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Help identifying 1989 parachute and related gear


gbundersea
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Recently, a former Navy rescue swimmer sold off some old surplus stuff he had lying around. Among it was a parachute of some kind. I have researched it to the extent I can, and the only thing I’m fairly sure about is that the canopy itself is 28’ in diameter and referred to as a C9 canopy. Apparently it’s common. Other than that though, I came up blank.
The shroud lines terminate in a rectangular “rigging line tray”, with 2 threaded studs protruding from its heavy bottom. Also, attached to the top of the canopy is a 1.5 meter ribbon parachute, like a pilot chute or drogue. In addition, accompanying all this is a long bag, with a very sturdy ring at one end and flaps designed to open very quickly. I'm fairly certain it's a deployment bag of some kind.
I’m thinking that this is either a drogue chute for an aircraft or a chute system designed for cargo drops.
Online, I looked up every number/description I could find on the gear, searched all related terms I could think of, etc. and came up blank. I even showed everything to a longtime USAF veteran friend, but he said parachutes aren't his area of expertise, and had no idea of its identity.

Below is one picture giving an overall view of the chute.

 

I put detailed pictures of everything into this Flicker photo gallery. If anyone can give me some expert guidance on exactly what this is, it would be much appreciated!

 

post-157842-0-12421100-1425688858.jpg

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phantomfixer

If I recall the C-9 is also used in the BA18/22 series parachutes...the "threaded studded rigging tray line is not used on the BA-18/22...more like a stuff sack...so can't help with you with this C-9s use ...the heavy shroud lines seem to indicate a cargo or equipment use......

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE: I did some additional investigation, and found the manufacturer label on the main chute. See it in the updated photo gallery. Turns out this chute is NOT a C9, as mine is 6.2M (20') in diameter and has only 20 gores.

 

After using a bit more Google-fu, I now believe this is a chute from an SJU-17 (NACES) ejection seat. This technical page about the seat has the following desciption of the chute:

The parachute assembly (fig. 5-27) comprises a 6.2m (20-foot) GQ type 2000 personnel parachute packed, together with a ribbon drogue, into a rigid container and connected to the parachute risers.

 

This exactly matches what I have. This seat was/is used in the F-14, F-18, and T-45.

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