Meritorious Military Pilot of the German Democratic Republic

The honorary title could be awarded for:

• Distinguished performance of military pilot compared with:
  • Outstanding results in the political and military adjunction as well as
  • Outstanding results as to the development of the NPA combat readiness
• Military pilot's performance level: Class I
• No aviation accidents or incidents

The number of awarded people was limited to 10 military pilots per year.

The medal is gold-colored, has the shape of an irregular vertically symmetrical pentagon standing on its tip, and is 31.5 mm wide by 41.5 mm tall. On the lower tip is a colorfully-enameled aircraft roundel of the National People's Army.

The biggest part of the medal is occupied by a MiG-23 or MiG-21 taking off steeply, behind which are sunrays emanating from the roundel. Left of the aircraft is a laurel bough, and right of it is the oblique wording VERDIENTER MILITÄRFLIEGER.

The reverse side of the medal is empty and glossy.

Different versions have been issued:

• 1974–1976: Medal from nonferrous metal gold colored, varnished, size with arched eye 40.5 × 30 mm, reverse glossy. Medal on small medal bar 14 × 25 mm.
• 1976–1989: ditto varnished, medal with round eye, on pentagon bar with gibbon bar 14 × 25 mm, reverse glossy, ditto brass-plated, with reverse ornamented.

The medal was worn on the left breast suspended from a sky blue ribbon of 25 × 14 mm size in the pentagonal shape that was standard in the Soviet armed forces and thus also used by East Germany. The ribbon bar was the same color as the medal ribbon, and also featured a miniature, all gold colored version of the NPA roundel.^[1]