Children's Book: "Amazing Rescues"

[JohnRich 4]

Somewhere along the way I acquired a little children's book called "Amazing Rescues", by George Shea, illustrated by Marshal Peck. The cover art shows a skydiver falling upside down out of a DC4.

The copyright date is 1992, and the story purports to come from 1987. So I suppose this thread could belong equally in either the "General Skydiving" forum, or the "History" forum. The gear is fairly modern rigs with 3-rings and ram-air chutes.

The book contains three short stories for children, the first of which is a skydiving rescue. I'll post page scans of the entire skydiving story here over the next few days, so follow along, let the suspense build, and enjoy the ride. And dig the cool illustrations. It's clear that the illustrator has some exposure to skydiving. But have fun spotting the things that are not technically correct, and even the things that, surprisingly, are.

Attached:
1) Book cover
2) Page 1, left side.
3) Page 2, right side.

How many jumpers can a DC4 carry? Someone count heads and see how many are lined up to get aboard - it seems like an awful lot.

Check out those multi-color striped leg straps on the guy in the orange jump suit in the bottom right. I've never seen a rig built like that, but thinking about it, there's no reason you can't do that with the leg strap covers.

[Unstable 8]

The Author has a good taste - I like the Nice 80's vintage Racer! Looks like an Old Centarus next to him too... = )

=========Shaun ==========

[MakeItHappen 15]

Quote

Somewhere along the way I acquired a little children's book called "Amazing Rescues", by George Shea, illustrated by Marshal Peck. The cover art shows a skydiver falling upside down out of a DC4.

The copyright date is 1992, and the story purports to come from 1987. So I suppose this thread could belong equally in either the "General Skydiving" forum, or the "History" forum. The gear is fairly modern rigs with 3-rings and ram-air chutes.

The book contains three short stories for children, the first of which is a skydiving rescue. I'll post page scans of the entire skydiving story here over the next few days, so follow along, let the suspense build, and enjoy the ride. And dig the cool illustrations. It's clear that the illustrator has some exposure to skydiving. But have fun spotting the things that are not technically correct, and even the things that, surprisingly, are.

Attached:
1) Book cover
2) Page 1, left side.
3) Page 2, right side.

How many jumpers can a DC4 carry? Someone count heads and see how many are lined up to get aboard - it seems like an awful lot.

Check out those multi-color striped leg straps on the guy in the orange jump suit in the bottom right. I've never seen a rig built like that, but thinking about it, there's no reason you can't do that with the leg strap covers.

That's story of Gregory Robertson saving Debbie. IIRC, she was from TX. It was the Easter boogie at Coolidge.
Gregory was the loadmaster and went out after the last group. The last group was a 'zoomie' load with low experienced jumpers.
They had a major funnel when Debbie was docking. She looked unconscious and Gregory chased her and pulled her reserve.
She landed between the runway and the taxi way at the east end of the airport.
She recovered.
Gregory won some award from Bell, the company he worked for. He went on the talk show circuit.

Gregory said he lost all altitude awareness and pulled right as she got line stretch. He was open around 3k. Then he had to dodge the others from that load because they did not track very far.

It was a pretty amazing save.
The rest of the summer students kept asking to jump with him. We ended up telling students after their jump that Gregory was on the load with them.

Oh and Gregory did jump a racer, kinda tanish/rust color.

I forget how many ppl on a DC4, around 80 maybe??

.

.
Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[diablopilot 2]

1) I don't see any chest mount alti's.
2) No Frap hats either.
3) Not enough Mullets.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[riggerrob 558]

The guy to his left is wearing a "Prestige" container made by the Adventure Loft in Texas.
It is one of the few containers with two reserve pins arranged in a vertical configuration. It looks like a prettier version of Para-Flite's Swift container. Curved pin covers idstugnuish it form a Centarus.

[topdocker 0]

I like how it states very clearly, on page 1a even, that "skydiving is a dangerous sport. Accidents can happen." Gee, even children can figure this out, but the rest of us have to fill out long and involved waivers because of some sue-happy adults.

Ah, wishing for simpler times!

top

Jump more, post less!

[JohnRich 4]

The story continues...

See the page images attached below.

Stay tuned for more to follow.

What will happen to Debbie and Guy?
Will they survive?

Comments:
Page 2: How many jumpers call the door a "hatch"?

Page 3: Notice how the 4-way base is actually higher than the door from which they just jumped!
Also of interest is how the front edge of the door is covered in duct tape to eliminate sharp edges - a sure sign that this illustrator had actual experience in a real jump plane, or at least was drawing from photos of a real jump plane.

Page 4a: "A blast of air blows one diver out of the circle." I'm going to use that excuse the next time I screw up in a RW dive.

Page 4b: Oh my, that RW dive is in freefall awfully close to open canopies!

[JohnDeere 0]

I like the rw jumps next to crew. Or the low pullers, how ever you want to look at it. Keep em comen!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[DougH 270]

That is awesome. I need to find a copy of the book for my girlfriends daughter.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[RMURRAY 1]

my wife is a writer and has a couple of books published which involve skydiving. I do know that the author often does not have any involvement in the illustrations. They can suggest and supply information to the publisher but it is often up to the editor. Here is her novel for young adults (probably best for girls 13, 14, 15, 16)

http://www.wendyalewis.com/TeenFictiondec11.html

and here is a childrens book for boys or girls or for parents to read to their kids. it is based on a true story at my local DZ. I think we had to get the illustration on the front changed to make the canopy a 7 cell...

http://www.wendyalewis.com/KidsFictiondec11.html

Rob

[lauraliscious 0]

OMG, I love it! Thanks for sharing this. I just ordered myself a copy from Amazon.

Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091

[JohnRich 4]

The next two pages of this exciting saga.

Will Gregory be able to save the unconscious Debbie?

Tomorrow: the conclusion to this skydiving drama.

[JohnMitchell 14]

Quote

Tomorrow: the conclusion to this skydiving drama.

I'll be here. The suspense is killing me.

[billvon 2,435]

I hate it when that happens!

[BDashe 0]

3,000 feet in 15 seconds in a head down dive... 136 mph in a dive! Teach me your ways of flying that slow on your head!

So there I was...

Making friends and playing nice since 1983

[bam-bam 0]

at least 50 jumpers waiting to board

[JohnRich 4]

And at last, the final installment of this exciting real-life amazing rescue.

Is our hero Gregory jumping a 10-cell canopy?

[JohnDeere 0]

Thank you sir for the story!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[Dan1 0]

Thanks for the story, I enjoyed reading it.

[KermieCorleone 0]

wicked !!!

- Neil

Never make assumptions! That harmless rectangle could be two triangles having sex ...