Aeroflot Caps

Shown here are caps worn by workers and supervisors of the USSR Civil Aviation fleet - or Aeroflot, the Soviet Union's national airline. Although of course its main peacetime mission is moving civilian passengers and freight throughout the USSR and overseas, Aeroflot has also always had a close relationship to the Soviet Air Force (VVS) - flying many transport missions in direct support of the Air Force (like delivering arms to overseas customers) and with many former Air Force personnel on staff. In fact, during its early days, Aeroflot was a militarized organization, with military style ranks. For example, senior officers would be identified as "Generals of Civil Aviation", with lesser ones identified as "Colonels of Civil Aviation" or "Lieutenants of Civil Aviation" and the like. Following Stalin's death, as part of a USSR-wide drive to "civilianize" government ministries, Aeroflot lost its military sounding ranks and all personnel were identified merely by position and "category". Although some changes were made over the years to this categorization system, over most of the later years Aeroflot "ranks" broke out like this: the highest categories #12-16 (general officer equivalent), senior #9-11 (field grade officer equivalent), middle #5-8 (company grade officer equivalent) and junior #1-4 (soldier and sergeant equivalent).

Aeroflot's aviation mission is signified in its uniform colors, which can easily be confused with those of the Air Force. Aeroflot caps particularly resemble Air Force officers' parade caps - but can be differentiated by their dark blue bands (where the Air Force used light blue bands).

An Aeroflot officer's cap from the early 1960's - after the wings became all gilt but before a new simplified cockade was introduced in 1965. This cap would have been worn by a middle-senior grade officer - as evidenced by the gold cords. The cap has the smaller teller shape of the period, along with a small lacquered fiberboard visor. Buttons are two-piece, brass with a steel backing, stamped with the Aeroflot symbol. The cockade is the same style as that introduced before WWII - two piece brass with an azure enameled background. Scarce

Aeroflot (Engineering)
Senior/Midrange Officer
1965-1976

The silver ornaments - the cockade, wings and buttons - distinguish this cap as one belonging to an engineer-technical officer during the period 1965-1976. This cockade style was introduced at the beginning of this period and after 1976, all officers apparently wore gilt (golden) emblems - both "flying" and engineer. The rest of the cap is typical and unremarkably Aeroflot - dark blue with azure piping. As is standard even for engineering officers, gold cords and buttons complete the accessories. Available-Scarce

Aeroflot
Senior/Midrange Officer
1965-1991

This cap was part of a senior or midrange officer's service uniform (there was not an authorized special parade uniform for Aeroflot during this period at least). As mentioned above, Aeroflot uniforms resembled those of their Air Force counterparts, including emblems and cap design. Variants of the winged propeller and hammer and sickle badges have been used since Aeroflot's earliest days in the 1920's. The last versions of these badges are shown here. The cap is overall dark blue with azure (light blue) piping. Gold officer cords were attached using buttons embossed with the Aeroflot winged propeller. Category 12 & 13 officers and aircraft captains also wore metal leaves pinned through the black visor. The most senior officers (category 14-16) would in turn have embroidered emblems and visor decoration much like their Air Force general counterparts. Available

Aeroflot
Senior Officer-Aircraft Commander
1965-1991

An unusual cap worn by an Aeroflot senior commander (category 12 or 13) or an aircraft commander/pilot. Such a position is evidenced by the combination of gold cords and gold metal leaves pinned through the visor. Of course, the most striking feature of this cap is its white top. This seldom-seen variation is even more unusual in that this top is made of vinyl, not exactly cool wear in a hot climate, even if it is very easy to keep clean. Also unusual in a Soviet cap, it has ventilation holes on the underside of the crown to help keep the head cool. The rest of the cap is typical of a later-period Aeroflot cap - large saddle-shaped crown with a dark blue band, piped in azure blue. The cockade and wings are the last versions used in the pre 1991 Aeroflot. The visor is heavy vinyl similar to caps common in the Soviet Merchant Marine Scarce-Rare

Aeroflot
Senior/Midrange Officer
1965-1991

A nice example of a white summer Aeroflot officer's cap dated 1973. Unlike similiar white topped caps worn by the Navy, this heavy white cotton crown is NOT removable for cleaning. The lining is made from very lightweight cotton linen. The band is typical Aeroflot dark blue while both band and crown piping are azure blue (colored piping is not found on removable white covers). Standard gilt Aeroflot wings and the last model cockade introduced in 1965 are pinned to the cap. The visor is black painted fiberboard and gold cords are held in place by two brass Aeroflot-embossed buttons. Scarce