Equipment of the paratrooper of the airborne forces of the Russian Federation. Armament and equipment of Russian paratroopers-peacekeepers. What is a birch pattern

27.10.2019

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Backpack

A mandatory attribute of an airborne fighter is his equipment. The backpack of the paratrooper RD-54 was specially designed for the troops of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Army. It was widely used during the Afghan war in 1979-89. This backpack was successfully used during the war in Chechnya and Ossetia, but even now it can be found in the troops.

There are many varieties of such backpacks, but the most common ones are:

Soviet canvas;
Russian membrane in flora colors;
Russian in coloring figure.

The backpack is a multifunctional system with three compartments for various items. The backpack of the paratrooper RD-54 is worn on the shoulders in the same way as a regular tourist backpack. There is a clasp in the form of a carabiner on the chest. The set includes three additional compartments, which are attached separately to the belt. One compartment is intended for a sapper shovel.

In the shoulder area there is a compartment for a knife, and on the opposite side there is a place for two grenades. On the right side there is a pouch for two stores of a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The main compartment of the backpack closes with two buttons. Inside the backpack is placed an army dry ration and the necessary things. On the sides there are compartments closed with buttons, where you can place a bottle or a combat smoke bomb.

There is another type of RD-98 paratrooper backpack. It is significantly larger than its predecessor, but is not designed for parachute jumps. But in some situations this is not required. It has a place to store grenades and all necessary ammunition.

Laying the backpack RD-54

It is possible to stack various equipment and equipment in the RD (paratrooper's backpack). Consider the most common type of styling.

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We put a bag with a gas mask. To do this, you need to unzip the satchel and put a bag with a gas mask inside.
Kalashnikov assault rifle magazines in the amount of 4 pieces are placed on the bag.
Smoke bombs are placed in the side compartments.
In the left side compartment, you can put a cape.
Finally, the backpack should be laced and fastened.
In the pouch we place stores for the machine in the amount of 2 pieces.
Grenades fit into a separate grenade pouch. Before landing, grenades and a fuse are placed in different compartments in it.
A sapper shovel is placed in a special pouch. It unfolds with a concave side to the body and is placed in a special compartment for it.

In order to collect all the necessary pouches, you should use a belt. First, a bayonet-knife in the cabure is threaded into it, and then all the details of the RD-54 system are alternately located. Loops are provided on each pouch so that it can be freely put on a belt.

An interesting feature of this backpack is the ability to throw it over your head and get the necessary item. To do this, unfasten the side carabiners and throw it over your head. Get the necessary items and without unfastening return it to its original position.

Equipment needed for landing

Such a combat maneuver as the landing of airborne units serves to suddenly land behind enemy lines and start hostilities. The outcome of the military operation will depend on how quickly and smoothly this action is carried out. Not the last role in this is played by suitable equipment for a paratrooper paratrooper.

When landing personnel, each paratrooper must have a certain list of mandatory equipment. It includes the following items:

The main and reserve parachute system assigned to the military. If necessary, an insurance device is issued. When performing landing from low altitudes, this is not required.
In winter, overalls and a warm jacket are required. The form should be well adjusted so that there is no restriction of movement. Gloves or three-fingered mittens are mandatory on hands.
On the head, in addition to the hat, there must be a hard helmet and goggles.
On the feet should be shoes that fit well to the size of the foot. In winter, felt boots or high fur boots are allowed.
A sling knife must be attached to the knapsack. This item is vital for every skydiver.
When landing on water, the use of life-saving equipment is provided. Each case has its own equipment.
When making jumps from a height of more than 4000 meters, each skydiver must be equipped with oxygen equipment.

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The parachute comes with a special bag in which it folds after landing. This must be done quickly, especially in combat conditions.
Depending on the performance of certain combat missions, all the necessary equipment is parachuted along with the paratrooper, it can be:

personal protective equipment;
personal means of communication;
weapons and ammunition for it;
food;
shooting kit;
special equipment depending on the combat specialty.

