Caps of the Soviet Air Force

Introduction

Included here are caps worn by the Soviet Air Force (VVS) and Airborne Troops during the Cold War.

The cockade identifies this cap as a rather short-lived version worn by flying officers from the mid-war period until 1947, when a new cockade with a round center was introduced for Air Force officers. Both the cockade wreath and the wings are nicely embroidered with gold wire onto felt/wool backings matching that of the band and crown respectively. These mountings were then sewn onto the cap. A standard 1940's style brass and enamel red star is pinned through the center of the embroidered wreath and band. The crown is in high quality dark khaki wool and both the band and piping are azure colored. Again, a black oilcloth chinstrap is mounted above a spade-shaded fiberboard visor. Scarce

Air Force
Officer Service/Parade
1943-1947

A minor variant of the above cap - included only for comparison. As was very common in Soviet caps made at dozens of different factories, this cap has slightly different embroidery styles for the wings and wreath, with the wreath also having two perpendicular azure threads woven into its base. The crown of this cap is made of light khaki wool, vice the dark khaki shown above. Due to its more pleasing appearance, dark khaki was traditionally preferred for parade wear and light khaki for service, but there were no regulations setting such a distinction. Scarce

Air Force
Sergeant/Non-Flying Officer Parade/Service
PreWWII-1954

A typical cap worn by an Air Force sergeant since the late 1930's until 1954 for parade and, less commonly, everyday wear. An officer of the Air Force technical service (non-flying) would also have worn this cap for both purposes. (It is a little known fact that these officers were not authorized to wear either the wings nor the wreathed cockade of their flying counterparts until 1957). The cap is a well made one, sewn of dark khaki wool, with standard azure colored wool band and piping. The visor is "spade" shaped - common for this period; made from black enameled fiberboard. Brass buttons secure a black oilcloth strap. A period brass and enamel red star is pinned through the visor. Scarce

Air Force
Soldier/Sergeant Parade
1945-1969

Although dated 1967, this style cap was worn by Air Force soldiers and sergeants from the end of the War until major cap design and cockade changes occurred in 1970. It has the early "teller" shape with a small black fiberboard visor and black oilcloth strap. Unusually, the buttons holding the strap in place are black anodized (not painted), rather than the authorized brass. An early (and sought-after) WWII-style brass red star is pinned to the azure band, possibly reflecting wear by a extended service sergeant. Such an individual would have worn this cap with his daily/service uniform as well as the parade. As is regulation for NCO/rank & file Air Force caps - no wings are pinned to the crown. Available-Scarce

Air Force
Officer Parade
1949-1955

Another short-lived Air Force variant, this cap was exclusively for parade wear during the 1949 to 1955 period. Although this version of wreathed cockade was introduced in 1947, the metal leaves pinned through the rounded fiberboard visor were not authorized until 1949, when both Air Force and Armor officers were granted this distinction for their parade uniforms. Such caps were then made obsolete by the 1955 uniform regulations which introduced the dark blue Air Force "Zhukov" parade uniforms. The cap has a crown made from medium khaki wool and a band and piping in azure felt/wool respectively. As mentioned, the visor is rounded, although spade-shaped visors were also found on these period parade caps. The metal leaves are the initial version - with rather crude looking leaves and two attachment points per side. Even though this cap was to be worn for parades, only a black oilcloth chinstrap was authorized; since prior to 1955, only generals in the Soviet Army were authorized to wear gold cords. Scarce

Air Force
Officer Parade
1955-1958

This 1956-dated cap was part of the Air Force "Zhukov"-style uniform briefly authorized for parade wear from 1955 until replaced by a simplified uniform in 1958. However, whereas the Army wore a gray-colored uniform and cap under these regulations, the Air Force used dark blue - as shown here on the crown of the cap. As with all Air Force caps, both the band and piping were azure blue. Both the Army and Air Force wore the same special two piece parade cockade introduced in 1955 pinned to the band and gold colored metal leaves pinned through the visor. Gold parade cords are held in place by standard "Army" buttons. What may strike certain observers as odd is the lack of wings displayed on the crown. This lack actually identifies this cap as belonging to a non-flying Air Force officer - an engineer or technical officer most likely. Prior to 1957, only flight officers were authorized wings on their caps. Scarce

