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Life Rafts


dustin
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I am in the process of compiling data on both Army & Navy WWII A/N series life rafts. I want to ask the assistance of the forum to post theirs...any help appreciated. Any rafts and/or cases marked M-524, AN-R-2, AN-R-2A, AN-R-2B AND AN6520-1.

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Thanks...but I am wanting see physical examples beyond that publication and any other published material. I have a complete list of contracts and purchase orders and am trying to make notes on each as to markings, modifications etc..<br />I already have a few to reference:)

post-56-0-78772600-1382232295.jpg

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post-6413-0-54080700-1382679697.jpg

 

 

post-6413-0-38064300-1382679706.jpg

 

 

 

This is not exactly what you asked for but still interesting. Appears to be an RAF K Dingy case marked for AAF service. No raft but had most of the original K Dingy accessories with it...

 

 

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Very Nice! thanks for the addition. The Type K is really neat. The AAF AN series rafts did not reach the ETO in quantity until late 1943, the Type K was the prominent one man raft utilized by the USAAF.

Your AN series raft is part of the last round of contracts by the AAF in late 1943. In march 1944 the contracts that were awarded were all change ordered to switch to the manufacture of the C-2 raft making for the same contract on both specifications.

This is a C-2 raft that shares the same contract as per change order.

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  • 4 months later...
BlueBookGuy

Hi Dustin,

could it be useful posting some pics of my two C-2s? Only those, do not have any of true AN-R-2 series nor I'm planning to obtain - would be nice but my collecting was completed with the pilots themselves.

Franco.

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Nice addition Franco, here is something I don't think very many people know about. As per tech order for packing and inspection of the C-2 raft the clip for attachment to life vest has a pocket on the end. If you will note there is a male snap on one edge near clip for attachment to parachute harness. The pocket on life vest clip slips over that parachute clip and snaps to male stud on case. This is done for storage purposes and a location so the user can easily find the lanyard.

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  • 6 months later...

Hi Dustin,

 

Here markings on my AN-6520-1 pack recently bought.

 

Life Raft 858

AN 6520-1

KASTAR INC.

CONTR - ..535..43 23471 AF

DATE OF MANUFACTURE : FEB 1944

DATE OF INSPECTION : ... 1945

INSPECTED :

 

post-120900-0-85869000-1412668581.jpg

 

Thanks,

 

Mathieu

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Thanks Mathieu,

The snaps are indeed cut off however I would no worry about that. In the late tech order for the packing inspection and maintenance it states that the snaps are to be cut off when used with the seat type parachute making this an acceptable war time modification. The only down side is it can only be used in conjunction with a seat type in a display.

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Hi,

 

I received the pack. The pack had originally the 2 snaps sewn. This is not a modification made later in the war to use it with a B-8 parachute or an A-3 harness. I am agree with Dustin that two snaps were cut off when the pack was used with a seat parachute.
I am looking for wartime photos showing this pack with a seat parachute. Pilots from 56th, 78th and 362nd FG were equipped with RAF dinghy packs Type A or B.

 

Thanks,

 

Mathieu

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