{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwii-t-7-airborne-parachute-display-rig-with-1943-type-a-3-reserve-parachute-1944-pack-1945-harness-and-reproduction-components","title":"Original U.S. WWII T-7 Airborne Parachute Display Rig with 1943 Type A-3 Reserve Parachute, 1944 Pack, 1945 Harness, and Reproduction Components","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Items: Only One Set Available. This is a visually impressive representative U.S. WWII airborne parachute display assembled from several scarce original wartime components, including a December 1944-dated T-7 parachute pack, a July 1945-dated Simmons harness, and an October 1943 Type A-3 reserve parachute retaining its original parachute log record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main pack contains an incorrect and damaged U.S. Navy parachute installed solely to give the rig its filled display appearance. Several straps, lines, hooks, buckles, and fittings are postwar replacements or reproductions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is therefore not presented as a complete, matching, or airworthy WWII parachute assembly. It was clearly assembled by a collector to represent a late-war T-7 airborne rig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the replacement and mismatched components, the grouping contains several very difficult-to-find original pieces that would be challenging and expensive to assemble individually.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Simmons T-7 Harness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original harness is clearly stamped:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePART NO. 44J9635\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMFG. BY SIMMONS CO.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDATE OF MFG. JULY 1945\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe July 1945 date places the harness at the very end of WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe harness retains original wartime rigging components, although some attached straps, fittings, and buckles are later replacements or reproductions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the harness postdates the December 1944 pack, the two components did not leave the factory as one original matched rig. They may have been combined during later military service or when the display was assembled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal December 1944 T-7 Parachute Pack\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe primary pack is an original camouflage T-7 parachute pack manufactured by the Hayes Manufacturing Corporation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts data label reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTYPE T7 PARACHUTE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eT-8 STAMPED OVER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGOV’T NO. AAF 44-112308\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCAMOUFLAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMFG. BY HAYES MANUFACTURING CORP.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDWG. NO. 44J9634-3\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCONTRACT NO. W20-017-AC-777\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe T-8 designation has been stamped over the original T-7 marking. This may indicate that the pack was inspected, reclassified, modified, or intended for later use under a revised designation. Without the associated technical documentation, the exact reason for the overstamp cannot be determined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther documented T-7 packs carry the same Hayes Manufacturing Corporation drawing number, 44J9634-3, confirming that this was the standard camouflage T-7 pack configuration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top of the pack is stamped:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAAF 44 112308\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis number has been crossed out and replaced with:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e45-184359\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revised number suggests that the pack was renumbered, reissued, or reassigned during its military service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pack is also stamped:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePART NO. 41K9208-1\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDATE DEC. 1944\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e28 FT. DIA.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe December 1944 date makes this an original late-war production component.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 28-foot marking refers to the diameter of the parachute canopy originally intended for the pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe canopy currently packed inside the T-7 pack is an incorrect and damaged U.S. Navy parachute. It was installed to fill out the pack for display and is not the correct wartime canopy for this T-7 assembly. The parachute is damaged, and its suspension lines are not original WWII components.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the accompanying hardware and buckles are also reproductions or postwar replacements. The long green strap extending from the pack is a postwar replacement. The hook attached to the end of that strap is also a later replacement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Type A-3 Reserve Parachute\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe grouping includes an original Type A-3 reserve parachute manufactured by the Irving Air Chute Company of Lexington, Kentucky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts markings read:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTYPE A3 PARACHUTE\u003cbr\u003eMFG. BY IRVING AIR CHUTE CO.\u003cbr\u003eLEXINGTON, KY.\u003cbr\u003eOCT. 19, 1943\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe October 19, 1943, manufacture date makes this a desirable midwar reserve parachute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType A-3 parachutes were produced as aircraft and emergency parachute equipment, with surviving examples documented in chest-pack and modified configurations during the WWII period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reserve parachute retains its original Parachute Log Record, an especially scarce and historically valuable feature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe log identifies the parachute as having been manufactured in October 1943 by Irving under contract number:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26573\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded stations include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eO.C.A.S.C.