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USN Qas Parachute rig


airborneaviator
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airborneaviator

Yeah I was referring to finding a Navy contract, “appropriate” would be the better term. Did the Navy typically cut off the snap hooks just when using them with seat types or with the Qas system as well? I imagine there’s not a whole lot of great photos of the Qas rig in use. 

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6 hours ago, airborneaviator said:

Yeah I was referring to finding a Navy contract, “appropriate” would be the better term. Did the Navy typically cut off the snap hooks just when using them with seat types or with the Qas system as well? I imagine there’s not a whole lot of great photos of the Qas rig in use. 

 

Construction was identical except contract markings. Webbing with snap hooks was USAAF Only! Navy cases were void of that added feature. 

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airborneaviator

Ahhh ok I get it now. I think it’s time to invest in the books haha. I’ve been focused on the flight suits, helmets, and other flight gear and kinda neglected some of the survival gear. 

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airborneaviator
16 minutes ago, dustin said:

Survival gear is just as integral as flying clothing, issued just the same as standard.

No doubt. I will say that coming from the WW2 USMC collecting world, Naval Aviation is a much more complex and interesting area to collect in. You don’t get nearly as much progression in equipment throughout the war in other areas. 

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airborneaviator
22 minutes ago, jerry_k said:

The best option would be sell chute pack to me  :)!!!!

Or someone sell me a Navy AN-6520 raft 😂

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Just now, airborneaviator said:

Or someone sell me a Navy AN-6520 raft 😂

I sold my navy one years years back...

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pararaftanr2
1 hour ago, airborneaviator said:

Does anybody else have any QAS stuff? It’d be cool to see some of what’s out there. 

Here's one:

 

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BlueBookGuy

I've got one, years ago in great shape, AN- type converted. The harness alone w/o the 'chute pack/raft pack/cushion (Paul's trio of items is something superb) and put it on a complete USN Hellcat pilot character, July - August 1945. The very late timeframe is dictated by a very particular variant of Dye Marker packet being shown on the mannequinn, thus forcing the display (if wishing to be correct, thanx to precious clues from some Forum members) into the closing few weeks of war,

A M-592 back kit is present underneath the harness.

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airborneaviator

That’s some fantastic kit. I like that rigger made seat cushion. The PK-1 raft is also awesome. Is the pack tray NAF made or modified? 

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airborneaviator
13 minutes ago, BlueBookGuy said:

I've got one, years ago in great shape, AN- type converted. The harness alone w/o the 'chute pack/raft pack/cushion (Paul's trio of items is something superb) and put it on a complete USN Hellcat pilot character, July - August 1945. The very late timeframe is dictated by a very particular variant of Dye Marker packet being shown on the mannequinn, thus forcing the display (if wishing to be correct, thanx to precious clues from some Forum members) into the closing few weeks of war,

A M-592 back kit is present underneath the harness.

Dye markers have been nearly impossible to find for me. I managed to pick up one early type but I really need two since I’m going for a Marianas time frame pilot. I never thought I would find the Qas chute before I found another dye marker 😂

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airborneaviator

So even though That harness is converted from an AN type can you assume that since it has the winged snap hooks on the risers it’s a later conversion? Earlier in the thread August 1944 was referenced for the TO on winged snap hooks. 

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BlueBookGuy

yes, even though barely visible under one of the two dye markers (a third packet is the black Shark Chaser). The particular packet hiding the lobe is what pushes the whole pilot to very very latewar period.

Of course the rear snaphooks with their 'winglets' (as seen in the above photos), being correct for a specimen that is shown almost one year after the winglets are first mentioned in technical documentation.

 

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BlueBookGuy

Photos of airmen wearing this exact kind of QAS harness in the last weeks of war do exist. I called it converted, maybe it isn't this, I looked at it being not an incongruence for a correct display.

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airborneaviator

Seems like it would definitely be correct. It’s interesting that they were still converting harnesses into the late war, though I guess they probably kept at it until the end. I really dig the late war setups. The nylon flights suits and helmets are especially cool.