New uniforms and uniforms for paratroopers

With the introduction of a new form in the ranks of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the changes also affected the airborne troops. Only the paratrooper's blue beret remained unchanged. The entire paratrooper field uniform fits easily into a backpack and consists of 16 items. The winter kit includes a special paratrooper vest. Shoulder straps of the Airborne Forces on the field uniform are made of fabric and are put on the uniform in the shoulder area.

Modern landing units are equipped in accordance with the new developments of the Ministry of Defense. For landing, such modern parachute systems as Arbalet-2 and D-10 are now used. These types of parachute systems are safer and more manageable than previous systems.

The mandatory equipment, in addition to the satchel of a paratrooper, usually includes an AK-74M assault rifle. For snipers and machine gunners, the appropriate types of small arms and automatic weapons are used. Sappers are equipped with advanced mine detectors capable of detecting mines at a great distance.

In 2014, a new complicated suit of combat equipment for the paratrooper "Warrior" was put into operation, which is used in some units of the Airborne Forces. It is a modular system of 40 components that can be changed depending on the combat situation.

This equipment was tested during military operations in Syria, and proved to be the best. The equipment "Warrior" is characterized by increased wear resistance and is made of a special type of fabric that can withstand increased loads. The fiber from which the fabric is made easily withstands high temperatures and is difficult to burn.

On November 2, 1930, during the exercises of the Moscow military district, twelve people were parachuted from the air as part of a special unit. It is this moment that is taken as the starting point for the history of our Airborne Troops. Throughout its existence, not only the status of paratroopers, but also their uniforms have changed more than once.

The uniform of our Airborne Forces received its current form relatively recently and has become a kind of hallmark of one of the elite units of the Russian army.

The first form of paratroopers

Until the 40s of the last century, the uniform of the airborne detachment differed little from the uniform of the Red Army soldiers serving in the aviation troops. It consisted of a padded leather or linen helmet and overalls made of moleskin or avisent. The blue buttonholes sewn to the collar of the overalls spoke of the detachment's belonging to aviation.

The edging of the buttonhole indicated the official position of the serviceman: for the command staff, the edging had a golden color, in turn, political workers, sergeants and privates wore uniforms with black edging buttonholes, which was considered an everyday (or as it is now called - office) option. At the beginning of World War II, the overalls were replaced with pants with large patch pockets and a jacket.

The equipment of a paratrooper in the pre-war years, in addition to the uniform, consisted of the following elements:

main parachute. Before the war of 1941 and for some time after it began, the airborne troops used the PD-6 parachute, which is essentially a licensed analogue of the American Irvin. Before establishing their own production of parachutes, the Soviet military performed jumps with American parachutes.
Reserve parachute, or sling cutter.

The full equipment of an employee of the Airborne Forces was:

two parachutes (main on the back, spare in the lower abdomen);
duffel bag;
an automatic machine with an extended magazine, which was mounted vertically with the barrel down over the left shoulder.

In winter, a large fur collar was fastened to the overalls with buttons or zippers in dark blue, brown or khaki sheepskin. When raised, the collar was pulled together by internal straps. Often, the style of the winter uniform of the Airborne Forces directly depended on the manufacturer's factory.

After the failed Finnish campaign, the servicemen were dressed in quilted jackets, sheepskin coats, felt boots, wadded pants, and a hat with earflaps. At the same time, the winter version is completed with a camouflage white robe with a hood.

Headgear paratroopers paratroopers

The headdress was another way to show the serviceman's official affiliation. For commanders after 1938, a dark blue cap was officially approved as a headdress.

After 1941, her color was changed to a protective shade of green.

The upper part, rim and band of the cap were decorated with blue piping. She also wore a cockade with a red star, surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. During the parachute jump, the command staff used special caps, which were fastened under the chin with straps.

Ordinary paratroopers wore dark blue caps with a blue piping and cloth stars, on top of which red stars were attached.

