US
and Foreign Parachute Insignia
All of the following are believed to be originals unless specified otherwise. Some of these are also included under the individual countries.
The following abbreviations are used in this section.
B = Basic
S = Senior
M = Master
B&T = Bragg & Turner ID number
C&D = Chute & Dagger ID number
P&T = Pugh & Turner, Russian Airborne, Spetsnaz & Elite Forces,
page & position on page
Abkhazia
Parachutist, Metal
Australia
Parachutist, Army, woven, khaki background (B&T 1713)
Parachutist, Army, Summer, woven, tan background (B&T 198)
Parachutist, Army, subdued, woven, OD background (B&T 199)
Parachutist, Army, khaki background, 1997-current
Parachutist, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, woven on tan background
Parachutist, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, subdued, woven, OD background
Parachutist, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, sewn on twill
Parachutist, SAS, Summer, woven, tan background (B&T 203)
Parachutist, Air Force, Woven, (like B&T 198 or 1713 but blue-grey background)
Parachute Rigger (B&T 1723)
Parachute Rigger, subdued (B&T 1725)
Parachute Jump Instructor (B&T 209)
Parachute Air Dispatch, Royal Australian Corps of Transport (1973-?), woven
Belgium
Parachutist, Army
"A" wing (B&T 450)
Parachutist, Army "A" wing on khaki twill (B&T 2309)
Parachutist, Army "A" wing on khaki twill (B&T 2319)
Parachutist, Army "A" wing, subdued woven
Parachutist, Army "A" wing, subdued, merrowed edge
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "A" wing on felt
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "B" wing on felt (B&T 456)
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "B" wing, vinyl on felt (B&T 457)
Parachute Jump Instructor (B&T 2325)
Para Engineer, beret badge, silver
Para Logistics, beret badge, silver
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta)
Parachutist, metal (B&T 905)
Brazil
Parachutist, cloth (B&T 2450)
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
Parachutist, basic (probably made for foreign troops qualified in Cambodia)
Parachutist, basic, metal (B&T 521)
Parachute Qualification, 1943-1968, Cloth (Canadian Airborne Insignia C-W-1)
Parachutist, Combat, Red Maple Leaf (type IV, 1992-present, , Canadian Airborne Insignia C-W-72, B&T 2078)
Parachutist, red maple leaf, padded (1968 Pattern Type VI, ~ 1990, Canadian Airborne Insignia C-W-20)
Parachutist, white maple leaf, padded (same as C-W-20 but white leaf)
Parachutist, Metal, Red Maple Leaf (1975-present, Canadian Airborne Insignia C-W-57, B&T 801)
Parachutist, Metal, White Maple Leaf (1975-present, Canadian Airborne Insignia C-W-58, B&T 802)
Cameroon
Parachutist, Army, metal (B&T 108, Drago Paris)
Chad
Parachutist, metal (B&T 225, Drago Paris)
Ciskei (former Bantustan in South Africa)
Special Forces Parachutist (full color embroidered)
Special Forces Parachute Jump Instructor (black parachute with single silver blue wing on nutria background)
China, Republic of (Taiwan)
Parachutist, Army, 1948-1954, metal, one post missing off back (78 mm wide, B&T 183)
Parachutist, Army, 1948-1954, metal, (55 mm wide, B&T 1740)
Parachutist, Basic, metal (B&T 188)
Parachutist, current, metal: basic (B&T 188), Master (B&T 186)
Parachutist, current, green cloth: basic (B&T 191), Senior (B&T 190), Master (B&T 191)
Congo
Parachutist, metal (B&T 258, Drago Paris)
Dahomey
Parachutist, metal (B&T 449)
Denmark
Parachutist, Air Force, Mess Dress (Bullion) (B&T 2096)
Parachutist, Army, Mess Dress (Bullion) (B&T 416)
Parachutist, Navy, Mess Dress (Bullion) (B&T 2097)
Equador
Parachutist, Army, Basic, metal (B&T 810/2240)
France
A large number of French airborne unit badges and wings are located on the French page. Click here to go to that page.
Gabon
Parachutist, 1st series, metal (B&T 519, Drago Paris)
Parachutist, 2nd series, metal (B&T 520, Drago Paris)
Para-Commando, metal (B&T 1727, Drago Paris)
Germany, West (FRG) & Unified Germany
Army Parachutist (grey felt), 1966-1983, B, S, M
Army Parachutist (field grey twill), 1966-1983, B, S, M
(numbers in this section are from “German Airborne Insignia: 1956-1992” by Harry Pugh)
Airborne Brigade HQ: 26th (G-C-46), 31st
260th Airborne Medical Company, 26th Airborne Brigade G-C-50
Airborne Battalion: 262nd (G-C-55), 272nd (G-C-70), 273rd (G-C-75, crest only), 274th (G-C-76), 314th,
270th Airborne Mortar Company, 27th Airborne Brigade
274th Airborne Battalion, 27th Airborne Brigade G-C-76
Parachutist patch (reproduction)
Ghana
Parachute Jump Instructor (B&T 266)
Great Britain
All of the following are queen’s crown unless otherwise specified.
