Hoping for Some Emblem Help

[LDH67]

Hi community,

I'm hoping that somebody here can help me to gain some additional information about a particular emblem that I have seen on Soviet cold war fighter aircraft. I've done a lot of online searching, but even AI cannot help me. So, going on my memory from at least forty years ago (LoL) I believe that the emblem that I am attaching to this post was an "award" as such for IA-PVO squadrons that reached a certain level of operational readiness and standard.

I have no idea when the emblem was created, and I've decided to ask this question here, because I've seen screenshots of the DCS MiG-21 that wears the emblem. So, if anybody is able to enlighten me a little more, it will be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew.

[Beta Sokol]

Hi,

that's an airframe with exellent maintenance quality award. Within the regiments, squadrons etc. there was a competition between maintenance crews keeping planes in a good condition in time. That means everything at 100%, cleanliness, no leakages, no leftovers from locking wire and cotter pins, no faults and failures and so on (you know what i mean). Only one airframe wihin the regiment get the award for one year...

[LDH67]

Hi Beta,

Thank you so much for advising me of this. I don't think that this is used any more? I have never seen it on more modern Russian Fighters (MiG-29 etc).

Would you know if the award also has a name? I'm very curious, and love history.

Kind regards,

Andrew.

[Beta Sokol]

This award is just called отличный самолёт, otlichnij samolyot, excellent aircraft, very seldom to see, but i can remember some aircrafts an even some helicopters in the GDR carrying this until the final withdrawal in 1994 (even on  29's). There are some similarities with the blue Q carried on east german planes - Flugzeug der ausgezeichneten Qualität- one plane had three stars within the Q, meaning an repetition of the award for another three years. The awards are gone, sometimes i wish them back if i see all the scrappy, dirty oily planes that i'm working on today. But that's it, socialistic aircraft maintenance and todays  maintenance are different things -most of our customers won't pay for two hours additional work cleaning their planes and they don't have the time for it (piston engine stuff like Piper, Cessna ,Beech and so on).

If you're interested 16va.be has a good photogallery...

https://16va.be/galeries_vvs/mig-29/imgcol/index.html - 31.GvIAP MiG 29 9-12 red 12 had such an badge and the guards badge on the nose, but you will find more-

Hope that helps !

[LDH67]

Thank you once again for all of the additional information. You certainly must have had an interesting career!

Appreciate the link too, looking forward to having a read.

Kind regards,

Andrew.