Obscure Para-Jerkin

[riggerrob 558]

Does any one have photos of the obscure (British) Royal Air Force Para-Jerkin?

It was probably made by Irvin Industries of Great Britain.

The Para-Jerkin was an attempt at making the thinnest possible aircrew emergency parachute by spreading the canopy bulk so wide that I became a Jerkin (vest to Americans).
It was first issued to gunners in Bulton-Paul Defiants just before the start of World War Two.

They also made a similar set of coveralls for flying boat crew that incorporated flotation.

One version even had a harness made of multiple silk suspension lines laying side-by-side in channels sewn into the Para-Jerkin.

[pchapman 262]

That's funny, I just saw one in the Dec '09 Aeroplane Monthly magazine. Or was that your starting point to start asking more??

Since the photo is of a mannequin at the RAF Hendon museum, it isn't hard to then find some peoples' photos of the Defiant on Flickr that also show the rig.

Attached is the page of the article showing parachute info (with parts blacked out and low jpg quality to make it fit).

P.S. - Turns out to be from GQ.

[pchapman 262]

There's a book, "The Royal Air Force 1939-45" that has a bit of info on the GQ Parasuit for Defiants, the Irvin Harnessuit for other crews, and the "Flying Suit, Combined Pattern" using silk cords in the harness and 'risers'. (It isn't quite clear if it is from Irvin.)

Google books shows some relevant pages (circa p36) but a photo accompanying another mention on about p 45 is not included:

http://books.google.com/books?id=iHzWAjDrlb0C&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq=boulton+paul+defiant+parachute&source=bl&ots=Z8u3n8GqRQ&sig=PZ0M48tNbQN7hCl7eLOCBLHCveY&hl=en&ei=tM8_S7C1CZPhlAfW3JGfBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCgQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=boulton%20paul%20defiant%20parachute&f=false

Cool stuff - you obviously got me interested in these chutes.

[Andy9o8 0]

You'll get an American to wear something called a "jerkin" when you can get a Brit to wear a "para-wanker".

[piisfish 135]

Quote

You'll get an American to wear something called a "jerkin" when you can get a Brit to wear a "para-wanking".

corrected for you

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[riggerrob 558]

"Jerkin" is an old British term for a sleeve-less jacket.
Americans would call it a long vest.

During the Second World War, the British Army issued thousands of leather jerkins to Commonwealth ground troops. The sheep-skin lining proved invaluable in keeping troops warm during the winter of 1944 and 1945