By the beginning of the war, the Airborne Forces had several typical clothing options, which depended on the time of year and official position:

	Average commanding staff	Average commanding staff
Summer:	on top of everyday uniforms, camouflage overalls of reconnaissance military groups, cap, chrome boots, traffic rules machine gun, commander's equipment.	Over the everyday uniform, camouflage overalls, a cotton or cloth cap, tarpaulin boots, a rifle (after the autumn of 1941, a PPSh assault rifle), equipment.
Winter:	over a casual uniform, a jacket with a fur collar, equipment and weapons, a hat with earflaps and high boots.	a white camouflage robe over an overcoat, weapons and equipment.

Since the helmet could fly off the paratrooper during the jump, this headgear was used exclusively during ground battles.

The evolution of the headdress of the Airborne Forces

The business card of a modern paratrooper can be safely called a blue beret, but it became part of the uniform only after 1969. On June 30, 1967, the commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General Margelov V.S. a new model of the form was approved, created according to the sketches of the artist A.B. Beetle.

The artist proposed two options for the appearance of the Airborne Forces:

The daily uniform of the Airborne Forces included a khaki beret and a red star. This coloring of the headdress remained on paper.
The second option involved wearing a crimson beret, it was he who was accepted.

The right side of the beret was decorated with a blue flag with the symbols of the Airborne Forces, the so-called "corner", and on the front side of the beret there was a star surrounded by a wreath of ears of corn.

For the officers, a beret with a cockade of the 1955 model and a star with wings were provided.

During the military parade on November 7, 1967, paratroopers in crimson berets marched across Red Square. And already in 1969, an order was issued, where the uniform for the employees of the Airborne Forces of a new model with a blue beret was officially approved.

The tradition of wearing a beret is different for paratroopers and scouts of the Airborne Forces. The first ones wear berets bent to the right, while the special forces of the air forces have an unspoken rule to bend the beret to the left.

The editors of the site site hope that readers do not shy away from military service. How to punish for evading the army you can read on this site.

The airborne troops were separated into a separate branch of the military only in 1991. Until that moment, the paratroopers belonged to the ground forces, the Navy, the Air Force, and since 1946 they were included in the reserve composition of the Supreme Command and were directly subordinate to the Supreme Commander.

In this regard, the color scheme of the uniform and the insignia of the senior and junior command staff of the Airborne Forces were associated with the branch of the military to which they belonged at the moment.

In addition, the type of uniform of the Soviet paratrooper depended on the climatic conditions of the landing site and the position of the employee. It is customary to distinguish four groups of military clothing of the Soviet Airborne Forces:

everyday summer uniform for sergeants and privates;
summer uniform for sergeants, privates and cadets of the air force;
everyday summer set with shoulder straps and buttonholes for cadets;
winter version of the uniform with sleeve insignia for sergeants, military builders and cadets of the Airborne Forces.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, a dark blue overcoat was included in the equipment of paratroopers, a little later its color was changed to combined arms. Also, the equipment of the special forces of the Airborne Forces included the so-called camouflage robes: white for winter and protective spotted colors for summer. Exactly the same robes were worn by scouts and riflemen of the assault group.

For the duration of the special mission, the landing group was additionally equipped with special uniforms. This included overalls, a helmet, boots, goggles.

After the introduction of shoulder straps, aviation insignia appeared. The famous emblem with a parachute and two planes on the sides was introduced in 1955. It is this badge that today is a symbol of the unity and brotherhood of those serving in the air forces.

In 1979, a limited contingent of troops was introduced into Afghanistan, including a special group of airborne forces. In view of the climatic conditions of the territory of presence, a special airborne force was developed. The prototype was the uniform of the army of the President of the Congo.

Features of the parade uniform of the old-style airborne forces

For ceremonial events, the air infantry was provided with a parade set of uniforms, presented in summer and winter versions. In 1988, it underwent a number of changes.

Summer dress uniform of the old sample:

a cap with a band;
loose trousers;
open uniform;
White shirt;
black tie;
White gloves;
black low shoes or boots.

The ceremonial set of the summer uniform had a blue (sea) wave color.

Parade winter uniform of a soldier of the Airborne Forces of the old model:

a cap with earflaps, the lieutenant colonels have a papakha;
gray overcoat;
open uniform;
loose blue trousers;
White shirt;
black tie;
white muffler;
brown gloves;
black boots.

