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BA-22 or BA-25 Parachute from NFAFB


wallaceand
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Anyone know the difference between these two parachutes. They share a lot of the same part numbers, so it's hard to tell the difference. The BA-22 seems to be fairly common, I think it's still being made today or at least sold new. I did find the Automatic Release Log, it's first date I can read is 1968 from NFAFB, Niagara Falls NY. The last date 1974. The outer case is date May 1974. Part# 65K-1533-101 The auto release is a Type F-1B. Found it at a yardsale, no one knew the history. Thanks for any help or a point in the right direction. I'll post some pics as soon as I figure out how to. Thanks

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northcoastaero

The BA-25 uses the same basic harness and ripcord as the BA-22. The BA-25 uses a 74177-30 canopy instead of the standard C-9 canopy. The automatic ripcord release would be the Model 7000 or Model 11000 for the BA-25. The BA-25A would have the addition of an automatic survival kit actuator on the

lower right side for acft. such as the F-5/T-38. It appears that the BA-18 parachute assy. in the photos is a BA-22 modified with the ripcord used on the

BA-18/BA-25. Probably used in the NFAFB C-130A aircraft. The assy. appears to be missing a PCU-10/P Personnel Lowering Device (PLD), which is

incorporated into the back pad and pouch below the left riser release; SDU-5/E strobe light with FG-1B and/or FG-1C? flash guard for the pouch on the right

below the riser release. I would probably use a PLD with white webbing instead of olive drab or sage green. The Parachute Manual Vol. 1 by Dan Poynter is

a great reference book for this subject.

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Thank you Northcoastaero. So basically it's a mix of parts in the BA family. I read up on the NFAFB during the 1960's into the early 70's, they flew the Super Sabre, C-119 and the C-130. I have a pic of the auto release. It's fairly close to a square box, sealed.

 

DSCN0689_zps5fd93755.jpg

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northcoastaero

C-119 application may be possible? If used in the F-100, there would be a MD-1 oxygen bailout bottle assy., CRU-60/P oxygen connector, cloverleaf style ripcord instead of the one shown, and lanyard assy. with lap belt gold key with spring and red snap hook for the ripcord.

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  • 2 weeks later...

BA-xx serie parachutes models are always hard enough to identify and their history is a little confused.

 

For what I know, parachutes from this newly serie was designed for USAF modern jets and ejection seats coming in use 1955. First version of this newly design was the BA-11 (50C7024-11) with only one Capwell canopy release system on the left shoulder. Since 1950, the official designation for all back style parachutes was 50C7024-xx ("xx" being the number of a specific version). Early Korean war era combat pilots parachutes were 50C7024-9 and 10. They had two Capewell releases. Before them, ww2 style parachutes with a chest quick release box were used (B-10, B-10A, B-11 and B-12, not BA-xx!).

 

In the August 1958 USAF guide for personal equipments, the BA-15 (50C7024-15) is mentioned as actual back style parachutes.

 

The later BA-18 may be from the end of the 50s. I believe that it's the first type on wich we see coming back two Capewell releases after BA-11/BA-15 which had only one release on the left shoulder.

 

The BA-22 and later versions (BA-24, BA-25 and others) came in use at the middle of 60s. Each version is made of some changes from another version: canopy, accessories, ... And a particular version could be only designed for use in one type of aircraft.

 

Here's my BA-22 from 1980. It was told to me that only one change made it a BA-24 (the cable outcoming from the right side of the bag that's is an automatic opening device of the individual survival kit after ejection). This model was used by centuries serie fighters at the end of the Vietnam war.

 

Franck (always looking for complete 50/60s pilots back style parachutes! :rolleyes: )

 

ba221980003.jpg

 

ba221980004.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
northcoastaero

Bebel,

 

Your 1980 BA parachute may be for the F-5/T-38 aircraft because of the type of gold key being used on the automatic parachute

opener webbing located at the bottom of the spring assy. The parachute assy. may be a BA-25A.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bebel,

 

Your 1980 BA parachute may be for the F-5/T-38 aircraft because of the type of gold key being used on the automatic parachute

opener webbing located at the bottom of the spring assy. The parachute assy. may be a BA-25A.

