Military Wiki
Honorary title
Merited Test Pilot of the USSR
Distinguished Test Pilot Of The Soviet Union.jpg
Obverse of the chest badge
"Merited Test Pilot of the USSR"
Awarded by Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
Type Honorary title
Eligibility Citizens of the Soviet Union
Awarded for Excellence in flight research and testing of aircraft
Status No longer awarded
Statistics
Established August 14, 1958
First awarded February 17, 1959
Precedence
Equivalent Merited Test Navigator of the USSR

The Honorary Title "Merited Test Pilot of the USSR" (Russian: Заслуженный лётчик-испытатель СССР) was a state award of the Soviet Union established on August 14, 1958 by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet № 2523-X[1] to recognise courage and excellence of military and civilian test pilots in flight research and testing of aircraft. Its statute was confirmed on August 22, 1988 by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet № 9441-XI.[2] The title ceased to be awarded following the December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Award Statute[]

The honorary title "Merited Test Pilot of the USSR" was awarded to military and civilian test-pilots 1st class of the aerospace and defense industry and the Soviet Armed Forces, for multiple years of creative work in the field of testing and research of new aviation technologies.[1]

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the main conferring authority of the award based on recommendations from the Ministry of Defence of the USSR (Russian: Министерство обороны СССР) or from the Ministry of Aviation Industry of the USSR (Russian: Министерство авиационной промышленности СССР).[1]

The "Merited Military Test Pilot of the USSR" chest badge was worn on the right side of the chest and in the presence of other orders, placed above them. If worn with honorary titles of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.[3]

Award Description[]

The chest badge "Merited Test Pilot of the USSR" was a 27mm wide by 23mm high silver and nickel polygon with raised edges. At the top of the obverse, the relief inscription in three lines covered to the left "MERITED TEST PILOT" (Russian: ЗАСЛУЖЕННЫЙ ЛËТЧИК-ИСПЫТАТЕЛЬ), in the center, the gilt tombac image of a jet plane climbing diagonally towards the right its nose and tail slightly protruding over the edges, at the bottom, the relief inscription "USSR" (Russian: СССР) superimposed over a laurel branch.[1]

The badge was secured to a standard Soviet square mount by a silver-plated ring through the suspension loop. The mount was covered by a silk moiré blue ribbon. It was secured to clothing by a threaded stud and nut or by a pin attachment.[1]

Notable Recipients (partial list)[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]


All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Merited Test Pilot of the USSR and the edit history here.