Since 1967, a beret has become part of the ceremonial set of clothes, replacing the cap.

Distinctive features of the field uniform

At the disposal of Soviet paratroopers there were two options for clothing for field conditions: summer and winter. The summer field uniform set included:

cap;
a jacket and trousers of a protective coloring;
vest;
boots or high boots.

Description of the winter form of the Airborne Forces:

hats with earflaps;
khaki jacket and pants;
gray scarf;
brown gloves;
berets or boots.

The entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan required the leadership to revise the equipment of employees. The classic field uniform is being replaced by its lightweight version, popularly called Mabuta by the name of the Colonel of the Army of the Congo. It was made of raincoat fabric with water-repellent impregnation, a ventilation system and a more comfortable fit.

The sand uniform consisted of trousers, a jacket and a cap and was used in combat missions in regions with a hot climate.

What are modern paratroopers wearing?

The form of the airborne forces of the new sample is based on the principle of layering. Depending on weather conditions, military personnel are allowed to combine clothing:

the modern form of employees of the Russian Airborne Forces includes several combinations and sets of diverse clothing;
in the cool season, an additional lined jacket is provided for soldiers;
often the military from the special forces of the Airborne Forces are allowed to wear a jacket under the jacket;
in rainy, damp weather, the uniform is a fleece undershirt and overalls with waterproof impregnation.

Thus, what form the airborne soldiers will have in a particular case is decided independently by the unit commander, taking into account weather conditions.

A modern hat with earflaps has elongated ears, thanks to which it easily overlaps and fastens with Velcro, protecting the chin.

Additionally, the hat is equipped with a top flap, allowing it to turn inside out and transform into a visor. Felt boots were replaced with warm boots with thermal inserts. The outer jacket is a constructor and easily transforms from a windbreaker into a warm pea coat.

The new unified set of uniforms of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation for soldiers and officers of the field uniform includes 19 items:

several jackets;
insulated vest;
suit;
three types of boots (summer, demi-season and winter);
balaclava;
mittens and gloves.

The summer uniform of the special forces of the Airborne Forces includes:

underwear (T-shirt and boxer shorts);
light jacket;
trousers;
kepi (takes);
summer boots.

For sewing a lightweight version of the Airborne Forces uniform, a mechanical stretch treated with a water-repellent composition is used.

Winter uniform for the Airborne Forces option includes:

two sets of insulated underwear (lightweight and fleece);
demi-season suit;
wind and waterproof suit;
insulated vest;
boots;
balaclava.

In winter, it is allowed to wear a blue sweater under a jacket that is part of the uniform.

The winter uniform of an officer and ensign of the Airborne Forces allows the wearing of a black fur hat and a black jacket.

For a hot climate, a separate set of uniforms for the landing troops was developed. The new uniform of the Airborne Forces has a light brown or sand color.

The first option consists of a short-sleeved shirt with a turn-down collar, shoulder straps, trousers and boots in the base color. As a headdress, a soft cap is used, similar to a baseball cap with a hard peak and a field cockade.

Shorts are allowed instead of trousers. Insignia on this type of uniform are placed similarly to everyday uniforms. This version of clothing does not provide for award straps. The second option is an elongated jacket with fastened shoulder straps, trousers tucked into berets. On the head is a forage cap or panama in the tone of the statutory form.

Casual or office overalls for the air infantry are similar to the uniform of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, only in blue.

The field uniform of an officer is exactly the same as that of an airborne rank and file, only the front dress is different.

The parade uniform of the Airborne Forces consists of a blue jacket and trousers, a vest, a blue beret, an aiguillette, white gloves and berets.

Officer ceremonial uniform:

blue tunic;
loose blue trousers;
shirt;
black tie;
White gloves;
black boots;
golden aglet;
blue cap with a cockade.

The winter dress uniform of midshipmen and officers of the Airborne Forces includes a black jacket, a woolen cap or a blue beret, a vest and berets. For enlisted personnel and cadets:

gray hats with earflaps;
demi-season blue jacket;
suit;
vest;
beret.

