RAPA Bad Lippspringer

I did my first freefall course at RAPA in about the mid 70's. Great place. Went on to love skydiving and ran a few schools in New Zealand. Anyone remeber the place

steve jones

Hi Steve,

Did my course a bit earlier than you in the late 60s. Did my 15 jumps, but was not destined to go freefall! Pete Hough, Reme, who was on the same course as me went on to better things. Did you know him?

Bob Ackerman was the Senior Instructor. Bob was well known in the parachuting world and quite a character. I wonder what he is upto nowa days?

Alan

The only thing I remember about Bad Lippspringe is the annual Rheine Army Horse trials

Oh, and having to stand guard over a thunder box that was only to be used by princess Anne.

We always did the Harrier exercises there. Used to watch the parachuting and one day there were two incidents when the main chute had to be ditched and the reserve used. Frightened the life out of me just watching.

Once one bloke landed in the trees and we had to get our liney's ladders to get him down. Coincidence, he was from our Regiment!

Harrier exercises Teabag, we always did them from covert clearings in woods and forests, complete with mobile ski launchers

jim wrote:

Harrier exercises Teabag, we always did them from covert clearings in woods and forests, complete with mobile ski launchers

Never saw any ski launchers in my time. Think that was a later invention for the navy?

I remember the Harriers well. Used to 'hover' over our football/cricket matches just for the hell of it. The noise literally used to force you down. Like no other noise I have heard. Also had parachutists land in football/cricket matches! It was never boring at Lippspringe but it was incredibly cold at times!

alan8376 wrote:

Hi Steve,

Did my course a bit earlier than you in the late 60s. Did my 15 jumps, but was not destined to go freefall! Pete Hough, Reme, who was on the same course as me went on to better things. Did you know him?

Bob Ackerman was the Senior Instructor. Bob was well known in the parachuting world and quite a character. I wonder what he is upto nowa days?

Alan

Pete Hough and i were on the REME Freefall team. the picture below is of my first 8 way over Lippspringe.



I spent many a great weekend at the Dropzone.

great picture Nobby, looking at the gear, wonderhogs and baggy suits, id say what mid '80's. Seeing the golf course down below reminds me of one of my first jumps there, on a round T10, landed quite hard, did a good roll, and my arse landed smack on a golf ball. the entire cheek swelled and turned the most amazing brused yellow and purple. they used to stand me on the bar and make me drop my pants for the amusment of all. now i would look at the photo now and be more interested in the golf course. !!!

Tried to upload some photos taken at Bad Lippspringe in 1985 but despite several attempts I couldn't.
My wife did a one day parachute course there.It was a mixture of British wives , German civvys and some squaddies, two of them didn't turn up.There is also a video somewhere but being next to useless when it comes to computer stuff I haven't a clue how to get anything like that onto the computer..................the call sign on the little plane was G-RAPA ( as far as I can make out).
It was the week before the RASS and they were playing Polo at the far side of the airfield. The fact that there were old gravel pits filled with water didn't bother her , she was terrified of dropping in on the Polo....


Why anybody would willingly jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane is beyond me

your quite right, it was G-RAPA, the plane was a twin engined Brit Norman Islander. a local german pilot also had a small 4 slot plane there, a Dornier, but i cant remeber the model. it was a really slow climb to hight and the guy used to smoke all the time on the way up. you were glad to get out believe me.

Teabag wrote:

jim wrote:

Harrier exercises Teabag, we always did them from covert clearings in woods and forests, complete with mobile ski launchers

Never saw any ski launchers in my time. Think that was a later invention for the navy?

Oh no Teabag, we had them on land as well, they used them in short take off areas when bomb laden.

Rhine Army Parachute Association was still in full go in mid nineties - I did a couple of courses there and supplemented my military parachute quals with some fun ones - good all the way.....

P.S. I tasted 'Red Bull' for the first time there and never have touched the foul stuff since!

This is interesting, Hi Alan 8376,

I knew Bob Ackerman, nice guy and completely off his head !!!! I jumped with him a couple of times in the early seventies. (He taught me).

He was RCT, (I think) got to SM and was busted, more than once.......(or was it just Staff Sarge) difficult to remember after 30 years.

When he finally left the military he opened a parachute school at Thruxton I seem to remember. He left I seem to recall because he had to. Nod Nod wink wink.

Once had wee few too many and jumped out the plane on the WO1 or 2's bike !!!!! And dropped it !!!!! In fact once jumped (after said drammie or two) without a chute at all and had to be caught up and fitted up before a soft land !!!

I would say passed on by now, maybe. Unless anyone knows different.

Aye a character as you say. Hope you pick this up as I see your thread is quite old.

Me? I always found it easier to swim than dive out of a plane. So I went on to deep sea. Now on land in deepest darkest Africa playing on gold mines......what a life.

cheers Davaidh

Dave did you know Barry Jeffrey he lives near me and is into model aircraft building now

Hey there, err no, but I am and always have been bad with names......sorry.

Barry was a rigger and instructor from 7 RHA 1973-76 then returned 1983-87 his BSPC No 1631

Hey, no sorry still don't recall him.

For Dee Z above;  Barry Jeffery was a member of 39 Regt RA (Dempsey Barracks) and had (then in the 70s) German wife locally in Paderborn.  Parachuting was his hobby and he was lent to the Parachute Centre (Seasonally until his value as a rigger and designerwas recognised) was part of the Regt's contribution to Garrison Support.  (The current professional a the Golf Course also came from 39. (I still haven't caught up with Barry)
Alas Joint Service Parachute Centre (Lippspringe)/RAPA is no more, these films from  Youtube may be of interest:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmWDERB9ooQ    RAPA 2018 closed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbIqTf7z-MU            RAPA active