DROPPED IN PARACHUTES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 11

DROPPED IN PARACHUTES

MACHINE-GUNS AND CREWS.

DEMONSTRATION IN TEXAS.

According to a report recently received by the Chief of the United States Air Corps the technique of landing machineguns and their crews from aeroplanes is being constantly improved, says the New York Times. On the occasion of a recent demonstration at the Air Corps Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas, two machine-guns were dropped in parachutes and put into action by two crews of three men each, who descended from an aeroplane to the ground via the parachute route. Assembly of the machine-guns. and preparing them for firing was only a matter of 'a few moments.

This demonstration featured a mach-ine-gun parachute bag, recently developed by Sergeant Erwin H. Nichols, head of the parachute department of Brooks Field. The parachute supporting the bag opens automatically upon being thrown from the aeroplane and floats to earth. The bag containing the gun, ammunition and a gallon of water for use in cooling opens quickly by means of a rip cord similar to that on the parachute. One man had a thrilling escape when his parachute landed on the roof of the big dirigible hangar at Brooks Field. The roof of this structure has a 30-de-gree slope and is well over 100 feet from the ground. In spite of his precarious position the man was able to spill the air from the parachute and climb to an entrance on the peak of the building, none the worse for his experience.