Special forces of the Airborne Forces take part in the parade in field uniform. Not only pagons are used as insignia, but also chest and sleeve patches and chevrons.
Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the uniform was identical for all employees of the Airborne Forces, regardless of the republic.

Today, each country that was part of the USSR has its own version of the form. In the Russian Federation, the main color of the uniform of the Airborne Forces is blue.

For example, not so long ago, the uniform of the highly mobile troops of the Airborne Forces of Ukraine was completely changed, in particular, the blue beret was removed from the clothes of military personnel, replacing it with a similar crimson headdress. The main reason for this transformation is that in Russia the blue beret is an integral part of the uniform of the Airborne Forces.

In turn, in the Republic of Belarus, the uniform of the special forces of the special forces of the Airborne Forces still includes a blue beret, as in Russia.

Clothing option for women

Despite the fact that girls have met in the ranks of the paratroopers before, until recently, service in the Airborne Forces was the privilege of men. So in 2008-2009, “Ryazan Higher Airborne School named after. Margelov” conducted a recruitment of girls to master the profession of a paratrooper officer. Six years later, the school repeated the experiment.

The combat female form of the Airborne Forces is exactly the same as that of men:

several jackets;
suit;
three options for boots;
mittens and gloves;
balaclava;
insulated vest.

Ceremonial female form of the Airborne Forces:

blue jacket;
blue skirt;
White gloves;
white scarf;
black boots.

What is a birch pattern

Camouflage is an obligatory part of the equipment of the military and, in particular, the reconnaissance troops of the Airborne Forces. The range of camouflage suits is wide, which allows you to choose the perfect disguise for any climatic and weather conditions. Despite this, until recently, the birch tree (the official name of KZM-P) was the leader in camouflage clothing.

Initially, birch-pattern camouflage was developed for the border troops, later it was also liked by the intelligence officers of the Airborne Forces.

A camouflage coat with a birch pattern was created in 1957 and was used as part of the summer outfit for border guards and paratroopers. This disguise ideally hid the fighter in deciduous forests and swampy areas. Due to the special pixel pattern, KZM-P is able to scatter the silhouette of a person at short and long distances.

The raster drawing of the birch camouflage suit resembles spots with jagged edges. The large and small design creates an optical illusion of the silhouette melting. The light and dark colors of the camouflage suit suggest its use in the daytime and at night.

Camouflage suits with a birch pattern are presented in the form of a camouflage suit with a voluminous hood, overalls and a jacket with trousers.

Although today birch camouflage does not apply to the authorized form, it is still popular, not only among the military, but also among civilians.

What are the paratroopers' demobilization uniform

The tradition of sewing a demobilization outfit comes from the Soviet Union, when military service was considered honorable. DMB is a kind of confirmation that the soldier served well and is proud of his army uniform. What can we say about the guys who gave their debt to the Motherland in the ranks of the Airborne Forces.

And although, in the early 90s, demobilization preferred to go to the reserve in civilian clothes, today the military has returned to this beautiful custom.

The demobilization uniform of a soldier of the Airborne Forces is prepared on the basis of a field uniform using several rules:

the costume should not be pretentious, overly elegant;
placement of insignia, external chevrons is carried out in accordance with the statutory rules.

For the layout for the costume, an acanthus tunic or “slide” can be used, which is more often chosen by the special forces of the Airborne Forces, trousers, a vest and berets. A mandatory attribute of the finished outfit is a blue beret.

Today it is not at all necessary to sew a demobilization suit on your own, as in online stores they offer to buy ready-made options.

It is an honor to serve in the airborne troops and many guys would like to be in the ranks of the blue berets. But such an honor is not granted to everyone, which does not prevent civilians from trying on the form of a paratrooper.

On sale today there is not only an adult, but also a children's form of the Airborne Forces. Why do civilians at events dedicated to the celebration of victory and other celebrations come out in the form of a VD? Everyone has their own reasons for this. For example, the children's military uniform of the Airborne Forces is popular during the celebration of Victory Day.