Air Force
Officer Parade
1955-1958

Virtually identical to the cap just described, this one differs only in the addition of the "wings" pinned to the crown. As previously mentioned, this indicates the owner was a flying officer, since only those officers were authorized to wear wings prior to 1957 on their caps. Available-Scarce

Air Force
General Service
1955-1969

An everyday "teller" form service cap worn by Air Force generals between 1955 and 1969 before larger crowned versions became standard. Like all everyday air force caps of this period, the crown was made from khaki cotton with azure (light blue) piping and band. The visor was black lacquered fiberboard, which became increasing rare on generals' caps in the 1ate 1960's and 70's (replaced by leather). Cockade and emblems are general-officer versions of standard items. The cockade is the all-gilt metal model introduced in 1955, while both the wreath surrounding it and the wings on the crown are embroidered from gold wire. These emblems were first sewn on colored backings that were then attached to the cap. The wings are larger than normal and reflect a manufacturing variation. Gold cords and general-model buttons round out the cap's decorations. Scarce

Air Force
Officer Service
1958-1969

Appearing little changed from Air Force service caps worn since WWII and popularized in the West by Cosmonaut Gagarin; this cap retains the traditional light blue band and piping on a khaki crown. It is outfitted with the early two-piece metal Air Force style cockade (post 1969 versions were one-piece) and has metal Air Force wings sewn to the crown (rather than pinned). Prior to 1957, these wings were only authorized for wear by flying personnel, but were worn by all Air Force officers after that date. This cap has the black chinstrap used by officers during this period and the smaller "teller" crown. Airborne officers wore an identical cap after they adopted Air Force uniforms in 1963. Available

Air Force
Officer Parade
1958-1969

When the "Zhukov" parade uniforms were eliminated in 1958, the Soviet Army (and Air Force) reverted to a more "traditional-looking" khaki uniform for parade purposes. The Air Force cap that accompanied this less elaborate uniform is shown here. The crown on this example is dark green wool (lighter khaki cotton was also used - especially for service wear) while the band and piping were standard light blue (azure). The wreathed two-piece cockade used by the Air Force on its service caps since 1955 was adopted for parade as well. Wings were pinned to the crown now for all officers, flying and non-flying. The rounded visor is black lacquered fiberboard without decoration while the gold parade cords worn on the "Zhukov" uniform were retained As with the service cap of this period, airborne officers also wore this cap after they adopted Air Force uniforms in 1963. Available

Airborne
General Field
1970-1989

The piped Airborne general's version of the field visor cap was introduced in 1970, alongside the Army general's (seen under that section). Airborne generals' field caps differed from Army generals' only in that light blue piping was used instead of red on the crown and band. Crown, band, plastic or oilcloth chinstrap, fiberboard visor, and general's model chinstrap buttons were all khaki. The cockade is a normal officer's cockade painted khaki or made of khaki-colored metal. Unlike other air force/airborne caps, no wings were worn on the crown. As of 1989, wear of this cap was no longer authorized. Available

Air Force
Officer Parade
1970-1991

When Army officers received wave green parade uniforms in 1970, Air Force officers were "re-issued" dark blue ones (remember, they were first authorized from 1955-1958). Cut the same as the Army's, this uniform cap had a dark blue crown with a light blue band and piping. The traditional Air Force "wings" were retained on the crown while the same new one-piece parade cockade introduced for the Army was worn on the band. Airborne officers also wore this cap on parade. Common

