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Dummies from the sky
- Thread starter sksvlad
- Start date
Good information in this archived website that debunks some of the misinformation about Ruperts, Oscars, and other drop dummies including the props designed for the Longest Day film.
https://web.archive.org/web/2009030...t/~1.elliott/paratrooperdummyhistorysite.html
https://web.archive.org/web/2009030...t/~1.elliott/paratrooperdummyhistorysite.html
In sksvlad's link it says that all simulated firing after the drop was provided by the few accompanying SAS soldiers, who moved rapidly around the area firing as they went.
This is not altogether true.
We had Simulators airborne, rifle fire, machine gun fire and mortar fire.
These were attached to the dummies and were operated partly by the static line attached to the aircraft and partly by the weight of the dummy pulling out pins sequentially, on the simulator concerned. Part of the firing sequence was that a hammer struck the acid ampoule on the time pencil immediately after leaving the aircraft.
All were fitted with the 10 minute, Switch No 10 Time Pencil which ignited varying lengths of safety fuze, which were fitted to Detonators No 27.
The rifle fire gave individual explosions, but at different frequencies and the machine gun fire gave bursts of varying numbers of reports at varying intervals. The mortar fire was fitted with louder sound units which also gave explosions at varying intervals.
I destroyed a lot of these in 1959, either because they were life expired or due to obsolescence/obsolete.
This is not altogether true.
We had Simulators airborne, rifle fire, machine gun fire and mortar fire.
These were attached to the dummies and were operated partly by the static line attached to the aircraft and partly by the weight of the dummy pulling out pins sequentially, on the simulator concerned. Part of the firing sequence was that a hammer struck the acid ampoule on the time pencil immediately after leaving the aircraft.
All were fitted with the 10 minute, Switch No 10 Time Pencil which ignited varying lengths of safety fuze, which were fitted to Detonators No 27.
The rifle fire gave individual explosions, but at different frequencies and the machine gun fire gave bursts of varying numbers of reports at varying intervals. The mortar fire was fitted with louder sound units which also gave explosions at varying intervals.
I destroyed a lot of these in 1959, either because they were life expired or due to obsolescence/obsolete.
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