 

Yes, T-38 aircraft was the only ejection seat equiped jet using this BA-2x back style parachute still in the 80/90s. This one is equipped for ejection seat attaching. I was picked it up because it was the same of the 60s BA-22 parachute except the model of the metallic clip attached to the orange automatic opener device and the device for attaching to the survival seat kit on the right face of the bag. This last device may have been used since 1970 and the BA-22 assy becoming so a BA-24.

 

Franck

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Checking some docs I could find about USAF BA-xx serie parachutes let me know that it seems not to be any BA-24 version (at least for automatic-opening back style parachutes). Models of this serie were:

- since about 1958, BA-18

- then, about 1967/68, BA-22

- modified BA-22s became BA-25, 27 and 29. I believe that these last versions may have been designed after Vietnam war.

 

Franck

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  • 6 months later...
BlueBookGuy

Hello all,

think it could be interesting to show what modification (so I believe at least) was made to my back parachute I eventually put on display on my RF-101 pilot in VN environment, about 1969.

If out of the correct timeframe... patience :wacko: , the pack is marked 1970 and allowed me to complete a project after almost 5 years since start. The Zero Delay Lanyard isn't the usual one we are used to see on BA-18 or -22, rather the same "gold" ring pulls together a double lanyard/coiled spring.

Most precisely calculated lenght for the second (orange) lanyard with its attached hook for the handle, so that it will pull away the handle even a bit more immediately than would be with the standard system ( this is, hook tied directly to the opening device).

 

this the close up:

 

post-151851-0-62089800-1394310660.jpg

 

 

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BlueBookGuy

This, instead, the Zero Delay Lanyard of my second BA-18 parachute, dated 1963 - I put this on the mannequin of F-104 pilot of Italian Air Force.

The usual way we can normally see for this opening system. The red hook is tied with a very short lanyard, behind the orange or honey-colored "ball".

 

The date 1963 is also the timeframe of the color photo I took as a guide to exactly duplicate that rare, unusual Italian pilot wearing so much US-derived clothing and equipment from late '50s.

But the BA-18 is the most valuable of that equipment. Just two specimens got within 15 years - at least, those years when I was active in collecting.

Hope these pics could be interesting.

Best, Franco.

 

post-151851-0-10835300-1394311545.jpg

 

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  • 5 months later...

WOW! I've been searching high and low for years - I've been restoring a T-33 ejection seat (like the one that saved my life). Where did you find the Zero Delay Lanyard?????

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hello,

on both of my 'chutes the zerodelay lanyards were already in place, certainly since the day they have been assembled.

I'm the first one to admit it's not easy to go across two specimens and both 100% complete, in great condition, and fitted with the mentioned lanyard. Must be said too, almost fifteen years are not a short time even if involving the search for this subvariant of back 'chute.

 

My earlier desire for a complete BA-15 (the one typical of late '50s - very early '60s) that fitted with only one "T"-shaped Capewell clip on the left-side shoulder was, in effect, a too great desire and virtually impossible to fulfill.

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hello,

on both of my 'chutes the zerodelay lanyards were already in place, certainly since the day they have been assembled.

I'm the first one to admit it's not easy to go across two specimens and both 100% complete, in great condition, and fitted with the mentioned lanyard. Must be said too, almost fifteen years are not a short time even if involving the search for this subvariant of back 'chute.

 

My earlier desire for a complete BA-15 (the one typical of late '50s - very early '60s) that fitted with only one "T"-shaped Capewell clip on the left-side shoulder was, in effect, a too great desire and virtually impossible to fulfill.

 

True... Some years I'm looking for one! This is one of some last aviation equipments that I still would like to get.

 

Franck

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  • 10 months later...

Hello all,

 

As I am currently struggling to write the parachute section of Yankee Air Pirates volume 3, I have some questions regarding the BA-18 and BA-22 assemblies, I hope these can be answered here.

 

Here is the basic info I have to differentiate these models:

BA-18: 59K6259 harness/pack assembly, blast handle ripcord (P/N 57B6080-1 or 62C4253) which requires a 57A6082 ripcord grip guide.

