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Author Topic: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland  (Read 416268 times)

Irvine John Donald

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2012, 07:47:10 PM »

Thanks John.   As a non aviator I'm still puzzled re when you would and wouldn't carry a parachute.  1937 and aviation is still relatively young. AE is flying around the world and flying over oceans and lots of land between airports. Why would they not consider parachutes as essential on every flight. Even a flight from town to town in the US. Any flight for that matter.  Was it common for non military pilots to fly without parachutes? 
Respectfully Submitted;

Irv
 
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John Ousterhout

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2012, 08:06:33 PM »

(from http://tighar.org/wiki/Parachutes):

Earhart and Noonan picked up two Irvin parachutes in Port Darwin, Australia on June 28, 1937. Last Flight says they left the parachutes behind in Port Darwin, but that's wrong. A contemporary newspaper account makes it clear that the 'chutes were collected in Darwin. From Finding Amelia:

"The correspondent for the Sydney, Australia, newspaper who was present for the Electra’s arrival in Darwin told a different story: 'The first thing she did after being officially welcomed was to inquire if parachutes, part of the emergency equipment for the Pacific crossing in front of her, had arrived from America. They reached here more than a week ago. . . . Fully tested and ready for immediate use, the parachutes were waiting in Mr. Collins’s office.' (Alan Collins was the civil aviation officer for Darwin.) Earhart made no mention of the parachutes in her press release, but a photograph taken that day shows her and Noonan in front of the Electra’s cabin door with what appears to be a pile of items about to be loaded aboard the airplane. Two parachutes are clearly visible" (65).

Cheers,
JohnO
 
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Monty Fowler

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2012, 08:25:04 PM »

I don't understand the purpose of the original question. What does a relatively minor error in a period book, which has since been cleared up by contemporary evidence, have to do with the major question at hand?

LTM,
Monty Fowler
TIGHAR No. 2189 CER
Ex-TIGHAR member No. 2189 E C R SP, 1998-2016
 
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Harry Howe, Jr.

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2012, 08:32:15 PM »


John O
The several posts above shows at least one parachute being loaded into the plane.  It couldn't have been during unloading from the plane at Darwin because the first thing AE asked about after landing at Darwin was whether her chures had arrived.
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LTM   Harry (TIGHAR #3244R)
 
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Harry Howe, Jr.

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2012, 08:41:11 PM »


Monty
Thread Drift
This thread about chutes came about from a picture in the ROV thread that showed a chute being loaded/unloaded? at Darwin  and comparing the door area of the Electra with a still taken from the ROV video.
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LTM   Harry (TIGHAR #3244R)
 
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Irvine John Donald

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2012, 10:07:08 PM »

I find this thread interesting from the standpoint that there may have been parachutes onboard when they landed at Gardner. As survival tools I would have thought they might be useful. If any metal parts remained and had been or could be found then that would be potentially more evidence.  The parachutes in the picture don't show any metal work that I can see.
Respectfully Submitted;

Irv
 
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Irvine John Donald

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2012, 10:18:08 PM »

Here is a link to a Life magazine article to the Irving Parachute company. Pictures from 1937.

Some metal in riser harness and shoulder straps.

http://wnyheritagepress.org/photos_week_2008/irving_air_chutes/irving_air_chutes.htm
Respectfully Submitted;

Irv
 
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Harry Howe, Jr.

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2012, 10:35:13 PM »


IRV
There might have been metal adjustment rings or metal ripcord rings?  I'll keep my eyes open for pics of  the "seat Type" chutes.

I think it took AE/FN some days to realize  that rescue wasn't on its way from Howland (Itasca)  I don't think that they were even expecting any rescue or search efforts would be coming from the air.

