Chuck In Oregon

This taught me more about the "Defense of" Societies: Background of the Air Fleet, Aviakhim and Osoaviakhim Societies: The new Soviet government initiated programs for the development of air communication and defense throughout the Soviet Union in 1923. To stimulate the interest of the people in aviation and to gain funds to help support air-related projects, the Soviet government sponsored the formation of aviation clubs – the O.D.V.F. (Society of Friends of the Air Fleet) in Moscow and in other major cities and districts throughout the country. The O.D.V.F. and the smaller chemical defense society (Dobrokhim) joined in 1924 to form the Aviakhim (Air and Chemical Defense Society). Within two years (1927), as the military took greater control of the Soviet government, military and other defense organizations (Society for the Assistance in Defense – Oso) were amalgamated with the Aviakhim to form the Osoaviakhim. From a synopsis of FOR THE RED AIR FLEET – Soviet Russia’s Air Fleet Semi-Official Stamps (and) Labels So ODVF + Dobrokhim = Aviakhim, - then - Aviakhim + unnamed (yet) defense organizations = OsoAviakhim. Now I'm going to share my related society badges here instead of starting a new thread. I hope other members will do the same. Chuck

GREAT site! I've bookmarked it and I expect to refer to it often. Thank you. Chuck

I found this photo of my old (and now gone) Osoaviakhim plaque. I forgot that, back in 2004, I had posted it on another forum. Here's part of what I wrote there back then: I was walking down a small street in Tbilisi recently and I saw this plaque over the door to an old apartment building. Actually, a 19th century home that had been collectivized. I was really surprised to see it and I had no idea what it signified, only that it was an Oso something. I have a small collection of Osoaviakhim items and, naturally, I thought this would make a nice addition to it, if only I could ... So I mentioned it to a friend and when I told him where the building was he said "My cousin owns that building. Do you want that plaque?" Well, yes I do. So the next day they unbolted it from the building and tried to scrape/clean several decades of house paint off of this porcelain plaque. Maybe not real procelain, but I don't know what else to call it. It seems a little finer than just plaster, but maybe that's all it is. Enjoy. I wish I still had it. Chuck

This is a very early Aviakhim badge. I found it today while I was setting up a small group in a Riker Mount. Anyone seen one before? I don't know Aviakhim/Osoaviakhim history so I don't even know the when or why of the name change. Enjoy. Chuck

Very nice couple of photos. Thanks for sharing them. I have a couple hundred photos that I'm just starting to go through for the first time since I bought them years ago. I'll share anything interesting. I'm enjoying my renaissance of collecting, thanks to Hauptmann. Chuck

Hi Kim I guess great minds DO think alike. I LOVE your collection. My favorite is image #1, the young couple. It gives the badges a different and nice context. All the rest is cool, too. I've not seen the cards or posters or the Ukraine variant. The posters would look good in my office/museum/man cave/junk repository. I'll be in Prague and Tbilisi this fall and I hope to find the time to visit some antique stores and/or flea markets. Prague is business and my schedule isn't always my own, but Tbilisi is pure pleasure and time with friends, including my collecting mentor Boria. I'll alert him to keep his eyes out for interesting collectibles, including Oso, which is something he does for me anyway. I may still have 1-2 more things. I am currently re-organizing/mucking out the man cave and I'm finding things I had completely forgotten about. Keep 'em coming. I love the Oso collectibles. Chuck

I knew I had more Oso things around here somewhere. Here's a 1941 engraved presentation cigarette case. Go through your boxes and show us more Osoaviakhim things. I brought back an Oso building award plaque in 2002 and put it in my garden. Looked good, good conversation starter. Sadly, after hanging on the outside of an old Tbilisi apartment building for, oh, sixty years or so, it disintegrated in my garden in three years. I hate it when that happens. Chuck

Hi Kim Thanks for showing us your badges. I completely forgot about the Jr. Oso badge. I'll look around while I'm re-organizing. I'm pretty sure that I've got one or two around here someplace. Your modified suspension is a good example and in very nice shape. You're right, those chains took a beating and they weren't up to the task. I'm sure you saw my example with the bi-plane replaced by a star. The one I really like and have never seen before is your udarnik badge. I'd like to have one of those in my collection. Chuck

I started the Early Georgian Aviatrix thread then decided that I would start this thread to share a few more of my things. Depending on membership interest, of course. Well, no interest so far but it interests me, so here's my Osoaviakhim board with some close-ups. I think I've got a couple more things around here somewhere but this will have to do for a start. I would very much like to see what you've got. Chuck http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-616-0-75209700-1378163276.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-616-0-66769000-1378163297.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-616-0-16995800-1378163338.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-616-0-26639900-1378163383.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-616-0-65937200-1378163404.jpg

Osoaviakhim badges? I'm glad you asked. I was afraid that no one would. I've got a nice board of them that I'll try to post tomorrow under a new thread. You're gonna like 'em. I think I have at least one other Oso group with badges and docs around here somewhere but I don't know where. But I gotta ask, is anyone else out there interested in Osoaviakhim? (Please, someone say yes.) How about sharing your stuff? Chuck

One of Georgia's famous, but now forgotten, early pilots was a woman named Maria Giorgievna Sokolova. Here's her glamor shot and some of her early Osoaviakhim documents. I haven't seen much Osoaviakhim discussion or collectibles on GMIC. Have I missed some good stuff? I have a modest Osoaviakhim collection that I find interesting and I'd be glad to share it if there's any interest. Meanwhile, let's see what you've got. Chuck

Here's an earlier variant and it's pretty scarce. It's the only one I have ever found. I have a number of VLKSM badges and pins but that's not the question here. Chuck

Your badge (from the original question) is in the center. The others are earlier, heavier versions. The badge on the top right has a mirror reverse, my only example of that variation. These were pretty common badges. Chuck

Yes. I knew I had it around somewhere. It does look like the ring has been repaired. Chuck

Thank you for that extremely generous offer. I'll be glad to take you up on it but I'll try not to be too burdensome. I have a TON of items in my collection, including lots of documents. I even have a couple of NKVD capital case files, with interrogations and photos. Do we have a forum for Soviet or Imperial documents? I know that Rick loves documents (it's one of the first questions I asked on GMIC) but I don't know who else. Chuck

That information is really interesting and helpful. I'll add your references to my collection and maybe 1-2 of your pictures. I picked up all these badges one at a time at the Dry Bridge flea market in Tbilisi over a period of 3-1/2 years. Money in my pocket and time on my hands and that's what I do. Thank you for all your work... again. Chuck

I thought I had another one of these around here somewhere. No more of these, I'm pretty sure. Chuck

OK. These are the pictures I should have posted: Some recent correspondence with Hauptmann has inspired me to get back into my collections. I'll be posting more. Thank you. Chuck

Thank you, Nick. I'll post a better picture as soon as I can find some sort of foam board to use behind them. Just laying them on a hard surface gives a result like this. Chuck

Here are examples I picked up along the way. I think this is all of them.

Now something very interesting. Meet aviator Pavlov Ivan Ulianovich and his owl Wow! Do you really own this? What's the story behind it? It's one of the best WW I historical aviation militaria pieces I've ever seen. It's a stunner and would certainly be a center piece of my, and most, collections. Chuck

Thank you. I stand corrected and better informed. Chuck

Is that one really yours? In gold? Wow! I've got a few pretty nice tsarist aviation items but that one completely trumps them all. Congratulations. Chuck

If you don't object, I'm going to add your explanations to my Frostbow Collection Manager portfolio (not open to others, just for me) that I just re-started. Chuck

I love learning things like this. Thank you, Nick. Chuck