Military Freefall Parachutists (MFP) 1977-1981
Canadian Military Freefall Parachutists
Ever have one of those days when you really miss going to work? These are photos I took with a wrist-mounted camera of Military Freefall Parachutists (MFP) exiting the ramp of a Canadian Forces Lockheed CC-130 Hercules over Edmonton, ca 1978.
Two MFP jumpers got their rucksacks momentarily hooked together - they eventuallyseparated in time.
(Author Photos)
Lockheed CC-130 Hercules exits over Edmonton, ca 1979.
(Author Photos)
We jumped from quite a few Twin Otters over Edmonton the winter of 1979-1980.
We had a few difficulties with some of the modifications to the military parachutes issued in the late 1970s. One of my tasks was to fall beside MFP jumpers and to photograph their parachutes as they opened to see if the problems could be determine using air-to-air photos. Here are a few shots from the winter of 1979-1980.
MFP jumper with winter kit including snowshoes. I am falling beside him wearing the same kit - basically doing relative work with my kit while trying to take the photo.
Notice the twin pilot chutes - an experiment that did not prove to be successful.
I had to time the shot just right, as generally I could only get one good one on the opening...
...and in this case, one of the two pilot chutes is upside down, the other is up, working against each other - not good.
...almost at line stretch...
Canopy open...
(DND Photo)
...and coming in to land under a round canoy.
Pierre Deschenes as his Strato Cloud (ram-air) canopy opens...
(Author Photos)
...and a second view.
(Author Photo)
MFP jumpers boarding a Hercules, Edmonton, Alberta, ca 1980.
(Author Photos)
MFP juper stepping off the ramp of a Hercules, ca 1980.
(Author Photo)
Sergeant Bruno Caron spotting from a Twin Otter, ca 1979-80.
(Author Photo)
MFP jumpers boarding a Boeing CH-147 Chinook helicopter, Edmonton, Alberta, ca 1979.
Author jumping with the Red Devils into the British medals parade in Cyprus with the Canadian flag in 1986.
(DND Photo)
...and one for the static line jumpers...
Airborne all the way (AAW).