I think that they were doing the low-tide radio broadcasting, suffering from the heat (exhausting) and dehydrating. emergency rations running out, etc.  Hanging on for 6 days (Friday 7/2 to Wednesday 7/7), no sign of searchers, rescuers, losing hope, etc.  I think Betty Klenck wrote something like "It's going down" as AE's.  Prolly referring to the plane slipping over the edge of the reef.
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LTM   Harry (TIGHAR #3244R)
 
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Irvine John Donald

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #23 on: February 04, 2012, 10:56:52 PM »

Thanks Harry. I agree with your timelines and events. I believe AE would be expecting coast guard rescue by Itasca or the navy but at least by water. She would not have known Colorado was even near Pearl never mind searching in the neighborhood with her aircraft.  The parachute, if strung between trees, "might" have been a signal for passing ships.

The link I posted shows seat parachutes from the right era.  The pictures do show some metal buckles and riser attachment rings.
Respectfully Submitted;

Irv
 
« Last Edit: February 04, 2012, 10:59:18 PM by Irvine John Donald »
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Gary LaPook

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #24 on: February 05, 2012, 12:28:00 AM »

I find this thread interesting from the standpoint that there may have been parachutes onboard when they landed at Gardner. As survival tools I would have thought they might be useful. If any metal parts remained and had been or could be found then that would be potentially more evidence.  The parachutes in the picture don't show any metal work that I can see.
You should be able to spot the metal snap laying on the parachute pack. This is one of the leg strap snaps and the same kind was used for the chest strap.

gl
« Last Edit: February 05, 2012, 12:30:49 AM by Gary LaPook »
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Gary LaPook

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #25 on: February 05, 2012, 12:54:27 AM »

Here is a link to a Life magazine article to the Irving Parachute company. Pictures from 1937.

Some metal in riser harness and shoulder straps.

http://wnyheritagepress.org/photos_week_2008/irving_air_chutes/irving_air_chutes.htm
The Irvin Parachute Company also established the "Caterpiller Club" named for the silk worms that made the silk for the parchutes. To join the club all you had to do was to use a parachute to save your life.

gl
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Andreas Badertscher

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #26 on: February 05, 2012, 02:35:34 AM »

If u look at the wrinkles on Fred's shirt on the lower back, then I would guess that this picture was taken after landung and they were unloading the plane.
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Gary LaPook

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #27 on: February 05, 2012, 03:02:53 AM »

If u look at the wrinkles on Fred's shirt on the lower back, then I would guess that this picture was taken after landung and they were unloading the plane.
I suspect that Fred's shirt was permanently wrinkled after all those days in the plane.

The first thing they did was look for the parachutes waiting for them at Darwin so this photo apparently shows that they picked up the chutes and brought them over to the plane to load them up.

gl
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Irvine John Donald

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #28 on: February 05, 2012, 07:24:22 AM »

In the two Australian newspaper stories they note that AE declined a dinner with the head of the local administration. One of them quotes AE as saying she only has the clothes she is wearing and has nothing formal to wear.  Is this likely?  She made the entire trip with only what she was wearing?  Not even one change of clothes?  Doesn't that sound strange?  Was weight such an issue she wouldn't even carry an overnight bag?  Does this mean anything?

Several hours later ....  I examined many pictures of the final world flight. She has two sets of clothes. And perhaps white coveralls. I'm still looking for luggage or small overnight bag.
Respectfully Submitted;

Irv
 
« Last Edit: February 05, 2012, 09:25:04 PM by Irvine John Donald »
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Harry Howe, Jr.

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Re: Did Earhart carry parachutes on the flight to Howland
« Reply #29 on: February 05, 2012, 11:03:16 AM »


John O
Relative to your post 14
Yeppers, silk wouldn't make a very good shelter in a squall, but would be a good sun shade,
And to catch water, put 4 wood sticks into the ground at the corners of a square and drape a piece of silk parachute over the ends of the sticks and allow the silk to droop.  Put a clean rock in the center of the droop and put a container under this hasty collector. Maybe a sextant box, a cleaned pee bottle, a paper funnel and liquor bottle, whatever ya have or can improvise.  Then when the squall comes, the water fills the silk funnel, flows thru the silk at the rock and into the collector.  Voila, fresh water! 
 
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LTM   Harry (TIGHAR #3244R)
 
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