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**Grabenkater** · 08-30-2012, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the messages, gentlemen. I have just found out that my chute has 28 panels.

Unfortunately, it does have some damage from being stored in a metal can, it is minimal, but still present.
'

**Jan43** · 08-31-2012, 12:57 PM

Hi Grabenkater
If no one hasn´t told you yet it´s a canopy for a FJ Jump parachute/Cargo canopy.

Best Jan

**petopoint** · 08-31-2012, 01:02 PM

nice

It certainly has the makings.

Peto at point

**Grabenkater** · 08-31-2012, 02:20 PM

Thanks, gentlemen!

**Willi Z.** · 08-31-2012, 05:37 PM

RZ20 canopy. For FJs. They all were 28 panels.

**Jan43** · 09-01-2012, 04:46 AM

Hi Willi
I believe it´s a general misunderstanding that you can tell FJ and Cargo canopies apart just by counting the panels. Yes all round FJ canopies have 28 panel, but all FJ jump canopies(Except some RZ36 canopies(RZ1?)) were made to be used as medium supply/cargo canopies.
You could say that the type in question is primarily a FJ Jump canopy, but it could also be used as a medium supply/cargo canopy.

Best Jan

**Willi Z.** · 09-01-2012, 07:39 AM

Just curious Jan, since I am not sure, were supply canopies in camo?

**Jan43** · 09-01-2012, 09:23 AM

Hi Willi
Yes, the FJ RZ20 white and camo could be, and were used in a role as supply canopy, as well as
the “Lastenfallschirm” for heavier loads could be in Camo.

I´ve been speculating for a some time for what the small loop threads on the middle of all the FJ canopies raisers(RZ16, RZ20, and most RZ36) were intended and used for.
They are never used when they are packed as a FJ Jump parachute, but on the pictures below you can see what they were intended for.
They were intended for looking on to the cargo/supply packtray when the chute deploys.
The chute on the pictures is a supply chute with matching numbers(hard to see but as I´ve owned it myself I confirmed it myself), its canopy were first intended as a Jump canopy”Sprungschirm”(please read panel markings), and then diverted to be used in a supply/cargo chute. Hence the original crossing out of the RZ20 Markings. I´ve seen 3 supply/cargo chutes with these exact type markings/configurations.
And it may not be coincident that this chute is made and dated on the 12 of January 1942, the exact same date and period that Hitler rejected Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb´s Plan to break out of the Demjansk kettel, and instead hold the kettle at all cost and keep supplying the Army units by air.
It was ultimately a succes and a year later contributed to FM Görings belief that the Luftwaffe could supply the 6th Army at Stalingrad by air..
It´s also a well known fact that it also were especially Kurt Peterhänsels parachutes that contributed largely to the supplies that did go through to Stalingrad.(Same Manufacturer of Parachutes that made the supply chute I have shown).

In the early war years most Parachutes Makers had different Gerät numbers for their RZ20 canopies which of cause were troublesome, so sometime in 1942 the parachutes Makers standardized the markings/Item no. on all these round canopies(28 panels) for FJ and medium type supply canopies to just be Gerät Nr. 10-2101-A1 first also many with “Sprungfallschirm”(See add picures) also on them, but later most(if not all+ the transitional round RZ20/36 canopy) with just “Kappe mit fangleinen”(like the canopy in question), as they all were interchangeable with each other.(RZ36 canopies were marked “Dreieckskappe mit fangleinen” “10-436-(c or a?)1”). A useful change which opened up for more flexibility during packing chutes all over. Best Jan

**Grabenkater** · 09-01-2012, 02:22 PM

Gentlemen, any suggestion on the value of my chute? I am planning on adding it to the e-stand, since I no longer collect Third Reich items.

Thanks,

**Jan43** · 09-02-2012, 06:36 AM

Hi Grabenkater
Sorry no “Gentlemen” in here(I´ve sent you a PM about value).
Almost a 100 posts and not even one “well done”, “thanks for sharing” or “I don´t agree”, for the research I´ve shared, and Willi not even a “Thanks for the info” to acknowledge the work I put into answering you?? Wow once again You amaze me, but I can´t say I´m very surprised, as I´ve experienced it a lot in here, which I´m sad to say, really doesn´t encourage anyone to share any research with this Forum.
I could keep on not commenting it, but even though I will offer You my help.
Here´s a link to a list of Gentlemen virtues You should go through, and if You are honest with yourself you might realize that you are missing a few, that you should work on in the future.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue

If anyone should doubt what I said in my last post, here´s another 28 panel camo canopy Sprungschirm(dated 8th of January 1942) that originally were packed as a supply chute from the factory. And probably like the other I´ve shown lived it´s whole life as a supply canopy(K. Peterhänsel).
And under that one, a 20 panel Camo “Lastenfallschirm”, also with loops on raisers for the supply packtray. Best Jan

20 panel Camo “Lastenfallschirm”

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