\u003cbr\u003eALAMOGORDO ARMY AIR FIELD, NEW MEXICO\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book contains multiple entries dating between 1943 and 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese entries include inspections and notations concerning when the pack was stenciled or modified, documenting continued use and maintenance during the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe retained log provides direct evidence that this reserve parachute was not merely stored as unused equipment. It passed through active military channels and appears to have been used in a training or support capacity throughout much of WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlamogordo Army Air Field was a major wartime training installation in New Mexico. The log’s association with that location gives the reserve parachute a specific and researchable service history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe exact meaning of the O.C.A.S.C. abbreviation should be investigated further before assigning it to a specific installation or command.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevelopment of the T-7 Parachute\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe U.S. Army began testing dedicated airborne troops before American entry into WWII. A parachute test platoon was organized at Fort Benning in 1940, laying the foundation for the rapid expansion of American airborne forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe T-5 became the principal American personnel parachute used by Army paratroopers during most major WWII airborne operations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was carried during campaigns including North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, southern France, the Netherlands, and the Rhine crossing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe T-7 was developed as an improved successor to the T-5 and entered production late in the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurviving T-7 examples commonly bear Army Air Forces government numbers, camouflage pack construction, and drawing number 44J9634-3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the T-7 appeared during the closing phase of WWII, it is encountered far less frequently than the better-known T-5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe T-7 remained in service after the war and became an important transitional design between WWII parachute equipment and the systems used during the Korean War era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisplay Configuration and Condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis set was assembled from original, mismatched, replaced, and reproduction components.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt should not be interpreted as an untouched parachute rig that has remained together since WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original dated components include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDecember 1944 Hayes Manufacturing Corporation T-7 parachute pack\u003cbr\u003eJuly 1945 Simmons Company harness\u003cbr\u003eOctober 19, 1943, Irving Air Chute Company Type A-3 reserve parachute\u003cbr\u003eOriginal Type A-3 Parachute Log Record with entries from 1943 through 1945\u003cbr\u003eVarious original wartime rigging components and hardware\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncorrect, replaced, or reproduction elements include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDamaged U.S. Navy parachute inside the T-7 pack\u003cbr\u003eNon-wartime suspension lines\u003cbr\u003eLong green replacement strap\u003cbr\u003eReplacement hook attached to the green strap\u003cbr\u003eVarious reproduction or postwar fittings and buckles\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original components show the expected wear, staining, fading, handling marks, and age associated with airborne equipment more than 80 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pack’s crossed-out numbers, T-8 overstamp, modification markings, and surviving hardware give it considerable visual and research interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Type A-3 reserve parachute and its original log record are particularly desirable. Parachute logs were often separated from their equipment, discarded, or lost, making a wartime-dated example with a documented inspection and modification history especially difficult to obtain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen assembled on a mannequin, this set provides the strong appearance of a late-war U.S. airborne parachute rig while preserving several authentic and scarce WWII parachute components.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA visually commanding representative display that combines an original 1944 T-7 pack, 1945 harness, and documented 1943 Type A-3 reserve parachute, with all mismatched and reproduction components fully disclosed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisplay and Safety Notice:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis parachute set is sold strictly as a historical collectible for display purposes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rig is incomplete, mismatched, damaged, and assembled with incorrect, postwar, and reproduction components.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt must never be worn for an actual jump or employed as a lifesaving, emergency, recreational, training, or sporting parachute system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecifications:\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Type: U.S. T-7 Camouflage Parachute Pack\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Manufacturer: Hayes Manufacturing Corporation\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Date: December 1944\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Drawing Number: 44J9634-3\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Government Number: AAF 44-112308, Crossed Out and Replaced with 45-184359\u003cbr\u003ePrimary Pack Marking: T-8 Stamped Over T-7\u003cbr\u003eOriginal Canopy Diameter Marking: 28 Feet\u003cbr\u003eHarness Manufacturer: Simmons Company\u003cbr\u003eHarness Part Number: 44J9635\u003cbr\u003eHarness Date: July 1945\u003cbr\u003eReserve Parachute Type: Type A-3\u003cbr\u003eReserve Manufacturer: Irving Air Chute Company\u003cbr\u003eReserve Manufacture Date: October 19, 1943\u003cbr\u003eReserve Contract Number: 26573\u003cbr\u003eReserve Log Locations: O.C.A.S.C. and Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico\u003cbr\u003eMain Pack Contents: Incorrect and Damaged U.S. Navy Parachute Installed for Display\u003cbr\u003eCondition Notes: Collector-Assembled Display with Mismatched Original Components, Damaged Parachute, Postwar Straps, and Reproduction Fittings\u003cbr\u003eUse: Historical Display Only; Not Airworthy\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44628690305093,"sku":"ONSV2025NMS038","price":1795.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV2025NMS038.jpg?v=1770837985","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwii-t-7-airborne-parachute-display-rig-with-1943-type-a-3-reserve-parachute-1944-pack-1945-harness-and-reproduction-components","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}