DDR DDR Paratrooper

[Paul R]

I want to see what DDR Paratrooper items you may have residing in your collections!

Here is one set!

[Paul R]

Next...

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

I can not show all of my para stuff but here are a few pictures from my files of stuff in storage.

First an RL-10 parachute. This model has a rectangular shaped canopy and is used only by very experienced parachutists. It is very steerable nd was used when great accuracy was required upon landing. You can guess in what type of missions this chutes would have been used in. Here is a picture of the chute packed as posted on the auction when I bought the chute. None of the chutes I will show can be used any more. They are past their 15 year life span.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

The RL-10 deployed on the ground.

[Gordon Craig]

The altitude opening device. These devices are set to open at an automatic, safe height in case the wearer has not open the chute before that altitude has been reached. One of these came with each on my chutes.

[Gordon Craig]

The RS 9/2B. This was the standard chute in use by the paras at the last years of the DDR. It is a round canopied chute. It is not steerable and you land where the wind takes you. It is also probably the fastest chute of the chutes in use in the NVA at this time. The other very common chute was the RS 4. The RS 4 was used in training by the NVA and the GST. It had a slower rate of decent than the RS 9/2b and a wider range of weights it could carry. The RS 4 was also used by other countries. It was the standard chute used by Hungarian paras for tactical jumps. Here is a picture of an RS 9/2B label on the chute bag.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

Here is a picture of an RS 9/2b deployed during a jump.

[Gordon Craig]

A falli combat knife.

[Gordon Craig]

The falli EM dark greay field beret.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

A falli coming home to the little Mrs after a hard day at the office. Now you know why they weren't afraid of jumping out of airplane high up in the air!

Edited February 10, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Paul R]

That is some great stuff Gordon!! A woman like that would scare the crap out of me. If she rolled on top while we were sleeping, it would be the death of me!! LOL

That paratrooper blade is the first I have ever seen. Are they difficult to find?

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

Like the daggers, these para blades used to be reasonably easy to find. There must have been a considerable number in storage somewhere as they usually turn up complete with the box but sometimes minus the web straps. I don't really remember when I saw one for sale last. The knife is referred to as the Kampfdolch der NVA-Fallschirmjager. If you are interested in getting one for your collection I can let you know the next time I see one.

What a way to die!

Regards,

Gordon

Here is a fofo of the cover of Vom Himmel auf die Erde ins Gefecht Die Fallschirmjager der National Volkesarmee.

[Paul R]

Thanks Gordon,

Please do info me on the Fallshirmjager blade!!

What badges would you suggest for the above posted uniform? Was the orange beret only for parade?

Paul

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

I'll get back to you tomorrow with answers to your questions. Late now and I have an early morning so am calling it a day. The tunics lok new so I am assuming there are no existing holes where badges once were?

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

As far as I know, the orange beret was always worn with the servcie dress/parade dress uniforms.

As to what badges to put on this uniform, first we ned to establish some parametres;

We must set the year being portrayed. Since the rank on the uniform is Lt. Col. lets make it 1986.

1-to be a Lt. Col. he would have to have been in the NVA for 15 to 20 years. That means any ribbon bar or medal bars would have to have the appropriate long servcie medals (they wore them all-not just the highest one) plus some ata boy medals. I tried to find a picture of a good specimin to post from my files but wasn't able to do that. Any NVA ribbon bar that would work for a Lt. Col. in the landstreitkrafte would be ok on this tunic. Probably a minimum of 6 ribbons.

2-Over the right pocket, closest to the tunic buttons, would be a school badge. Because the wearer of the tunic has been in for 15 to 20 years he would wear the 1962-1975 Friedrich Engels school badge. This is pictured below. It is possible he could have attended one of the lower Soviet Military Academies at his rank but I haven't included that.

3-To his right of the school badge he would probably wear his jump qualification badge. I doubt that at this rank he would have made a lot of jumps so the basic badge would do here.

4-You appear to have a civilain sports badge on the right breast pocket. I would put an NVA sports badge there if it were my uniform.

This is the basic layout for the servcie dress. If you wished to go the parade route you would have to add a parade belt, officers dagger, medal bar and Aiguillette.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

The set of para badges worn in the NVA as posted by David H on the DDR Forum of the WAF.

[Gordon Craig]

The NVA Sports Badge.

[Paul R]

Very nice!! I do need to get a para badge for this tunic!!

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

There is always the possibility that a person of this rank would not by para qualified. Since the unit was only of Battalion size there would probably have been a full Colonel in command with Lt. Col. as his deputy commander. Not everyone in the unit would have been para qualified but it would be a shame to have this nice uniform without a para badge. I would certainly put one on it.

Regards,

Gordon

[ehrentitle]

Here are a couple of quick shots of mine. Not the best photos but you get the idea. Soviet Academy badge, para wing with 700 jump hanger, and ribbon bar with appropriate length of service ribbons. Kevin

[Gordon Craig]

Kevein,

We have some major differences of opinion here. The Soviet Academy badge that you have on the uniform would probably not be worn by a Lt. Col. That badge is for the highest Soviet Academy that could be attended and would only be found on the uniform of a General or Admiral. DDR officers would normally attend a Soviet lower academy as a major or a Lt. Colonel. It would be an academy in their specialty. IE armour, artillery etc. If you did well at the Soviet academy you were probably destined for promotion to General if you kept your nose clean and toed the party line. 700 Jumps for a Lt. Colonel? The ribbon bar would also go well on a one star generals tunic but I would really hesitate to put it on a Lt. Colonel's uniform. All that being said, its your uniform and you can put what you like on it! The above is just my personal opinion. Thanks for posting the picture.

Regards,

Gordon

[ehrentitle]

Gordon - Thanks for your comments. This is the way the uniform came to me when I purchased it a couple of years ago. Rather than change it I decided to keep it the way it is.

[Gordon Craig]

Kevin,

A practice I often follow myself. If you are ever badging up a DDR General's tunic you could save yourself a lot of money moveing some of the items on this tunic to it. The Voroshilov Akademy badge is hard to find and not cheap to buy.

Regards,

Gordon

[ehrentitle]

Kevin,

A practice I often follow myself. If you are ever badging up a DDR General's tunic you could save yourself a lot of money moveing some of the items on this tunic to it. The Voroshilov Akademy badge is hard to find and not cheap to buy.

Regards,

Gordon

Gordon, Thanks. Unfortunately I don't have any General Officer tunics, just the rain pattern generals camo uniform.

[Paul R]

Thank you all for your insight and information. Kevin, that is one sharp looking uniform! I will try to find a basic later period jump badge and ribbon bar and call it good.