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Parachute B8 from Germany - 1944


Mike Musura
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Mike Musura
Hello,
I recently buy this parachute B8 made by The Hayes Manufacturing Corp on June 1944.
This cover was found in an attic in Germany few years ago. There is not the parachute neither the harness but I think that is a beautiful relic.
There is two rips that I think they have been repaired during the WWII.
What do you think about the add of the pression Lift the Dot ? Is it a rigger modification at the unit base ?
There is also something stenciled "To be used at ..." what do you think about that ?
The cover seems to be rubberized and sticky.
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WWII Parachutist

This is from an experimental batch of parachute packs made with treated cotton duck. They made it through preliminary tests to service testing, but then were removed from service. Although they were both waterproof and naturally flame retardant, in extreme cold (ie high altitude) the canvas became very stiff and delayed the opening of a parachute. Stitching doesn't hold as well either, which is problematic as parachutes are packed very tightly under high tension.

 

The packs were removed from service in 1945 and replaced by the traditional canvas packs. The packs were then condemned for use, which is most likely why you have just the pack, as the harness and canopy were still airworthy and continued in service. You will also find A-3 chest packs with a similar material as well.

 

That stencil might say "Not to be used at high altitude" or something like that. Personally the extra LTD snaps don't look rigger applied to me, but without more information it is hard to say for sure.

 

Joshua DeJong

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Mike Musura

This is from an experimental batch of parachute packs made with treated cotton duck. They made it through preliminary tests to service testing, but then were removed from service. Although they were both waterproof and naturally flame retardant, in extreme cold (ie high altitude) the canvas became very stiff and delayed the opening of a parachute. Stitching doesn't hold as well either, which is problematic as parachutes are packed very tightly under high tension.

 

The packs were removed from service in 1945 and replaced by the traditional canvas packs. The packs were then condemned for use, which is most likely why you have just the pack, as the harness and canopy were still airworthy and continued in service. You will also find A-3 chest packs with a similar material as well.

 

That stencil might say "Not to be used at high altitude" or something like that. Personally the extra LTD snaps don't look rigger applied to me, but without more information it is hard to say for sure.

 

Joshua DeJong

 

Hello Joshua,

 

Thank you very much for all these precisions.

What do you mean about "experimental" ? Are these packs were used in the ETO by some fighter pilots before they used other parachutes or they have never been used at all ?

 

Are these packs are most rare than others ? And what about this manufacturer ?

On the back of the pack, I have never seen the lift the dot pression on parachute B8. Is it a specialty of this manufacturer or a rigger modification ?

 

About the stencil, I think you are right. I can read the letter "T" before "TO USED AT" so maybe "NOT TO BE USED AT" and after "ALTITUDE ............ BAG IT" (or something like that)

 

It is me who had sent you an email few days ago concerning the price for an harness in order to complete this pack :)

 

Thanks again

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WWII Parachutist

 

Hello Joshua,

 

Thank you very much for all these precisions.

What do you mean about "experimental" ? Are these packs were used in the ETO by some fighter pilots before they used other parachutes or they have never been used at all ?

 

Are these packs are most rare than others ? And what about this manufacturer ?

On the back of the pack, I have never seen the lift the dot pression on parachute B8. Is it a specialty of this manufacturer or a rigger modification ?

 

About the stencil, I think you are right. I can read the letter "T" before "TO USED AT" so maybe "NOT TO BE USED AT" and after "ALTITUDE ............ BAG IT" (or something like that)

 

It is me who had sent you an email few days ago concerning the price for an harness in order to complete this pack :)

 

Thanks again

 

These were experimental in this sense: they passed initial tests in the US, and were forwarded to overseas units for service testing (more realistic testing). That is often where many problems come to light, just like with the ill-fated AN-6514 parachute that was also canceled after service testing. At that point, several of the mentioned problems came to light. So yes, they did see actual use.

 

They are much less common, and I suppose could be termed "rare" but that is very subjective. Hayes is a very common manufacturer of a variety of parachutes, although these are known to have been made by several companies.

 

The lift the dot snaps are not at all typical of the packs. They were not manufactured this way, nor is there any technical order that orders them to be converted like that that. It is possible it was converted by a rigger. However, these were considered condemned property and removed from service, so I suspect it may have been converted after that for some other purpose. It could have also been used postwar by another country, as those repairs don't look typical of US rigger repairs.

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Mike Musura

 

These were experimental in this sense: they passed initial tests in the US, and were forwarded to overseas units for service testing (more realistic testing). That is often where many problems come to light, just like with the ill-fated AN-6514 parachute that was also canceled after service testing. At that point, several of the mentioned problems came to light. So yes, they did see actual use.

 

They are much less common, and I suppose could be termed "rare" but that is very subjective. Hayes is a very common manufacturer of a variety of parachutes, although these are known to have been made by several companies.

 

The lift the dot snaps are not at all typical of the packs. They were not manufactured this way, nor is there any technical order that orders them to be converted like that that. It is possible it was converted by a rigger. However, these were considered condemned property and removed from service, so I suspect it may have been converted after that for some other purpose. It could have also been used postwar by another country, as those repairs don't look typical of US rigger repairs.

 

Joshua,

 

Thanks a lot for all these informations ;)

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