"1940 Fallschirmjäger: organisation and uniforms" Topic

does someone has the 1940 organisation of the Fallschirmjäger; I have seen squas of 8 men up to 12 men.
Same with uniforms; blue, grey or grey/green trousers are mentioned and various colours for tunics/vests.

In 1940 a Fallschirmjager Platoon (Zug) was as follows:

1 x Pl Comd – Oberleutnant/Leutnant (Possibly Feldwebel in 2nd and 3rd Platoons later in war)
1 x Pl Sgt – Feldwebel
2× Messengers (Melder), Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
1 x Radio Operator – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
1× Stretcher Bearer (Krankenträger) – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
1 x 50mm Mortar No 1 – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
1 x 50mm Mortar No 2 – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
3 x Sections (Gruppe) – each:
1× Section Leader (Gruppenführer) – Unteroffizier
1× Deputy Section Leader (Stellvertreter Gruppenführer) – Obergefreiter
1× Machine Gunner (M.G.Schütze 1) – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
1× Assistant Machine Gunner (M.G.Schütze 2) – Jäger/Oberjäger/Gefreiter/Obergefreiter
7× Riflemen (Schützen)

For uniforms, they were wearing the first pattern jump smock which was grey/green and field grey trousers.

Apart from books, a Google search for organisations and uniforms will bring up a lot of sources.

Hope that is a start.

Up to Crete squads were at 12 men. Two wouldn't jump with the squad and be used as reinforcement at the first opportunity.

Thanks for the info

Although people like to paint the camo uniforms, a lot of FJ were in green smocks right to the of the war. As noted, FJ jump trousers were Field Grey.

The Fliegerbluse was standard Luftwaffe blue grey (as was the side cap). Yellow waffenfarbe as they are 'air' troops.

I read in the campaign book for "Chain of Command – Blitzkrieg 1940" that the platoon/squad OB was different.

If exiting a Ju-52 (ie by parachute):

3 x squads were 11 men, 2 x mg-34 teams of 5 men each w/ squad leader.

They also write that at least one operation in Holland had a modified platoon with:

2 x squads w/ 11 as above, but also:

1 x 50mm mortar
1 x PzB 38 AT rifle

If arriving by glider they were 9 man squads as the glider could only carry 9 men.

3 x squads as above, but remove one rifleman from each MG team.

Also:
1 x Pioneer (engineer) squad in 2 x 4 man fireteams.

Thanks for asking this question and all those that responded. I'm putting together a early war German para force and had many of the same questions.

Another small question regarding the colour of the worn helmet; I have seen pictures/drawings/painted examples helmets with dark blue/grey/green, standard fieldgrey, lighter blue or a grey green colour. Maybe the colouring of the pictures but would like any help. Thanks

German helmet colours, every reenactors favourite topic. The short answer is, it depends. There wa tons of variation and even the original specs aren't hugely helpful. I don't think anyone has figured out what colour 'Apfelgrun' was.

I do FJ helmets in a dark blue grey as it looks good and is similar in shade to my repro one. Other colours are available.

I am sorry, but what do you mean by "apfelgrün"; is it mentioned as colour of a FJ helmet? Then your blue helmet is way off!

I ran across this while also looking for FJ paint guides:

link

I think the best course of action is to just paint them the way they look good to you… ;-)

Zephir, thanks