Original Item. Only One Available. This is a heavily service-worn original German WWII Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger RZ 20 parachute set, consisting of the camouflage parachute canopy with its original suspension lines, harness assembly, and original canvas carrying bag. The parachute remains packed into the harness assembly and has clearly seen extensive age and use. The harness retains portions of its original data labeling, while the carrying bag preserves period aircraft markings for the Ju 52 and He 111. Several harness straps now suffer from serious dry rot and tearing, so the set should be regarded as a display and study piece and should not be placed under tension or mounted on a mannequin.

The RZ 20 was introduced for Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger use during WWII and became one of the principal German troop parachutes of the period. Surviving original examples are known with camouflage canopies, harness assemblies, canvas transport bags, and markings referring to the Junkers Ju 52 and Heinkel He 111, both aircraft types associated with German airborne operations. A documented surviving RZ 20 set is similarly described with “Heinkel 111” and “Junker 52” stamps on its cover.

The harness assembly retains a now-torn data label, identifying the Anforderz number as Fl. 30272, correct for an RZ20. We can also make out the words Sprungschirm Fallschirmtruppen, or Paratroop parachute.

Additionally, the bag is stamped by the tied strings keeping the canopy inside with Ju 52 and He 111, the two main aircraft used for Paratrooper deployment during WWII. The parachute may have been unpacked and repacked at one point due to the absence of the pull pin. There is a data tag on the harness, reading:

Gurtzeun
Gerat-Nr. : 10-3504 A-1
Anforderzichen:
Werk-Nr.

There are faint stamped numbers on the bottom two lines, but they are too faded to read. The harness shows substantial deterioration from age. Several straps are tearing and have become weakened by dry rot, making them unsuitable for supporting the weight of the assembly. For this reason, the harness should not be installed on a mannequin or suspended in a manner that places tension on the surviving webbing. The damage is structural rather than merely cosmetic.

The original canvas carrying bag is also present and retains its carrying handles and Lift-the-Dot style closures. The bag shows several holes and tears from age and use, while three of the Lift-the-Dot fasteners are now broken. The carry handles are now weak, so please carry the set by the bottom. Despite these losses, the bag remains an important original component of the set and retains the aircraft markings noted above.

The Imperial War Museums preserves an original RZ 20 Fallschirmjäger harness and pack, documenting the type as a dedicated paratrooper parachute assembly used by German airborne personnel. The RZ 20 was part of a specialized airborne equipment system developed around the requirements of rapid deployment from transport aircraft, and surviving examples today are particularly informative because so many individual components were separated, discarded, or deteriorated after the war.

The Fallschirmjäger formed the airborne arm of the Luftwaffe and participated in major parachute and air-landing operations during the early years of WWII. As the war progressed, Fallschirmjäger formations were increasingly employed as conventional ground infantry, but their distinctive airborne equipment remained closely associated with the early operational history of the branch.

This set is especially significant for the survival of the camouflage canopy, original suspension lines, RZ 20 harness, partial Fl. 30272 identification label, Gurtzeug / Gerät-Nr. 10-3504 A-1 tag, Ju 52 / He 111 markings, and original transport bag as a single group. The missing pull pin, torn labels, broken bag fasteners, holes in the canvas, and severe dry rot to portions of the harness are substantial condition issues, but they also clearly document the long service life and subsequent aging of the equipment.