On the other hand, as boxer Denis Lebedev explained, in this way, respect for the paratroopers is expressed. It's hard not to agree with the athlete, they really deserve respect.

Video

The unusual nature of airborne operations dictated the development of the necessary specialized equipment, which in turn led to the expansion of the possibilities of military art in general.

The operations of the German paratroopers in World War II presented contradictory requirements for weapons and equipment. On the one hand, paratroopers needed high firepower, which they could demonstrate in battle in order to act decisively and with maximum efficiency, but, on the other hand, the arsenal available to them
was limited by the extremely low carrying capacity of landing equipment - both aircraft, parachutes and gliders.

During the landing operation, the paratrooper jumped from the plane practically unarmed, except for a pistol and additional bandoliers. When the paratroopers were introduced into battle by glider landing, the capacity and aerodynamic characteristics of the Gotha DFS-230 gliders dictated their limitations - the aircraft could accommodate 10 people and 275 kg of equipment.
This contradiction has never been overcome, especially in the part that concerns field artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns. However, German companies with powerful technical resources, such as the Rheinmetall and Krupp concerns, found many innovative solutions to the problems associated with the mobility and shock firepower of parachute units. On the ground, it was often difficult to distinguish the equipment of paratroopers from that adopted in the ground forces of the Wehrmacht, however, specialized weapons did appear, and it not only increased the combat potential of paratroopers, but also influenced the development of military equipment and weapons in the coming half of the 20th century.

Outfit

Protective clothing is very important for someone who is skydiving, and for skydivers it began with high, ankle-covering boots. They had thick rubber soles that were very comfortable, though not suitable for long marches on foot, and provided good traction on the floor inside the aircraft fuselage (as they did not use the large shoe nails commonly found on the kind of shoes supplied to soldiers of other branches of the military). Initially, the lacing was on the sides to avoid snagging with parachute lines, but it was gradually figured out that this was not necessary, and after operations in Crete in 1941, manufacturers began to supply paratroopers with boots with traditional lacing.

Over the combat uniform, the paratroopers wore a waterproof tarpaulin overalls up to the hips. It has undergone various improvements and was designed to provide additional protection against moisture when jumping, and was also more suitable for putting on a suspension system.

Since landing has always been one of the most risky stages of a skydiver's jump, his uniform was supplied with special knee and elbow pads. The trousers of the combat uniform set had small slits on the sides at the level of the knees, into which tarpaulin thickenings lined with vegetable fluff were inserted. Additional protection was given by external "shock absorbers" made of leather-covered porous rubber, which were fixed with straps or ties. (Both the thickenings and the jumpsuit itself were usually disposed of after landing, although the overalls were sometimes left to be worn over it with a harness.) The trousers had a small pocket just above the level of the knees, in which a strop cutter knife, important for the paratrooper, was placed.

Sling cutter Fliegerkappmesser - FKM

1 - Helmet M38
2 - Jumping blouse with a "comminuted" pattern with sleeve insignia
3 - Trousers M-37
4 - Gas mask M-38 in canvas bag
5 - 9 mm MP-40 SMG
6 - Magazine pouches for MP-40 on the belt
7 - Flask
8 - Bread bag M-31
9 - Folding shovel
10 - Binoculars Ziess 6x30
11 - Boots

As the war picked up pace, paratrooper uniforms took on more and more distinctive features of the uniforms of ground forces soldiers. This well-worn soldier, however, still wears his special paratrooper helmet, by which the paratroopers were easily recognized among other German units.

Probably the most important piece of protective equipment. indispensable for both jumping and combat was a specific landing helmet. In general, it was an ordinary helmet of a German infantryman. but without a visor and falling down fields that protected the ears and neck, equipped with a shock-absorbing balaclava and firmly fixing it on the fighter's head with a chin strap.

German airborne helmet

Parachute helmet liner

Scheme of the device of the German landing helmet

Since in most cases paratroopers had to fight for quite a long time without being able to get supplies, the ability to carry a large amount of additional ammunition was considered important for them.

