USAF 1963 aerial delivery survival sled?

[docthrush]

Found a USAF Survival sled today and trying to find out what color it should be, looks like this one has been repainted several times to include OD orange and blue. Any information on what contents go in it or what parachute was used etc etc would be great as well.

 

Thanks

Doc

[rr01]

They were called "Red Sleds" which should tell you the original color. They usually weighed around 200lbs and contained all sorts of neat stuff or could be tailored by the local life support shop to the aircraft and mission. Usually they had several compressed sleeping bags, rations, one or two large reversible blue/yellow signal tarpaulin and special tent poles. They might also have a survival rifle along with combination saw and snow shovel that attached to a red handle design for either item.

Externally it had straps attached to all four corners that could be used as a pulling harness on the ground. It could be rigged with a cargo chute but could just as easily be dropped to a group on the ground by attaching a chest pack to the two "D" rings that connected the four straps.

Post WWII survival was very creative and resulted in some really interesting stuff. We all remember "Slim" Pickins inventorying his small survival kit in "Dr. Strangelove" the contents of which included a prophylactic which was actually intended for gathering and carrying water. I have never found out how the "mil~spec" testing for that took place.

Essentially

[docthrush]

Thanks for the help!

[docthrush]

Starting to restore this, if anyone has pictures that would be great.