Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The NB-8 Personnel Parachute Assembly is a back type parachute assembly which includes a 28-foot diameter, flat, nylon canopy with 28 gores. The canopy is packed in a container assembly which is secured to the air crewman’s back by a harness assembly. We can’t find any maker’s markings, but we can see at least part of the set was manufactured in August 1973. Measures approximately 23" x 15" x 5" in size.
This is being sold as a novelty item and is not intended to be used as a recreational or life saving item.
In 1934, Stanley Switlik and George Palmer Putnam, Amelia Earhart’s husband, formed a joint venture and built a 115 foot tall tower on Stanley’s farm in Ocean County. Designed to train airmen in parachute jumping, the first public jump from the tower was made by Ms. Earhart on June 2, 1935. Witnessed by a crowd of reporters and officials from the Army and Navy, she described the descent as “Loads of Fun!”
As war clouds grew, the firm received its present name, Switlik Parachute Company, Inc. and became a part of the “Arsenal of Democracy.” In December of 1941, a small nucleus of parachute manufacturers were called to a meeting and ordered by the Government to increase production 50-fold. Additional space was acquired and a large workforce trained.
The company’s productivity was so impressive that the War Department gave it the first of five Army-Navy “E” Awards in 1942. At the climax of World War II, requirements dropped to zero and the company disposed of much of its parachute making machinery.
This was not to last, in 1950, the Korean War began. Again, the Big Three of the parachute industry were called to form the nucleus of our nation’s parachute production capacity. At the conclusion of the Korean War, the surplus equipment was put in “moth balls,” to be used again during the Vietnam War.
This example is certainly late Vietnam War era from what we can find, but there is still more research to be done. This is a wonderful item that comes ready to display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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