Welcome to my WW2 Allied Kitbash Page.

I have just received the following information by e-mail from Joshua about the WW2 US T-5 and T-7 parachute and harness, and because I feel that it is so informative. I have posted it here on this page to hopefully help my fellow modellers. Plus, I would like to thank Joshua for taking the time to share this detailed information with me. I have studied the T-5/T-7 parachute for years and just thought I would give you a little information. The belly band isn’t there to support weight. It’s purpose was for keeping the reserve from flapping around, and also worked great to secure equipment. Its attaching seams will not hold very much weight-its sewn with the regular parachute pack thread, about 8 lb. tensile strength. The two reserve hooks/d-rings are plenty strong. They were rated at 5000 pounds. (the original ones were the reg. harness hooks, rated at 2500, but by D-day just about all were the 5000 type). The hooks will go 8420 pounds to the maximum bend. That’s when the hooks would bend far enough for them to come off the ring. The rings have a much high bending strength. That means it can safely take an opening shock of 10,000 lbs, or approx 40 opening g’s (at about 40 g’s your probably dead). Even in the worst conditions- the reserve opening at 250 feet, 300 lb weight, 1.5 second inflation time, and at terminal velocity the opening shock would only be about 2400 lbs. Normal opening shock would be in the vicinity of 1300 lbs for the reserve, and that’s probably a slightly high number. Some troopers on combat jumps cut off the belly band to be able to shed the harness faster. Also, when the reserve opens, it doesn’t suspend the jumper at that much of an angle. Though he isn’t suspended vertically like when the main is open, he is still close to vertical, though it isn’t very comfortable. This is especially true when there is a heavy load of combat equipment; it pulls the jumper slightly more vertical with all the weight at the bottom. Hope this helps. 

Note: Realise though that the opening shock forces have so many variables, so the numbers are not extremely accurate.