of the troops and were part of the artillery (and signals for their radar) branches of the Ground Forces arm of service.
PVO-Strany, which this badge is for, was a separate arm of service responsible for air defence of the nation. It had fighter interceptors, long-range anti-aircraft missiles (SA-2,-3,-4,-5,-10, etc) and long-range radar. On the badge you can see a Sukhoi interceptor, and AA missile and a radar antennae.
The badge was for distinuished service in the PVO-strany arm and was awaded for 15 years service to officers (and maybe warrants).
They are great quality badges and one of my favourite.
hello gentlemen,
I have one exemplar of this nice badge, identical to the first showed here, same construction, screwplate mint marked, badge too, excellent manufacture. But the medium blue enamel here is green on mine...do you know this variation?
I don't think I've a fake, the construction is really excellent.
Sorry no pics for argument..
sebastien
Sebastien
"a spectre haunts Europe, the spectre of communism"
(a well-known german bearbed)
Hi sahwn, although I cannnot send any pic (sigh...) herer're some infos:
lenght: 28.55mm
high left side: 28.1
high right side: 30.1
lenght from missile nose up to su-7 tail: 42.52mm
seems some tombac gold plated, all enamels look good under u/V, red enamel for kremilin wall, right side of the radar antenna blue, all green , no trace of degradation, screwplate marked leningradskii monetnii dvor, and round stamp of the LMD on the back of the badge, a little cm six o'clock under the screwbase. Plane Su7 and missiles fitted by two pins.
very nice stuff.
bought in a paris shop specialized in WW1 and WW2, sells 90% of soviet fakes (it's my "school of fakes", you can see all PMD fakes !!! ) but few common badges all OK...
Sebastien
"a spectre haunts Europe, the spectre of communism"
(a well-known german bearbed)
it is funny you should say that, I have a para instructor badge that is green instread of blue. I originally thought it may have been DOSAAF or something but it could also be some sort of reaction. I will post a copy of it up soon.
scrutying your scan, the proportions are identical, same placement of the plane and missiles; on mine the red is a bit more "carmin", the enamels are more translucid, you see better the "grain" of the metal underlying. My gold-plating is not as beautifful than yours, the old deep gold 50's-style, mine is clearer, but very well done.
that's all! maybe a later variation? (I saw your type for sale in a new-yorker known dealer, and in Bekesi's book vol.1)
Sebastien
"a spectre haunts Europe, the spectre of communism"
(a well-known german bearbed)
