Parachutist Badges

[hookahiko]

Does anyone know what level of parachute badge one might realistically expect to see on a Soviet-era Naval Infantry Lieutenant Colonel's uniform? (i.e. 50 jumps? 100 jumps?)

I assume that some officers would qualify, but not go on to a job where they jumped regularly. So it would be plausible to see a basic para badge on a senior officers uniform as well, wouldn't it? (i.e. 5-10 jumps)

Thanks in advance for any input!
JD

[desantnik]

The sky's the limit. Several continued jumping in State-sponsored parachute clubs. Either a 50 or a 100+ is reasonable and statistically accurate.

[CtahhR]

Here's what I picked up on the marketplace here... I'll finally get my hands on it on Tuesday. It's "been through the wars" but I suppose you can't expect things to be thrown out of a plane time after time and be in perfect condition. I may get a jeweller to make a new plane if I ever have any money and something to copy from.

[EricFG]

Nice one, despite the damage.
I notice it's a slight variation from A8.
And a bit suprised the missing plane didn't have a pin soldered on either edge of it's reverse. I guess one long pin had the plane tacked to it somehow and maybe at 20,000 feet, when the cord was pulled the G-force popped the plane off the pin.
Either way, thanks for sharing such a rare item.

[CtahhR]

Would anyone out there have any idea how many of these Badges were handed out? The "instructor" was obviously far fewer in number than the normal paratrooper badge.


Any photographs of a similar variation of badge?

[EricFG]

The page previous, in A8 has numbered badges in the low five figures. Those badges may or may not be for instructors but I'd guess your number might be there or less than that.
I doubt you'll ever find a concrete number.

[desantnik]

Thought I'd revive the thread. Attached are photos of a basic airborne badge awarding document indicating recipient jumped three times, once on 23 JUL 42 for familiarization and twice, two days later "with weapon." All jumps done at 500m altitude and with a "TB-3" parachute while assigned to the 5 Airborne Brigade. According to unit history, the brigade was forming up in the Moscow Military District STAVKA reserves to be thrown into the SEP 43 Kanev Operation south of Kiev, from which "only remnants of the brigade survived."

[CtahhR]

That document is so crude it is on another level! I love it!

[CtahhR]

Not all of the Parachutist Badges made a "drop". Some of them dropped off the production line due to them not passing quality control. Luckily someone had enough ingenuity to save the "duds".

Here's an "Excellent Parachutist" that isn't so excellent.

[CtahhR]

Another example that failed.