West Germany Fallschirmjager Spange

[Guardian 5]

Here are some more examples of the BRD paratroopers wearing both the U.S. wings they were initially awarded and the Bundeswehr wings that would replace them.

In this picture we can observe simultaneous wear of the U.S. wings and the 1957-58 style BW badge. KC awardee Oberst Timm can be seen standing third from the left.

This picture and the one below are from Fallschirmjager - Die Geschichte der 1. Luftlandedivision 1956-1994 by various authors.

TJ

[Guardian 5]

Here we can see simultaneous wear of the U.S. Wings with the 1958-1966 style BW Badge.

[acmer]

I found this on a flecktarn shirt my friend had bought. It looked like a fake thing but seeing that there's been US para badges in the BW it might be real. How common are they?

[Guardian 5]

acmer - Although the Bundeswehr Airborne School has been run independently from the U.S. for many years now, it is still common to encounter Bundeswehr Soldiers with U.S. jump wings and vice versa.

When Bundeswehr and foreign airborne units go on joint maneuvers or field exercises together, the units almost always make a jump exchange wherein participating troops are given the opportunity to qualify for their partners' jump wings.

In the picture below, the jumpmaster conducting the pre-jump inspection (not wearing gear) is wearing BW wings and British wings as well the patch and tab for the British Commando School on his right sleeve.

TJ

[Guardian 5]

In this picture we can see Oberstabsfeldwebel Dubronner and his son. They were both members of the 1st Airborne Division and both had qualified for U.S. Jump Wings.

TJ

[delta576]

Video

BRD paratroopers 1957 "Fertig zum Sprung"

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoid=24138104

[Guardian 5]

delta576 - Excellent video. Thanks very much for sharing.

For those who haven't checked this video out yet, you're in for a treat. The c.1957 14 minute German language video begins with a vintage WWII falli bridge takedown and than presents a complete review of BW jump school from ground week to jump week.

Airborne vets everywhere will shiver watching the scenes from the "nut buster", "suspended agony", and "slam dancer". These boys were snapping and popping and executing some dynamite PLFs. Great views of equipment and weapons configured for jumps.

Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks again delta576.

All the way and then some - TJ

[Willi Z.]

Here are a few wings I found I still had.

[Guardian 5]

If the winner of this lot from Manion's is amongst us, please 'fess up' and post some close-ups when the shipment arrives.

I'm dying to know whether or not the U.S. style wings on BW ovals are the real deal; the same with the older model NVA wings.

There were great examples of the more common styles as well and is a good win even if the other stuff is reproduction.

All the best - TJ

[Guardian 5]

Close-up 1.

[Guardian 5]

Close-up 2.

[Gordon Craig]

TJ,

This was an interesting auction item. Without oloking at the backs of these badges it is difficult to make an absolute call. I do not like making comments on authenticity on things from pictures but in comparing what the DDR repros look like with the DDR wings shown here,theones on this board look good.

Regards,

Gordon

[Uncle Kurt]

For me at least 16 parts are not original.

I do not believe that the U.S. insignia Original sind.
I do not believe that the NVA old model army badges are original.
To my knowledge, the U.S. insignia are only BASIC given as.

[Gordon Craig]

Uncle Kurt,

My coments on possible originality of the older DDR para badges were based on a recent thread on the DDR Forum. For those who may be interested, it can be found here. http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=239609

As for the U.S. para badges in different grades, there are two ways to look at them. If a BW para received a set of basic U.S. para wings because he participated in a jump with U.S. paratroopers then he would not be entitled to move on to the next highest grade of U.S. paratrooper badges.
I beleive, if a BW paratrooper had been trained originally by the U.S. military as a paratrooper, he would be entitled to wear the higher grades once he met the requirements to do so. The right to wear a higher qualifaction U.S. badge than the basic one, by a serving member of the BW, was discussed on a thread relating to pilots wings on this forum. Since all BW pilots are trained by the U.S. military, as they reach the number of flight hours required to qualify for the next highest grade of U.S. Pilots wings they are entittled to wear them. I think the same thing would apply to BW paratroopers.

Regards,

Gordon

[Guardian 5]

I'm wondering if there was enough time between the awarding of the basic U.S wings and introduction of the first set of Bundeswehr wings for a BW paratrooper to graduate from jumpmaster school and accumulate enough mass tactical jumps to have been awarded U.S Senior and / or Master Wings.

Yet another bit of Bundeswehr history that is poorly understood over here in North America.....

Glueck Ab!

TJ