BA-22: 65K1533-101 harness/pack assembly, cloverleaf shaped ripcord (P/N 51B7752, the same used on the BA-15)

 

Basically, the harness/pack assemblies, even though they bear different part numbers, look virtually identical. Both parachute assemblies use the C-9 canopy and the F-1B Automatic Ripcord release Class 1 or 2, with or without lanyard attached. When used, the part number for the lanyard is 55C6448 on both parachutes. At least that is what my documentation says.

 

So the only visible difference between the BA-18 and BA-22 should be the ripcord handle, right? Now let's look at pictures:

 

bd_mg_11.jpg

This is a close-up of my BA-18, assembled in 1965 and described as such in its log book. From top to bottom we can see the 57A6082 ripcord grip guide (the silver colored cylinder), the blast handle to which a 59B6223 hook is connected. The hook is part of the 61C4018 lanyard assembly, which was not mentioned in my documents. The red thingy below is generally presented as part of the F-1B automatic release, an contains a cable on a spring-loaded reel.

 

ba-1810.jpg

This is the exact setup worn by these RB-66 crew members.

 

Now let's try to find out how a BA-22 looks like:

bd090210.jpg

I think this RF-101 pilot is wearing a BA-22, with the cloverleaf shaped handle, a 59B6223 hook connected to a red knob which is supposedly part of the F-1B automatic release. A spring hangs from the red knob.

 

This would mean that the BA-18 and BA-22 are differentiated by their ripcord handles, which necessitate different devices at the end of the F-1B cable. Easy!

But then we have this:

 

bd090211.jpg

The photo shows a F-105 pilot circa 1966, and this configuration is seen on 90% of F-100 and F-105 pilots. We have a cloverleaf ripcord handle (meaning BA-22) connected to the red reel thingy (meaning BA-18). So how should we call this assembly? Is it a BA-18 retrofitted to become a BA-22 (there were concerns with the blast handles, and these were removed from service in the 1970s, but the photo is too early). Or is it simply a BA-22 variation with a different F-1B device?

 

To make matters worse, there is this:

 

90th_t10.jpg

This is the 90th TFS fitting room in Vietnam. The left parachute is the same configuration as above, with the red reel container, but on the one on the right the inner cable has been removed and replaced by a spring which is normally used with the red knob. I do not even understand how this setup can work.

 

I do not really understand what these two red devices accomplish? Are they chosen whether there is a seat survival kit or not? Does it have anything to to with the Class 1, 2 or 3 of the F-1B release?

 

Any thoughts welcome!

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BlueBookGuy

hello Beezman,

the setup on parachute at right should be simply a field repair/modification, nothing more. For whatever reason the inner reel device must be broken or similar, so instead of replacing the whole thing they left there the red container even though "useless", but actually still useful in providing a sort of "shoulder" to both the zero-delay lanyard and the auto-opening lanyard (the one contained inside the long, coiled spring).

 

Nothing to do with any given survival kit, nor we can say the two different ripcord handles are responsible for different fittings at the end of the cable. The system wich uses the red knob came in service long before the reel container, actually for the so-called "BA-15" - the widely used back 'chute so often seen in Korea, having two T-shaped "Capewell" fittings.

Well, there are pics around of that very parachute fitted as early as in 1955 with that red/orange knob wich serves in providing attachment point for both lanyards. Now,

1) the long coil spring is exclusively the housing for the coiled fabric lanyard; it keeps the lanyard well contained, lenghtens itself as the lanyards lenghtens too as well, and prevents lanyard from getting entangled with anything.

 

2) the reel container was adopted later (I guess not before 1963-64 at least) and its reeled cable works in place of the fabric lanyard. It should mean not a little if after the '60s this later system was left away, and all BA-18/22/25 came back to the "knob" system. Still today, airmen of those few planes wich command the back 'chutes (T-38, F-5E, B-52H) wear parachutes fitted with the red knob.

Do not know why, I wondered often whether the metal cable might have weakened itself after, virtually, years of staying always in reeled position? I've got two great BA-18s complete in 100%, they both have blast handles and red knobs. Additionally one of them has got an interesting modification wich uses a twi.coiled spring (post #11).

Franco.

