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    Questions concerning L.Dv.T.5201

    L.Dv.T.5201 describes packing of the R.Z.1 parachute from page 24 to 31. Page 27 shows how to make ties on the suspension lines using issued red thread from the P.W.T. The purpose of those ties was to keep lines together during opening process, make opening process more organized and slower, prevent aggressive canopy inflation and dangerous opening shock. R.Z.1 had an opened D-bag (inner bag) with no loops to stow lines. Lines were placed on the folded canopy. Making those ties was some kind of solution for this primitive type of parachute. (D-bag means deployment bag also called inner bag)

    Packing of improved R.Z.16 parachute is described in the manual from page 31 to 43 (The same method concerns R.Z.20.) Manual does not show any ties on suspension lines of the R.Z.16. ( I think that it does not, but I do not speak good German and reading an original manual printed with old fonts is difficult for me)
    R.Z.16 D-bag is closed and holds lines stows in loops placed on the D-bag. In case of R.Z.16 opening process is a lot more organized, safer and gives less opening shock. As a parachute rigger and instructor I do not see any reason to make ties on R.Z.16 lines, but I received a few photos of people who currently packed R.Z.20 and made ties on lines.

    I see 3 options.
    The first is that I missed something in the original manual or attachments to the manual.
    The second is that those people mixed methods used to pack two different parachutes.
    The third is that they knew this method from veterans and it was unofficial method.

    From the technical point of view making ties on R.Z.16 and R.Z.20 lines does not make any sense and could be dangerous. Ties would additionally slow down the canopy inflation.
    In case of the jump from 100-120 meters it is not recommended.
    I had a pleasure to open two R.Z.20 parachutes packed during war. I have not found any ties on lines.

    Can anyone help me and write if I missed something in an original manual ?
    Do you know anyone who packs his R.Z.16 or 20 and makes ties on lines ?
    Could you please ask why ?

    Thank you in advance ! Paul
    Set of photos to my text :
    https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...CIvkjK_6oYKfHg

    #2
    Hi Paul,

    It's true that the manual doesn't describe or show the use of the red "Gruschwitz" thread on the suspension lines of the R.Z. 16. After reading your post I checked volume 2 of my "German Paratroopers", only to discover that the Bundeswehr rigger, who packed all the chutes for said volume, did use the "Gruschwitz" when packing the R.Z. 16 for us.
    I will contact him and find out why he did so - he has a lot of experience with packing the old Wehrmacht parachutes, so probably there is an explanation...

    Greetings
    Karl

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      #3
      Oh, it is you Karl,
      Congratulations on your books. I was very happy to see parachutes on many pages and good photos. You are the first who took good care of parachute equipment. Thank you. I have both books and I pre-ordered the third volume with a great pleasure.

      Going back to the subject - habits in military parachuting are very similar in many armies and have a long tradition. Official parachute packing methods were modified many many times. One of the veterans who saw my RZ manual with step by step packing photos said that they packed slightly different than official in his battalion, but he did not give a description. The other veteran said that packing was the same as showed. I was not present at that meeting so I was not able to ask additional questions. I sent my manuals to the BDF and they took care for it. On the base of my over 30 years of experience in parachuting and packing I can say - I am sure that some riggers used their own methods slightly different to official manual. I saw it many times.
      Additionally - when I was in Altenstadt and jumped with the BW I realized that many people did not understand the RZ packing especially Luftfalten folding ( air pockets made of 4 different gores to obtain quick inflation ). Because of all mentioned above, I will do everything possible to find IF and HOW units modified packing. I am going to print an attachment to my "official" manual IF I find something. I would be grateful for help and cooperation.
      To give you an example here are photos. Color photos ( made in BW I think ) show WRONG packing, black and white photos show correct official manual packing :
      https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...CI2hl4PXtMeCSQ

      Gluck ab ! Paul

      Comment


        #4
        Hi Paul,

        Thank you for your positive feedback on the first two volumes - I'm glad you like them (and hope you won't be disappointed with vol. 3). For me it was very important to include the parachutes as well: that's what defines and defined paras worldwide. I also learned a lot from the book by Guy Richards "World War II Troop Type Parachutes Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan: An Illustrated Study" published by Schiffer in 2000.

        I just spoke to the BW rigger who he went through the manual again. Like you, he couldn't find any mention in it that the "Gruschwitz" thread was to be used with the R.Z. 16 (and therefore with the R.Z. 20).
        When we packed and photographed the chutes for the book we had started with an R.Z. 1, followed by the R.Z. 16 and then the R.Z. 36 (the R.Z. 20 we left in it's untouched packed state). The reason we used the red thread on the model 16 too was plain and simply that we had just used it for the model 1. And none of us had thought to check this against the manual...

        So, no "that's how we really did things" recollections of a former Wehrmacht paras, just a mistake on our part (or rather: mine, as it's the author's responsibility to check his/her facts). This will also go into the "Errata and Addenda" page for volume 2, which I am compiling right now.

        Unfortunately there are hardly any former Fallschirmjäger still alive who could shed more lilght on how they packed their parachutes and similar detail questions.

        So, there you go.

        Glück ab
        Karl

        Comment


          #5
          Look at this video .... 5:18 min (packing a RZ-1):

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITzykVQXmq8

          delta576
          Last edited by delta576; 05-03-2019, 03:36 AM.

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