Pin made in Soviet Russia. The pin shows the Tupolev TB-3. The text on the pin reads:”Giant monoplane flight across Europe 1933 four world records″ and “Special Purpose Aviation”.
The Tupolev TB-3, also known as ANT-6, was a monoplane heavy bomber deployed by the Soviet Air Force in the 1930s and used during the early years of World War II. It was one of the world’s first cantilever wing four-engine heavy bombers. The TB-3 was used operationally during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol against Japan and in the Winter War with Finland. Although it was officially withdrawn from service in 1939, at the start of the Great Patriotic War on 22 June 1941, the Soviet Air Force had 516 operational TB-3s, with an additional 25 operated by the Soviet Navy.
Stationed far from the USSR’s western border, the ТB-3s avoided catastrophic losses during the first German air strikes. The aircraft participated in all major battles through 1943, including the first Battle of Smolensk, the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, the Siege of Leningrad, and the Battle of Kursk.