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55 minutes ago, BlueBookGuy said:

here some views of mine

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Nice chute Franco but you didn't mentioned that this is example from Josh Rigger Depot ;) Most of his chutes are so perfect! 

 

Here is my NAVY type QAS harness on my late war impression.

 

Regards,

Jerry

 

 

image.png

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40 minutes ago, airborneaviator said:

Seems like it would definitely be correct. It’s interesting that they were still converting harnesses into the late war, though I guess they probably kept at it until the end. I really dig the late war setups. The nylon flights suits and helmets are especially cool.

 

There were a two versions of QAS harness - Navy type and AN type. First examples were converted from seat type chute both from NAVY and AN type - no "wings" back hooks, no "O" lobe chest hook, with or without extra "V" rigger tacked rings for parachute pack chest straps. But mostly late war examples with "wings" back hooks and "O" lobe chest hook were factory made still in the same style NAVY and AN type. I guess Naval Air Station or commercial factory used an "old" stock for made new harness.  So I would not called Franco AN type of QAS a "converted" but just factory made AN QAS type of harness. Converted early QAS are different kind of story as was mentioned a few post before...

 

Take care,

Jerry

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pararaftanr2
1 hour ago, airborneaviator said:

That’s some fantastic kit. I like that rigger made seat cushion. The PK-1 raft is also awesome. Is the pack tray NAF made or modified? 

Actually, it is a waterproof cover for the standard seat cushion, made from the treated sea-blue canvas used by the Navy for canopy and engine covers. In effect, it would protect the QAS / raft / cushion combination from the elements while in the cockpit and the number painted on it, "42", would correspond with the number on the aircraft fuselage or tail. It is tacked to the seat cushion in several locations.

 

The pack tray is to the Navy design and is by Switlik. Pioneer and the Naval Aircraft Factory made them as well. The data plate is well worn and barely readable after seeing time in the cockpit, but the third image shows what it does says:

20210618_152523.jpg

20210618_153022.jpg

Switlik.jpg

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airborneaviator
3 hours ago, jerry_k said:

 

There were a two versions of QAS harness - Navy type and AN type. First examples were converted from seat type chute both from NAVY and AN type - no "wings" back hooks, no "O" lobe chest hook, with or without extra "V" rigger tacked rings for parachute pack chest straps. But mostly late war examples with "wings" back hooks and "O" lobe chest hook were factory made still in the same style NAVY and AN type. I guess Naval Air Station or commercial factory used an "old" stock for made new harness.  So I would not called Franco AN type of QAS a "converted" but just factory made AN QAS type of harness. Converted early QAS are different kind of story as was mentioned a few post before...

 

Take care,

Jerry

Ahhh ok that makes more sense than a conversion. That was curious for me because I guess I’ve always associated the winged snap hooks with the NAF style harness. Thanks for the info

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airborneaviator
3 hours ago, pararaftanr2 said:

Actually, it is a waterproof cover for the standard seat cushion, made from the treated sea-blue canvas used by the Navy for canopy and engine covers. In effect, it would protect the QAS / raft / cushion combination from the elements while in the cockpit and the number painted on it, "42", would correspond with the number on the aircraft fuselage or tail. It is tacked to the seat cushion in several locations.

 

The pack tray is to the Navy design and is by Switlik. Pioneer and the Naval Aircraft Factory made them as well. The data plate is well worn and barely readable after seeing time in the cockpit, but the third image shows what it does says:

20210618_152523.jpg

20210618_153022.jpg

Switlik.jpg

That’s such a great setup. Looks like it got pulled right out of the cockpit. 

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airborneaviator
3 hours ago, jerry_k said:

Nice chute Franco but you didn't mentioned that this is example from Josh Rigger Depot ;) Most of his chutes are so perfect! 

 

Here is my NAVY type QAS harness on my late war impression.

 

Regards,

Jerry

 

 

image.png

We’ve got a pretty solid 1945 trend going here. Hard to argue with it though, all of these kits are fantastic. At some point I’ll have to get into the late war game

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