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1975 dated uncut MC1-B parachute complete, packed.


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Picked this up at an airborne related auction. WW2 dated chutes went for a thousand plus/ minus, this one is dated 1975 and went cheap with one bidder, me. I used this type in the 70's with the 82nd so it had special meaning, being uncut , complete and packed...I unpacked it, step by step and plan to display it " inflated " with a paratrooper dummy at hangar shows I exhibit with....it will be about 30 ft diameter, about 35 ft tall ( from apex to harness) plus another 6 ft with the dummy attached. Very interesting job unpacking it all....post-180924-0-47270000-1565569774.jpeg

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Out of curiosity what are full rig parachutes worth? I found a1975 or 76) post Vietnam era one and gave no clue on prices

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Interesting to note, MC1B descent rate is 22-25 ft per second, about 17 mph....no longer used...the latest chutes are squarish in shape with a 10 ft per second descent rate....official reason for the changes, reduces injuries, but the simple math tells me the new chutes make for a much easier target....considering our combat jumps are at 800 ft ( training is 1200 ft), with 400 ft max required for full chute deployment, that leaves 400 ft to descend inflated at 25 ft per second ( 16 seconds in air) with the old MC1-B, with the new style at 10 ft per second, that means 40 seconds in the air, hmmmm.....

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Out of curiosity what are full rig parachutes worth? I found a1975 or 76) post Vietnam era one and gave no clue on prices

Good question. First, I shopped around for years and all that was available were ones with the suspension lines cut, and no harnesses. Manufacture states they have a 10-12 year life. When I saw this I was taking a chance thinking it was in some way cut or " demilled", it was not. I have seen T10 reserves packed in the box for $175-$250....so I was pleased to have paid $180 for a complete MC1-B...I have my old 70's jump helmet, Alice pack and BDUs in hand for the dummy paratrooper...the trick now is to be able to suspend it inflated from the 90 ft tall hangar hoist....I figure from Apex to dummy boots will be about 40 ft.

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Sounds like a cool idea. A buddy has a chute hung in his hangar. I have some WWII chutes but can't risk the potential damage displaying one in mine... unless someone wants to add climate control for me. I guess "softer" has reached the military as well? Are drill sgts allowed to curse anymore?

Dave

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Fascinating .mil article on the use of parachutes in the Airborne...reading the comments very interesting. I never knew ( or cared) about the amount of injuries with the MC1 parachute or why we used them on some jumps and others the T10, ( 1977-80). I do remember we had 20 some deaths one year during my duty, it appears the MC1 was found not suitable for mass tactical drops, nor was the MC6.

http://soldiersystems.net/2014/12/31/the-t-10-parachute-transitions-into-retirement/

 

Can any others jumpers help unfog my mind as I remember the " dial of death" harness, I remember using it but can not find any info when it was phased out.

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The rest of the story, unbeknownst to us in the 82nd in 78-80, the MC1 " replacement " of the T10 was a disaster. I found this .mil article answering my questions. The entanglements and stealing of air incidents I experienced was " not the norm" when using the T10. The MC1 was abandoned for mass tac drops shortly after I seperated.

https://www.army.mil/article/181581/rule_no_1post-180924-0-46735200-1566088029_thumb.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting closer to the Veterans Day celebration, started working on getting the chute displayed.Not perfect, but time and money play a part for just one event. ...next step, the para dummy.....I plan to use my old BDU, jump helmet, and Alice pack for the dummy.post-180924-0-82283900-1567895225_thumb.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, the BDU's did not work out for the dummy. Instead, a pair of OD one piece coveralls was used for strength and ease. Top of chute from Apex to boots should be about 40 feet, dummy feet to be about 30-40 ft off the ground. Inaccuracies in uniform and fake reserve should not be noticed at that height.post-180924-0-84473100-1568931444_thumb.jpeg

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