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The T5 Main and Reserve Parachutes as used by the Airborne in WWII


Bob Carter
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WWII Parachutist

Awesome chutes Bob! Is that a National Automotive Fibers Inc. T-5 reserve I spy there mounted on that last rig?

 

Most of my chutes are stored at a separate location but I'll see if I have a T-5 handy to add to the thread.

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Good eye on the reserve, an RS marked NAFI which I'll add later - next up on the mains is my favorite, A complete Hayes T5 modified main and reserve market to the 501st PIR for Market Garden.

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Of special interest on the reserve is this stitch and seal done after the original packing

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And as long as you have all that you need the ID'd 501st parachute bag to keep it all in !

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Geronimo marking not the clearest but it is what it is and the name and ASN on the top of the bag confirms 501st PIR

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That's it on my T5 Mains, I'll dig out some reserves and maybe some chutes (because they're easy to photograph) next week - till then I'll tease you with this label that a paratrooper cut from his reserve - and again I'd like to see what else is out there so please dig it out and share.

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WWII Parachutist

Here is one of my T-5 Harnesses. This one is in near mint condition, never having the canvas chest guards tacked down nor the griswold V-ring added. Second pattern double reinforced, National Automotive Fibres, February 18, 1944.

 

This assembly is unusual in that it has brown/khaki canvas on the saddle and chest guards. NAFI usually dyed their duck cloth a distinct olive green color, in a near OD7 shade. By the end of 1944 NAFI had at least one subcontractor producing small sub-assemblies, and I believe these to be produced by them.

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Geronimo marking not the clearest but it is what it is and the name and ASN on the top of the bag confirms 501st PIR

Bob,

To quote you, "Extremely rare and virtually non-exisitant"

 

Neal Perry

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WWII Parachutist

Modification to harness

Bob, do you know the dates stamped on the harness and pack? And correct me if I'm wrong, but that's is a late 43' NAFI harness, converted and subsequently mounted on the Hayes pack tray?

 

Hopefully we can get some others to chime in with their rigs!

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Here's the inspectors mark on the bottom of the harness - I'll take a better look but this is all I remember seeing

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The harness appears to have been mated to the packtray originally , as far as I can tell - do you see anything I'm missing or by assembly technique do you think this is a NAFI harness ?

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  • 1 month later...

As suggested by another member, I am adding some photo's of my T-5 here. Unfortunately my knowledge of these is very limited to pass on any valuable information, but here are a heap of photos described as best I can!

To quote another helpful member it is 'a late 43' NAFI rig - double reinforced harness, OD green pack, and camo canopy' and from the basic log papers found in the inspection log pocket, it looks like it was at least used by someone in the 503rd 1st Battalion during WWII dropping in on Kamiri Airfield on the 3rd or 4th July, 1944

Cheers

Paul

 

Log notes:

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