Parachutist, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), full size
Parachutist, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), 2/3 size (B&T 936)
Parachutist, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), inactive (B&T 1062)
SAS - Who Dares Wins, cloth (probably reproduction)
SAS –Dagger and Lightning Bolt, cloth (probably reproduction)
SAS - Daggers, cloth (probably reproduction)
Parachute Regiment Cap Badge, metal
Guatemala
Parachutist, basic (B&T 1885)
Indonesia
Parachutist, Basic, National Police, Printed (B&T 1999)
Iran
Master Jumpmaster (B&T 707 – probably copy)
Italy
ID numbers from Pugh & Piotti, Italian Airborne Insignia 1938- Present, Elite Insignia Guide 2
1st Tactical Group, B&T 545, Pugh & Piotti I-C-26
Pioneer Engineer Company, Folgore Parachute Brigade, Type I pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-33
1st Parachute “Tuscania” Battalion, Type III pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-58
3rd Parachute “Poggio Rusco” Battalion, Type I pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-93
9th Parachute Assault “Col. Moschin” Battalion, Type II pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-119
Parachute Platoon, Cadore Alpini Brigade, Type III pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-154
Parachute Platoon, Taurinense Alpini Brigade, Type II pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-165
Parachute Platoon, Tridentina Alpini Brigade, Type II pocket crest, Pugh & Piotti I-C-170
Ivory Coast
Parachutist, basic, metal (B&T 515, Drago Paris)
Korea, Republic of
Parachutist, Basic, Army, subdued, current issue with merrowed border
Kuwait
Parachutist, Army looks very similar to British style
Laos
Parachutist, basic, metal (B&T 493, Drago Paris)
Malagasy Republic
Parachutist, basic, metal (B&T 222)
Mauritania
Parachutist, metal (B&T 940)
Morocco
Parachutist, Basic, 3rd series, metal (B&T
531)
New Zealand
SAS, B&T 1757
Netherlands
Special Forces Beret Badge & Collar Tabs with backings
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "A" wing, on black felt, B&T 1519
Parachutist, Army "A" wing, on brown felt, B&T 434
Parachutist, Army "A" wing with combat jump wreath, on brown felt, B&T 1516
Parachutist, Army "A" wing with combat jump wreath, subdued on olive drab cloth
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "B" wing, on black felt, B&T 433
Parachutist, "B" wing, color on olive drab cloth
Parachutist, Air Force/Navy "B" wing, obsolete 1/2 wing on black felt, B&T 431
Parachutist, Army "B" wing, obsolete 1/2 wing on brown felt, B&T 432
Niger
Parachutist, metal (B&T 1234, Drago Paris)
Norway
Parachutist (B&T 2362)
Panama
Parachutist (B&T 390)
Parachute Instructor (B&T 389)
Philippines
Parachutist, Army, Senior, 1962-current, (B&T 640)
Russia
Airborne Forces (VDV) mid 1990's branch patch embossed on blue (P&T page 36, # 5)
Airborne Forces (VDV) mid 1990's branch patch embossed on black (P&T page 36, # 6)
Airborne Forces (VDV) mid 2000's branch patch embossed on blue (P&T page 37, # 2)
Airborne Forces (VDV) current style branch patch (like P&T page 37, # 1 but no letters)
98th Guards Airborne Division (P&T page 42, # 3)
Ryazan Higher Airborne Officers Academy (P&T page 53, # 8)
Naval Spetsnaz Special Group "Walkina" (P&T page 85, # 9)
FSB Spetznaz Group "Alpha" (P&T page 93, # 6)
Saudi Arabia
Parachutist, Class I, 1980 series, Officer (B&T 2023)
Parachutist, Class I, Officer (similar to B&T 2023 but green disk)
Senegal
Parachutist, basic, silver ‘chute & gold wings, metal (B&T 223)
Parachute Instructor, all gold, metal (B&T 224)
Parachutist, all silver, metal (B&T 2436)
South Africa
Evert = Mike Evert, Parachute Wings and Special Forces Insignia of Southern Africa, 1995
Owen = Colin Owen, Military Badges and Insignia of Southern Africa
Air Supply Instructor, 101st Air Supply Company, 44th Parachute Brigade, printed on Nutria (Evert #85 & Owen C-345)
Air Supply Crew, 101st Air Supply Company, 44th Parachute Brigade, metal
Parachute Air Resupply Crew, printed on Nutria (Owen, C-823)
Spain
Parachutist, 1977 Series, subdued (rubberized cloth) (used)
Parachutist, 1977 Series, metal (made for US soldiers – hallmarked S-38) (variant of B&T 1820)
Parachutist, pre-1977 Series, color, embossed plastic on felt (B&T 302)
Shoulder patch, BRIPAC, Parachute Brigade, subdued (rubberized cloth) (used)
Shoulder patch, BRIPAC, I Battalion "Roger de Flor", subdued (rubberized cloth) (used)
Shoulder patch, BRIPAC, II Battalion "Roger de Lauria", subdued (rubberized cloth) (used)
Parachutist, basic
Taiwan – see China, Republic of
Togo, Republic of
Parachutist, metal (B&T 448, Drago Paris)
US
Air Assault, metal, on original card sealed in plastic
Basic Parachutist, metal, on original card sealed in plastic
Basic Parachutist, Navy/USMC style Gold on Dark Blue Cloth for USN Coveralls
Basic Parachutist, Army/USAF style Silver on Dark Blue Cloth for USN Coveralls
Senior Parachutist, miniature metal, 1/20th silver filled, on original card sealed in plastic
Master Parachutist, miniature metal, on original card sealed in plastic
Basic Parachutist, cloth, unofficial desert black on tan cloth
Basic Parachutist with three combat jumps (stars), cloth
Rigger, subdued patch
Parachutist, Basic + hanger with 1/2 (metal)
Proficient Parachutist (metal, 2 piece with hanger): 10
Parachute Instructor badges (metal, 3 piece with hanger): 100
Parachute Instructor badges (metal, 1 piece with hanger): 100, 200, 300, 400, 500
Airborne (VDV) branch patch
Basic, woven (B&T 272)
Zaire
Parachutist, metal (B&T 259)
Zambia
Special Operations Group (B&T 388)
Unknown
Parachutist (cloth) (might be Japan since it looks similar to the free fall wing)
