A question about the parachute harnesses

Willi Von Klugerman · 27 November 2009, 05:16 PM

I noticed in photos that there are some German pilots wearing parachute harnesses.The thing that bugs me is that some of them aren't even flying with a parachute.So why do they wear the harness if their not even using a chute?

FOKKERJ · 27 November 2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willi Von Klugerman

I noticed in photos that there are some German pilots wearing parachute harnesses.The thing that bugs me is that some of them aren't even flying with a parachute.So why do they wear the harness if their not even using a chute?

Hello Herr Willi,

I don't have a clue

.... Just maybe it's because the harness is just a harness and the parachute attatches to it, so that they don't have to run around with the big load hangin' off of their britches(?). Just a guess.
Some of them look pretty cumbersome.

One foto of a British contraption looked like it was stuffed in a separate compartment of the fuselage.

Cheers, FOKKERJ

P.S. My dog Max wrote the following as he really likes to help me.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

John McKenzie · 28 November 2009, 12:11 AM

Hi Willi , The parachute pack is seperare , and is only fitted ( with spring clips ) to the harness by the mechanic , when the pilot is already (standing ) in the cockpit , just befor he is getting ready to fly . Merry Christmas John

Pack is about .5Metre Sq, and appx 100/125mm thick

tengew · 28 November 2009, 12:49 AM

didn't the parachute dubble as the seat cushion

John McKenzie · 28 November 2009, 01:27 AM

Hellow Roger , but of course it also has to be the cushon , there is no other space to store it without the aircraft cockpit layout needs to be redesigned . Seat only has to be lowered a little bit .
Parschute may be attached with the long lines before getting in , but pilot must stand up for allow it to fit under him befor he sit down .
There are different variations of the Heinecke harness ( and the actual parachute and pack itself and its static line .) , and also the material ( sometime used a material part derived from a paper type ) from which the harness was made has changed also , due to some some failures of the straps part .Strap type /position also change .This is a research project in itself . It save the life of many pilots in last few monts of the world war .

JM

tengew · 28 November 2009, 01:34 AM

i'm more familiar with modern military parachutes ...or at least from the 80's
i repaired marten/baker gru7 on A-6 Intruders . those are packed in the backrest of the seat

Willi Von Klugerman · 28 November 2009, 11:01 AM

I already know that the parachutes are seperate

But the thing is that I seen a couple photos with MVR wearing a harness but I've never heard of him carrying a chute.

FOKKERJ · 28 November 2009, 12:43 PM

Of course you would not have seen him packing his chute around....
He had PEOPLE!

Dan_San_Abbott · 29 November 2009, 11:39 AM

Gentlemen:
The Heinecke Fallschirm (Parachute) was in two versions, early and late. In both cases the shape canopy form a shallow inverted bowl. The early type had twenty gores (pie shape wedges) conisting of three panels. The length of the panel was 13'4". the base of the panel was 39" The circumference of the canopy was 63'4", the diameter was 20.2'. There was twenty suspension lines. The Canopy fabric was mercerized silk the reinforcng tapes and lines were silk also. The twenty suspension lines terminated on to two steel ring with ten lines on each ring. Also attached to each steel was a length of heavy silk rope risers, 18 " and from the opposite end is a snap hook which attaches to the ring on the front of the harness.
The later design was also shaped, with twenty gores, and the gores were made up of four panels. It was also made of mercerized silk with silk lines anf tapes. Both the early and later harnesses was hemp webbing.
The canopy was packed in a cotton canvas bag, coming out of the bottom of the bag are the two rope risers with the snap hooks. On the top of the bag is a static line about 15' long, with a snap hook on te end which is attached to some structural member in the cockpit.
The bag is set on the seat and becomes the seat cushion. When the pilot gets in the cockpit the mechanic snaps the hooks on the rope riser to the rings on the front of the harness.
When the emergency arises the pilot exits the cockpit taking the bag with him. When the static line is stretched the bag is opened and the canopy is deployed lines first, then the canopy, the light breakcord which ties the vent lines to the top inside of the bag is broken. the piot is now freen of the aircraft and the canopy inflates. This set of events take about 2 to 3 seconds and the pilot is suspended under an open canopy and floats to the ground. There is a center line thhat runs fron the vent lines down the inside of the canopy to one of the suspensions rings. When thew pilot lands, he pulls on the center line which collapses the canopy.
It was a rather advanced design for the time. Structually is was weak and marginal for use in an aircraft.
But it was helluva lot better than the alternative.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

errolmartyn · 29 November 2009, 12:50 PM

Does anyone have a date for when parachutes were first issued to German front line squadrons?

Errol