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WWII AAF A-4 Parachute w/ Harness (Auction Find)


John4022
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Hello everyone, I just got a neat piece today that I don't know much about. I'm more of a patch guy so this is completely out of my realm. I cleaned the harness and pack up, I think it was stored away in a barn for a while since it looks like a mouse made a decent size hole on the harnesses reverse and it had a thick layer of dust covering the whole surface.  The bag which I did not photograph has two different names and serial numbers. I havent got around to cleaning it yet so Im excited to research it. Also, the neat thing is when I looked at the inspection log it had multiple entries from the 393rd Bombardment Squadron. I believe they were the squadron that dropped the atom bombs on Japan. 

 

I hope you guys enjoy this and I cant wait for your comments!

-John

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Oops, show you how much I know! I assumed thats how it went because of how the snaps attached.  

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Hello John,

 Great to see you here.

I have to say I know little about chutes as I'm just finally getting the hang of flight gear worn in the 8th AF.

 The little I did see is that the A4 was standardized in December 14th 1944 and was rushed to the 8th AF. But not many photo's show up with this in wear. Shortly after that Irving quick release came about.

 These are something that I will eventually get into and hope to learn something here about them. 

Possibly more info can be shared about this setup and we both can learn something.

 

I'll be following this thread!

That connection to the 393rd Bombardment Squadron sure adds to the attraction of this rig!!

 

That's a nice collection you have going there!!

 

Take care

Semper Fi

Phil

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Thank you Phil! I was thinking about selling it since I'm not big into AAF items but the connection to the 393rd makes it really interesting. Now I'm worried this will spark a new collecting interest that I'll have to afford :o

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I found these stampings on the harness. They are hard to read but I believe the harness was manufactured in November 1944 by the (Standard?) Parachute Corporation.  

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It's a late war rig. Neat. I have one but the pack is for the red group so both have the hooks. What a surprise that would be!

Interested if you sell as I'm sure others would be as well.

Dave

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I had mine on a mannequin with B-3, A-5s, blue bunny, etc. and got an earful about how it was all wrong with that late harness. I was told they are hard to find but I have found the earlier QACs without the bang box are more difficult. Those calling out the rarity might have been referring to WWII QACs in general.

Yours is missing the pad behind the bang box. I picked up an extra box but it didn't have the pad either.

Dave

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Since I haven't gotten into or studied parachutes yet, I have to ask.

What is in the backpack of this set up?

It looks to small to be a parachute.

 

Semper Fi

Phil

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Ok, I saw a chute and harness being discussed on a FB USAAF reenactor page and asked my question there, and I was told its just a cushion, That it contains a course type of hay material..

 So no need to answer this question unless it was an incorrect answer.

 

Take care

Semper Fi

Phil

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pararaftanr2
14 minutes ago, AZPhil said:

Ok, I saw a chute and harness being discussed on a FB USAAF reenactor page and asked my question there, and I was told its just a cushion, That it contains a course type of hay material..

 So no need to answer this question unless it was an incorrect answer.

 

Take care

Semper Fi

Phil

Hi Phil,

American made wartime parachute backpads were filled with foam, or horse hair, depending on the service, but never "hay". Among other things, horse hair was used to stuff couches back in the day.

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Hi Phil,
American made wartime parachute backpads were filled with foam, or horse hair, depending on the service, but never "hay". Among other things, horse hair was used to stuff couches back in the day.
Thanks for the info Phil & pararaftanr2! I know Reinhard Heydrich learned the hard way about car seats filled with horse hair.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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Thank you Paul,

I guess if you never seen older car seats or couche stuffing before, it would look like hay.

The horse hair makes sense with it being used back then.

 Thanks again and Take care of yourself!!

 

Semper Fi

Phil

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If you feel one of those back pads they often feel like they are stuffed with hay. The filling settles at the bottom, they crunch when bent, and feel like hay. Maybe that's how that rumor got started.

Dave

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  • 2 months later...

This is my chute and harness. Don Bull was a B-24 flight engineer who was on a B-24 that ditched in the Pacific. This was the chute he wore after he was recovered.  It has a survival back pad set up and the C-1 raft is attached. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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