Shoulder straps of the senior non-commissioned officer of the 10th Corps aviation detachment RIA

In 1914, the lower ranks of military aviation were awarded the same insignia as in the engineering troops – red cloth shoulder straps with a silver metal device. A special sign in the form of an eagle, holding a propeller and a sword in its paws, was relied upon only by those who had the qualifications of a military pilot. Other lower ranks were assigned an emblem in the form of a propeller and wings, which has been preserved to the present day. Overhead emblems officially relied only on sub-ensigns, but in practice they were often worn by all lower ranks of aviation up to the rank and file. Instead of three patches of white braid, the owner of the shoulder straps used the so-called "Caucasian" braid, originally intended for covering the caps of officer's hats. The cipher "X" stands for the aviation detachment at the headquarters of the 10th Army Corps. Excellent collector's condition. Very rare.