German paratrooper with bandolier

The paratrooper bandolier of a special design had 12 pockets connected in the center with a canvas strap that was thrown over the neck, and the bandolier itself hung over the chest so that the fighter had access to the pockets on both sides. The bandolier allowed the paratrooper to carry about 100 cartridges for the Kag-98k rifle, which should have been enough for him until the next drop of equipment or the arrival of reinforcements. Later in the war, bandoliers appeared with four large pockets, which contained up to four magazines for the FG-42 rifle.

Parachutes

The first parachute that entered service with the German paratroopers was the RZ-1 forced-opening backpack parachute. Commissioned by the Department of Technical Equipment of the Ministry of Aviation in 1937, the RZ-1 had a dome with a diameter of 8.5 m and an area of 56 square meters. meters. When developing this means of landing, the Italian Salvatore model was taken as the basis, in which the strands of the parachute converged at one point and from it were attached to the belt at the waist of the paratrooper with two half rings with a V-shaped braid. An unfortunate consequence of this design was that the parachutist was hanging from the lines in an absurdly inclined position facing the ground - this also led to the technique of making a head-first jump from the aircraft in order to reduce the impact of the jerk when opening the parachute. The design was noticeably inferior to the Irwin parachute, which was used by Allied paratroopers and Luftwaffe pilots and which allowed a person to be in an upright position, being supported by four vertical straps. Among other things, such a parachute could be controlled by pulling up the supporting lines of the suspension system, which made it possible to turn into the wind and control the direction of descent. Unlike the paratroopers of most other countries, the German paratrooper could not have any influence on the behavior of the parachute, since he could not even reach the straps behind him.

Another drawback of the RZ-1 was the four buckles that the paratrooper had to unfasten in order to free himself from the parachute, which, unlike similar Allied products, was not equipped with a quick release system. In practice, this meant that the skydiver was often dragged along the ground by the wind while he made desperate efforts to quickly unfasten the buckles. In such situations, it would be easier to cut the parachute lines. To this end, since 1937, every paratrooper had a "kappmesser" (knife-strop cutter), which was stored in a special pocket of combat uniform trousers. The blade was hidden in the handle and opened by simply turning it down and pressing the latch, after which the blade would fall into place under the influence of gravity. This meant that the knife could be used with one hand, making it an essential item in a paratrooper kit.
The RZ-1 was followed in 1940 by the RZ-16, which featured a slightly improved suspension system and hauling technique. Meanwhile, the RZ-20, which entered service in 1941, remained the main parachute until the end of the war. One of its main advantages was a simpler buckle system, which at the same time was based on the same problematic Salvatore design.

Quick release buckle system on a German parachute RZ20

German parachute RZ-36

Later, another parachute was produced, the RZ-36, which, however, found only limited use during the operation in the Ardennes. The triangular shape of the RZ-36 helped control the "pendulum swing" typical of previous parachutes.
The imperfection of the RZ series parachutes could not but slip into the effectiveness of landing operations carried out with their use, especially with regard to injuries received during landing, as a result of which the number of fighters capable of taking part in hostilities after landing was reduced.

German landing containers

German container for landing equipment

During airborne operations, almost all weapons and supplies were dropped in containers. Prior to Operation Mercury, there were three sizes of containers, with the smaller ones used to transport heavier military supplies, such as, say, ammunition, and the larger ones for larger, but lighter ones. After Crete, these containers were standardized - length 4.6 m, diameter 0.4 m and cargo weight 118 kg. To protect the contents of the container, it had a corrugated iron bottom, which collapsed on impact and acted as a shock absorber. In addition, the loads were laid with rubber or felt, and the containers themselves were supported in a predetermined position by suspension or placed inside other containers.

Dug out of the ground landing containers

A platoon of 43 people needed 14 containers. If there was no need to open the container immediately, it could be carried by the handles (four in total) or rolled on a trolley with rubber wheels that was included with each container. One version was a bomb-shaped container, used for light cargo that was difficult to damage. They were dropped from aircraft like conventional bombs and, although equipped with a drag parachute, did not have a shock absorber system.

German landing equipment container found in the river by black diggers