Original Item: Only One Available. The T-5 parachute was standardized in June 1941 and many of these first pattern chutes were heavily employed in all theaters of action. They saw extensive use in training, the early airborne operations in North Africa & Sicily, as well as the daylight drop of Operation Dragoon in Southern France. White T-5's remained standard throughout the war in the Pacific theater of operations such as Nadzab, Noemfoor, and Corrigador.

First pattern harnesses were equipped with cadmium plated hardware and 2,500 lb V-rings for reserve attachment. By 1943 white harnesses were manufactured with the larger 5,000 lb D-rings, but this was short-lived as the camouflaged units were introduced in the 2nd quarter 1943. The simple snap hook with the locking pin was common on the earliest rigs, but by early 1942 had been replaced by the large sliding gate "humpback" fastener.

This is a fantastic condition T-5 Parachute Pack dated AUG. 1944, complete a FEB 1943 dated 24' Reserve Parachute Pack, and what looks to be complete rigging, dated JUNE 24 1943. That means that a lot of this set was made well in advance of the D-Day Landing, and possibly could have been used in that Airborne landing, or in the later landings in Southern France. It also could have seen service during the later landings in the Pacific Theater such as Leyte and Corregidor, both after August 1944. Please note that this offering is for the packs and rigging ONLY, and no parachutes are included. The packs are stuffed with foam to give a good appearance for display and photos.

There are markings still present on the main T-5 Parachute pack, such as maker information and numbers, though unfortunately packing/inspector data booklet is missing from the pocket on the back. The information on the side of the main pack is as follows:

Type T-5 Parachute
DRAWING NO. 41J10142
M'F'D BY
STANDARD PARACHUTE CORP.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

The other side is marked with the packing information:

28 FT. DIA.
PART NO. 41K9208-1
DATE OF MFG. AUG. 1944

Condition of the pack is very good, with just some light staining, and all of the components seem to be present. The attached yellow and white heavy web rigging does not have a maker marking we can see, but is stamped with the part number and date:

PART NO. 4213110
N.A.F.I. JUN 24 1943

As far as we can tell, all of the clips, D-rings, and other fasteners are intact and functional. 

The first reserve employed on the T-5 system was a small 22' diameter chest pack. Adopted in June 1941, it was standard equipment for training jumps and the North Africa jumps. It was heavily employed in the Sicily/Salerno drops and issued in limited quantities during the August 1944 Southern France "Dragoon." It was also extensively used throughout the Pacific Theater operations. Instead of carry handles, the pack had two characteristic "grip" extensions on the side. First pattern packs retained the early style rectangular ripcord handle, but this was changed to the standard cloverleaf design by mid 1942. Originally mated with the lightweight V-rings, the reserve hooks used the standard small harness hook; these were updated in late 1942 with the large 5,000 lb snap fasteners.

This reserve pack still has the early “grip” extension on one side, however it has the updated "cloverleaf" style ripcord handle. As it was made in 1943, it has the the larger, stronger 5,000 lb snap fasteners on the back, and it is also the larger 24 foot size. It still has the original maker information and packing log book present in the pocket on the rear. The maker information reads as follows on the right side:

AN 6513-1A PARACHUTE
Mfg. by
HAYES MANUFACTURING CORP.
Grand Rapids, Michigan

The serial and contract info is just to the left of this

Gov't No. 42 946044
Mfg. Serial No.
Contract No. W-535-AC-33594

Further down is the original packing information:

PART No. AN 42H14623
FEB 1943
( 24-FT.-DIA )

The chest pack itself appears to be in very good service used condition, showing some stitched repairs in areas. The bungee style straps present still retain their elasticity as well, though you can also see some degradation and internal tearing. Stamping is still present and easily readable.

This lovely set comes ready to add your finishing touches to your WWII Airborne displays!

NOTE: While these items are in very good condition, they are sold for display ONLY and not for use. We do not recommend actually employing these systems as a lifesaving device or recreational and sporting device.

THE EVOLUTION OF U.S. ARMY PARATROOPERS PARACHUTES
Even though the U.S. Army had plans to implement sky soldiers as early as World War I, American paratroopers may have arrived late to the airborne scene — Soviet engineers had innovated parachute designs and German Fallschirmjägers had completed airborne operations over Norway at the beginning of World War II.

The U.S. Army’s 29th Infantry Regiment formed a test platoon and conducted their first ever training jump in August 1940. Two years later, the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment completed their first major implementation of airborne combat troops during Operation Torch in support of the amphibious invasion in North Africa.

World War II was the battlefield that tested the capabilities of static-line parachutes. They continue to be a presence on modern day battlefields, but they have seen several renditions and undergone modifications to advance the functionalities that many paratroopers are familiar with today.

T-5 & T-7 PARACHUTES
Three prototypes for the T-5 parachute were tested to solve the problems of the T-4, but not all of them were successful. In February 1942, Snap hook closures from Hook 42B3232 improved the risk of accidentally unhooking from the static-line cord. It had a vertical sliding gate and spring-loaded button that allowed for jumpers to slide along at their own controlled pace before exiting the aircraft. The initial training T-5 rigs had all white canopies, but since they are easy to spot in the air, they were replaced with camouflage chutes for later airborne operations.
The pre-deployment of the parachute before the rig couldn’t be resolved. More than 13,000 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Division — along with British, Canadian, and other Allied paratroopers — parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and lost equipment, including hand grenades that flew from their pockets.

The T-5 parachute rigs also had an Irving quick-release mechanism box, sometimes called the “bang box,” which allowed paratroopers to release themselves from their harness without delay once they were on the ground. Their reserve chutes had hesitator loops and pilot chute flaps that deployed when the original red ripcords were pulled. T-5’s were the most widely used parachutes during World War II and were used during Operation Market Garden, which saw more than 20,000 Allied troops dropped by parachute via airplanes. Toward the end of the war, more than 16,000 paratroopers participated in Operation Varsity, the last and largest one-day airdrop of the war.

The T-5 was phased out before the Korean War, and the Army emphasized the inclusion of the T-7 parachute. The T-7 had a serious issue in malfunctions caused by the increased speeds with which airplanes traveled. The wind speeds caused wear and tear on the chutes, and from June 30, 1951, to June 30, 1952, investigations reported that 12 fatalities were caused by these malfunctions.

A 1944 report found the average speed a plane was traveling during an airborne training operation was just 100 mph, and even then the opening of the parachutes caused canteens, holsters, and helmets to be ripped from paratroopers’ gear. The C-119s that were used post-World War II averaged speeds of 145 mph and called for an innovation of the T-7 design to prevent catastrophic injuries from occurring even before landing on the ground.