Air Force
Officer Service
1970-1991

The service or everyday counterpart to the above parade cap, this one is in khaki cloth and azure blue wool. It is actually quite similar to the 1958-69 version shown earlier - but with the addition of updated features such as gold cords that replaced the officers' black chinstrap in 1975, a larger "saddle" shaped crown and the later one-piece Air Force cockade. Common

Air Force
General Parade-Walking Out
1970-1980

Air Force generals were authorized a special light gray parade walking-out summer uniform in 1954. A matching gray cap was worn with this uniform until 1980, when the dark-blue parade cap replaced it. This particular example is a later version cap with the larger "saddle" top authorized in 1970. The crown is in light gray fabric, while both band and piping are light blue. Other elements include a gilt cockade with surrounding air force-style embroidered wire leaves, gold embroidered wings, a patent leather visor, gold cords, and general officer buttons. Inside, it has a leather sweatband and silk lining. Nearly as common as the Army version of this cap. Common-Available

Air Force
General Parade
1970-1991

The first post-war dark blue Air Force uniform was introduced in 1955, as discussed above. Although junior officers lost these dark blue uniforms in the 1958 reforms, Air Force generals and marshals retained theirs up until the collapse of the USSR. The cap for this parade uniform remained almost unchanged over this entire period. The only significant difference marking this cap as post 1969 manufacture is the larger "saddle" shape crown. Most striking is the wide expanse of gilt wire leaves embroidered on the azure band surrounding a general's all gilt cockade (there is actually a wreath within a wreath - different from that of Army generals). Gilt wire embroidery also exists on the patent leather visor and on the natural colored leather chinstrap. Gold wire Air Force wings are also embroidered on the crown. General officer buttons, leather sweatband and silk lining round out the cap's features. Available-Scarce

Air Force
General Parade-Walking Out
1980s-1991

This cap is a bit of an enigma. As previously discussed, the light gray cap was no longer worn with the generals' walking out uniform after 1980. Generals were thereafter to wear their normal wave-green (army) or dark blue (air force) parade caps with this uniform. However, this cap appears to be a combination of the two. Although the color matches that of the parade cap, all the ornamentation and fittings exactly match that used on the gray cap. Since this cap is not listed in Soviet uniform regulations - I don't know whether it was a prototype or a "limited standard" variation worn by some generals while the rest worn standard parade caps with more embroidery. To the best of my knowledge, an Army version of this cap did not exist. Instead, Army generals always wore a wave-green parade cap with their gray walking out uniforms after 1980. Rare

Air Force
Cadet Tropical Service
1990-1991

A very interesting cap that was apparently being considered for adoption just before the USSR collapsed. As you can see on my "Army 1970 - 1991" page, the Soviet Army (and Air Force) did not develop a tropical (or hot weather) visor cap until around 1985. This cap was only ever worn by a small number of officers and was not truly "lightweight" - being made from heavy tan cotton, although the lining was white linen. The tan top was also not removable. In contrast, the Soviet Navy had since its beginnings a lightweight tropical white visor cap that at least in some of its forms had a removable cover. It appears the cap shown here was an attempt by the Soviet military to incorporate some of these naval features into a new cap. Although unconfirmed, it appears these caps were designed to be "trialed" at Air Force commissioning academies (and probably Army since I've heard of red banded versions). Since the only caps I've seen like this are unworn, I consider it unlikely that any of these were actually issued before the end of the USSR stopped their issue.

As mentioned, this cap is of similar design to a naval officer's summer cap. It consists of a padded shell over which a removable light cloth cover was worn. This cover is an unusual "natural" beige/light gray color and the band is standard azure blue. However, as is normal for removable covers, the crown is not piped in that color. The inside is exactly like that of a naval cap's - made of white linen, in this case stamped made in Moscow in 1990 (as was the other cap I've seen). The visor and strap are black plastic. The emblem is the standard Soviet Army wreathed star. Although wings were normally worn by Air Force academy cadets on their caps, typically no attachments are authorized on removable covers. Available