M40 parachutists.

[100SRV]

Near the A34 exit of the M40 this morning in the queue and noticed a Shorts Skyvan dropping parachutists who had the "old" style circular canopies, the kind I associate with WW2. Anyone know more about this? I'd guess the aeroplane flew from Kidlington.

[5150]

That’s likely to be Weston on the Green. Part time RAF base for military parachute / skydive training.

[100SRV]

5150 said:

That’s likely to be Weston on the Green. Part time RAF base for military parachute / skydive training.

Ah, thank you - I've seen that just off the B430, do they have winch-towed gliders there too?

[WilliamWoollard]

Yes, Weston on the Green, see them regularly.

They even publish the schedule although I've no idea how accurate it is.

[Simpo Two]

100SRV said:

parachutists who had the "old" style circular canopies, the kind I associate with WW2

Also as used by me in the 80s! L-shaped steering slots.

[dukeboy749r]

Simpo Two said:

Also as used by me in the 80s! L-shaped steering slots.

The barrage balloon on Queen’s Parade.

[pete]

My flying instructor is always reminding me to give Weston on the Green a wide birth; I gather it’s an unusual site in that it’s marked formally as a Danger Area on CAA charts, due to the likelihood of parachute activity at all hours of the day and wide variety of drop aircraft. I wouldn’t want to find out what happens when a free falling parachutist lands on a Piper Warrior, or even worse a pallet with a 4x4 on it!

[GliderRider]

dukeboy749r said:

Simpo Two said:

Also as used by me in the 80s! L-shaped steering slots.

The barrage balloon on Queen’s Parade.

Kite balloon, please!

Some pictures of the era here

My father was in the MOD Procurement Executive. Kite balloons and gliders were amongst the things for which he was responsible. Because the kite balloons were regularly inflated and deflated, it would have been to expensive to use helium in them so they used hydrogen. As a result all the ropes and hardware had to be non-plastic meterials to avoid the risk of static electricity. The difficulty in getting high quality hemp rope was one of the factors that put an end to the kite balloons.

[7mike]

pete said:

My flying instructor is always reminding me to give Weston on the Green a wide birth; I gather it’s an unusual site in that it’s marked formally as a Danger Area on CAA charts, due to the likelihood of parachute activity at all hours of the day and wide variety of drop aircraft. I wouldn’t want to find out what happens when a free falling parachutist lands on a Piper Warrior, or even worse a pallet with a 4x4 on it!

Under canopy rather than freefall but quite scary. Best I ever had was a bird of prey below my feet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrgMA9XJvFo

[Castrol for a knave]

Simpo Two said:

100SRV said:

parachutists who had the "old" style circular canopies, the kind I associate with WW2

Also as used by me in the 80s! L-shaped steering slots.

Me too. The good old PX chute. Much more steerable (ish) then the LLP that replaced it.

It is Weston on the Green. DZ for No1 Parachute Training School at nearby Brize Norton. Skyvan replaced the balloon in 1996 (I think)

First stop after PCoy, Commando Course, Selection, flower arranging for the Rock Apes and assorted stuff for Gurkhas and sneaky beaky Royal Navy gunnery types.

[Simpo Two]

7mike said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrgMA9XJvFo

Now you know how it feels to be shot down in a dogfight!