source of small parachutes?

Post by **aferguson** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:11 pm

Does anyone know of a source of small, molded plastic, canopy style parachutes? I need them to be canopy style and 'inflated' as if falling to earth. About 3 1/2 to 4 inches diameter would be ideal. I want to make some parafrag bombs. I don't care much for cloth parachutes with wire/bowl etc internal supports. I don't think they'll look all that great, especially given the small dimensions.

Any help appreciated.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:34 pm

I don't know of any marketed chutes. But if you go to a toy store (Toys R Us) And get some cheapy balls that come in a rounded blister pack you could paint the out side white to make the canopy.

warhawker · Post by **warhawker** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:29 am

aferguson,
You could try this. paper mache and small balloon. Blowup a balloon to the size of the canopy. paper mache 1/2 the balloon or size that you want for the parachute. Once dry pop the balloon leaving the mache parachute form. color or add details that you want and add strings...BAM cheap and easy!!
Next question...anyone!!

savage213king · Post by **savage213king** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:48 pm

Go to an Army surplus store and buy a small flare parachute they sell them fairly cheap.

bigsarge · Post by **bigsarge** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:40 pm

just a thought.what about the fireworks stand.the smaller parachutes are already made so all you would have to do is mold them for display.the plastic toy holders in the old school gumball machines might work.good luck

granch · Post by **granch** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 2:10 am

I've customized flare parachute with some thin steel wires to keep it open, nice result, no needle and thread work needed. Otherwise, I've seen small umbrellas with a head fixing device, not larger than vietnamese hats like people are wearing in riece fields.

Post by **aferguson** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:29 pm

i'm still trying to come up with a way to make small parachutes so i can make some parafrag bombs. I thought of using coffee filters, which are good for size and puffiness, but are not dome shaped, being more cupcake shaped. Is there such a thing as a dome shaped coffee filter?

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199 ... afrag1.jpg

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 7:48 pm

What about the Marx parachutes. I'll bet someone is repro-ing them.

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 6:21 am

wow........yes those are perfect! Now just to find an inexpensive source for them

thanks for the heads up.

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 11:35 am

Historically Hobby Bunker has a lot of repro Marx. I don't know if the parachutes were ever re-made. Next week at the big toy soldier show I'll check to see if they were 'reproed'.

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:31 pm

I went to the Toy Soldier show today and all the vendors weren't set up but thus far I have not seen repos of the Marx parachutes. HobbyBunker had a lot of repros of Marx but no chutes. I'll inquire of Matt.

Post by **aferguson** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:40 pm

thanks for the updates, i appreciate your efforts. These parachutes are just what i was looking for.

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:09 am

Ferg,
I was told the original molds were destroyed but a new mold or other methods to produce the parachutes are being investigated.

Post by **aferguson** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:17 am

well i've found a source for them, but they're a bit expensive. $20 for two parachutes. As i want 4-6 it's a bit of a pricey proposition. But i've been able to find them anywhere else so i guess i'll have to bite the bullet.

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:18 am

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:19 am

Considering how rare they are that's really not too bad....

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:35 pm

well, i swallowed hard and bought the parachutes. So i now have a Zero on the way (for repainting in a Solomons paint scheme), 4 parachutes on the way, a B-25 in hand....my parafrag piece will soon be complete.

thanks again for letting me know about those marx parachutes.

granch · Post by **granch** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:08 pm

If I understand you, 1 zero, 1 B-25, 4 parachutes... The dio you're planning seems to be sad. How many crews are there in the B-25? Would'nt you prefer 1 crashing zero, 1 parachute and a well flying B-25, so less parachutes to pay? Please, make pictures of your B-25 exploding...

Post by **aferguson** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:22 pm

no, parafrags were little fragmentaion bombs that were dropped at low level by B-25's (and other bombers) in the Pacific during WWII. The parachute served the purpose of making them high drag, so the attacking bomber wouldn't get fragged by its own bombs and they essentially stopped the bomblets forward momentum in flight, so all you had to do was overfly your target and release them and be pretty sure of a direct hit.

They exploded on impact and sprayed shrapnel in all directions, shredding japanese aircraft in the process. The were enormously effective and were used after the war until more modern cbu's and the like were developed.

These little parachutes i bought aren't for figures to be using, they are to make parafrag bombs with.

http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/a/Parafrag_Bombs.htm

ram04 · Post by **ram04** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:12 pm

Sounds like a really cool dio, please post some pictures when you get it done.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

source of small parachutes?

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