jimp

Great memory, Peter!! A bit more trivia about this photo. The aircraft is VH-MTH, the pic was taken on 18 May 1969 at Tumut NSW by Peter Ford, a skydiver and a photographer for The Canberra Times. The next shot in the sequence was published in that newspaper on 20 May. I have a print of it, which I will post for you when I can do a scan. The Victa Corp. of Australia's primary business was the manufacture of lawn mowers; MTH was used for pilot training at the Tumut Aero Club. The jumper? Take a guess! Jim

Still static lining students on them? Well, maybe not. The D-1-5U would be a better choice.

They're still static lining students on them at clubs in Russia. That's what they've got, that's what they use. I would too. (Actually two different canopies - T4 Series 2 and T4 series 4 in the second illustration)

As I remember the entire rear of the aircraft was on hinges to open clam-shell fashion, but unfortunately not certified to remove them for flight. Too bad, it would have made for great tailgate exits. (Dec '82)

Yes, at a competition. Everywhere I went in Saudi, I was treated with courtesy and kindness. However travel there is not like an all-inclusive to Cancun. You would be well advised to do a lot of research before the visa application even starts. A good place to start is Lonely Planet website's "Thorntree" forum. For example: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1532127&tstart=0 Someone like Neil Fergie (posts here as "Fergs") who has many years of experience in that country may come to this thread with specific and up-to-date advice for you. That is, if you are actually planning a trip - you didn't say!

On a snowdrift in Siberia.

The caption to the photo gives the location - Vancouver Harbour (CYHC), British Columbia, Canada.

You mean you saw what a fool a guy can make of himself around beautiful women?

The Bell 206L Long Ranger is not a bad jump craft for students (as far as civvy helicopters go). Five seats in the back - one for the jumpmaster and four for students, and you can put a paying passenger in the front for c of g balance. In the summer of '82 we had a small "club" at the remote mining town of Kitsault on the north coast of British Columbia. No airstrip there, and only charter flights coming in and landing on Alice Arm, we used what was available - the Long Ranger. Drop zone was on the tidal flats at the head of Alice Arm, but only at low tide. Always had a boat waiting off shore, just in case. Some of my students wanted to continue, and did do a few jumps out in civilization, but jumping out of a real airplane was not as pleasant and the unfriendly attitudes at the bigger dropzones turned them off. I can't imagine any helicopter company these days doing this what with aviation being ruled by bureaucrats, bean counters and insurance companies.

Well, Mirko, I must say that I've really enjoyed making my small contribution to the AN2's huge number.

"some sort of Antonov" Beginning in the 1940s, probably more jumps have been made out of the AN2 than any other aircraft.

Well, I've got one of these, so the question is not relevant. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3761604.stm

Ooops! Must have been that Amnesiac Double Pale Ale I was imbibing in the other night. Agreed - the shot-and-a-halfs and (anti)blast handle always worked fine for me too

omg, one-shots and a blast handle!.

This is a bit off topic, but since the subject of "nuclear" and "B-36", some of you may find this interesting. At the start of the Cold War, on 13 Feb 1950, a B-36 crashed in the mountains just north of where I now live, the story full of intrigue and mystery. Have a look here for links: www.cowtown.net/proweb/B36_Home.htm Read the co-pilot interview by Don Pyeatt for the story of the bail-out and rescue. Scroll down to NB-36H for some on-topic stuff. www.cowtown.net/proweb/B36_Home.htm

1) Blackburn Beverley 2) Probably

Did airshows with some of these folks too, but never got a sig. What a moron I was

James H. (Ginger) Lacey "One of the Few" During the summer of 1973 I worked as an instructor at the Sport Parachute Centre at Grindale near Bridlington UK. Ronnie O'Brien (UK D684), famous in his own right later on for saving a tandem pair in free fall and filming the event, was Chief Instructor and my boss. We were fortunate and honoured in those days to have Jim Lacey as jump pilot and flying instructor. No ordinary pilot, Jim was one of the top scoring RAF fighter aces of WWII, the second highest scoring RAF ace of the Battle of Britain, and one of the very very few aviators active at the beginning and at the end of the conflict. And remember for him the War started in 1939 - not after Pearl Harbor. Aviation history buffs should try to get their hands on Richard Townshend Bicker's book Ginger Lacey, Fighter Pilot. (Beagle Books, 1970 and 1988), the biography of this great RAF warrior - a stirring stiff upper lip tribute to a courageous man. For those more visually oriented is "Dawn Scramble" by aviation artist Keith Woodcodk. Also check out if you can the Triumph Spitfire ad (You not only get a car and a girl but a piece of history) which appeared in Playboy magazine back in the day. Jim Lacey signed off my 1000th jump - also flew the load. (28 Oct. 1973 Cessna 206 G-BAMN)

From 1973 - D13, Republic of Southern Rhodesia From 1975 - D2, South-West Africa (Interesting to me, if no one else)

Focke-Wulf FW190

Colombian registred. Hmmm...

I was thinking about Johnny Lewis just a while ago. A great guy, glad to know that he's still remembered fondly after all these years. Jim P.

- you stop in Perris (or Eloy or Deland) to ask directions to the dee-zed. - you're the only jumper in Perris (or Eloy or Deland) whose jump plane at home is on skis.

Come on up for a visit. I've got a logging truck load of firewood to buck up and split. A week of swingin' the old Sotz Monster Maul will whip you into shape. Oh yeah, I'll supply the Guiness! Jim

Hi, Howard, You mean ZK-DDD?