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phantomfixer

Very happy to see this thread revisited..... for some reason I have a soft spot in my heart for the BA18/22 parachute.....I walked in to the life support shop at Dover AFB, in 93 and saw racks of parachutes....and my jaw dropped.... a cargo base...there was a reason for the crews to wear or have stored on the C5 parachutes for certain missions...

Thanks for the lesson...

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BlueBookGuy

Forgot adding in post #19,

 

be they the knob-shaped or the reel container type, neither does have to do with the F-1B device in itself. This latter operates on the barostatic/timer principle and the whole working thing is exclusively inside its black metal box, placed in pack's upper left pocket.

All does starts with a strong pull on the safety pins wich hold back flaps securely shut, this pull can be either from the manual handle (blast type, or cloverleaf type) or auto pull from the socalled "golden ring" (attached either to lanyard/coil spring, or to reeled cable). In the latter case simply, internal parts of F-1B device do delay the final pull to the pins, depending on a choice of altitude, timer, or both.

 

But this is all, remaining details like shapes or material of the two different red items are indifferent for that matter.

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Thanks for the input. The red knob is shown in MIL-25565E (dated 13 August 1974) as being part of the F-1B assembly, and I guess the reel container appeared on previous mil-specs. But this changes nothing to the internal functioning of the F-1B indeed.

 

mil-r-10.jpg

 

This document shows the official name for the "golden key", which is the 62A4261 anchor. And we now know what are the differences between the Class 1, 2 and 3 F-1B releases: 57C6109 lanyard, 55C6448 lanyard, and no lanyard, respectively. Does anyone know what these two different lanyards look like?

 

Just to make sure I got everything right, to what does the golden key attach? I guess it attaches to a part of the ejection seat that will pull the F-1B cable upon ejection, thus triggering the delayed deployment of the parachute when the altitude and/or time criteria are met?

I can easily understand how this works with the reeled cable version. However, when I look at the knob setup (I have seen it only on photographs, it doesn't help), I am under the impression that when the golden key is pulled, it will in turn pull the knob (triggerring the F-1B mechanism, which is normal), but it looks like the knob itself will then pull directly on the ripcord handle via the snap hook, and open the parachute immediately, which defeats the F-1B purpose. I guess I am missing something here?

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BlueBookGuy

Yes you're both right, and a bit wrong.

The snap hook should be treated like an item of its own, 'cause its action will be the same whatever red device is fitted. In this sense, nothing to do with what type is used: hook is exclusively part of the "zero delay lanyard" and the pilot will snap it to handle from take-off to 8,000' after wich he MUST absolutely remove it.

Conversely he will re-attach the snaphook coming down through 8,000' level until landing back.

 

The important thing is, in either instance the WHOLE red device (not only the cable itself) will go away when pulled in emergency ejection, and this does apply to both knob and reel container. Should be good for the cable alone be pulled away, ONLY if the snap hook is unclipped, but how in the opposite instance? Since the zero-delay lanyard is (necessarily of course) not tied around the cable itself but around an outside surface, both the knob and the reel box will be forced away carrying with them the zero-lanyard, wich in turn will pull the handle (but this latter, as written, only under certain conditions).

 

The whole ensemble: golden key + auto-lanyard + red knob (or reel box) + opening cable + zero-delay lanyard + snaphook + handle + handle's own cable will fly away being still attached to the primary clipping spot inside the cockpit, wich is the MA-2 automatic seat belt ensemble.

 

(goes on)

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Wow! Now it makes perfect sense! I had no idea the pilot was supposed to remove the snap hook above 8000 feet. Now I understand the "zero-delay layard" concept, which overrides both the F-1 and the manual ripcord when ejection takes place below 8000 ft. Thanks for yoru very clear explanations!

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BlueBookGuy

Glad to be useful!!

Will post some pics of the MA-2 and its particular attachment point for the golden key, meant to be instantly broken by the air-driven device linked to C-2's "inertial-reel".

 

This latter in 0.3 second winds up, and does tension (thus, in a certain sense "shortening") the "inverted Y-shaped" straps system called the "man-seat separator".

This strap assembly (on wich pilot is sitting) instantly will abruptly lift him, but he would be crushed against seat's safety belts should they not made free of floating away, thanks just to the mechanically broken buckle of the MA-2 lap belt.

Franco.

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