Spring loaded flare parachute? Any idea what for

[Rrickoshae]

Good morning, anyone any idea what this parachute was used with? Unusually it is spring loaded, is 28 inches in diameter and is marked I.A.C - 37

many thanks, Dave

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I don't know exactly what for but please read on. The diameter is larger than that for the 2 Inch Mortar Illum (that was 22 Inches and the 1960s version was made of cotton), so I guess that it is for a payload slightly heavier and your parachute is well constructed. The addition of the spring is probably to provide for consistent and virtually instantaneous speed of deployment. Is it made of cotton or nylon, as nylon would indicate more modern manufacture? The reserve parachutes I jumped with in the 1980s were fitted with a spring in the drogue chute, and this was to enable the most rapid deployment of the reserve, if it were needed. Perhaps yours is a drogue chute, one that facilitates the deployment of a much larger parachute.

 

[HAZORD]

I had a parachute like that when I was a kid. I was told it was the pilot chute for pulling out the main Pilot's parachute. My Uncle was a B24 Pilot, and it was supposed to be from his chute.

 

[reccetrooper]

IAC = Irvin Air Chutes, the company changed name in 1970 to Irvin Industries, and has changed several times since.

You could send an email to Irvin-GQ and ask if they can identify it for you. sales@irvingq.com

 

[Rrickoshae]

Thanks am more happy, hazard & reccetrooper, that would make sense and as you all seem to be of the same mind, I don’t doubt you’re right. Hope you never had to use the reserve chutes!

Dave

 

[Rrickoshae]

Ammotech !

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I had to use one only once. It was a surreal experience catching up and then overtaking in descent the person who had gone out before me in the pass, as I was being violently rotated out to the side, before making the decision to cut away and entrust my life to my reserve. Had I followed a basic drill it might not have come to that!