GQ TAP...a very large Paracommander?

[anj4de 0]

Hello all

While surfing the web I found something interesting for all those who like rounds...especially the PC style. It looks like the British at one time had a "Jumbo +" in use...this is what the description reads:

..."The freefall parachute in 1985 was the GQ TAP already mentioned. It was a 32 foot round canopy of the paracommander design. It had about 9-11 knots drive; it was a sleeved circular canopy, with one extractor drogue parachute. It had a 3 point harness with a standard D-ring ripcord handle attached to a Bowden cable, routed through an anaconda housing to a 3 pin closure back pack. The canopy was attached to the harness’ main suspension by Capewell ‘shot and a half’ cutaway devices. The reserve was front mounted and side pull."...

Searching further I also found the attached add from 1968...Does anybody out there have additional infos about this chute, please? A white one for sure would be nice..

thanks
Uwe

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.

-Leonardo da Vinci

[stratostar 5]

I've heard you have to be careful with those they fly on the left side of the sky.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[anj4de 0]

Quote

I've heard you have to be careful with those they fly on the left side of the sky.

which for them is the right side, of course!

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.

-Leonardo da Vinci

[andrewhilton 1]

There was a previous thread on the GQ Dominator which was a large PC type canopy from the late 1960s. Here is the link

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3994473;search_string=dominator;#3994473

Also attached here a picture an advert for the Dominator from 1969. I think the Dominator may have been the civilian name for a similar canopy. It is not clear from the pics of the TAP at the start of this thread, if it has a pulled down apex Lemoigne style or if it is just a regular circular with lots of holes and some stabilisers?

[lucky508 0]

The Rhodesians used GQ MK1's for some of their free fall ops. Attached is an add I found on Ebay.

ATW,
CK

[andrewhilton 1]

Attached are 3 more files on the Dominator. I may be taking this thread off topic, but I do believe the Dominator and GQ Mk1 TAP are closely related with the Dominator being the sport version, the TAP being a military variant.
The attached files are an advert from 1967, plus an article from a 1967 edition of the BPA's Sport Parachutist Magazine. The files for the article are quite poor resolution here to get them within dz.com's allowed file sizes.
I have not come across any intact and surviving Dominator canopies, they seem to be as rare as Jumbo Mk1 PCs.

This may also be a good time to point out that the BPA will be putting their full set of magazines, starting in 1964, online in the not too distant future. The article posted here is from the August 1967 edition.

[andrewhilton 1]

I have just received confirmation that the GQ TAP and Dominator are very similar canopies, the difference being the intended, respective, military or civilian use.