Sangi 0 #1 October 28, 2009 So I always wondered what the whole pig with goggles logo meant on the vector rigs and I found out it was an earlier container that UPT made and I would like to see how it looks, anybody have some pictures of it?"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
likestojump 3 #2 October 28, 2009 It looks....scary (in 2009) pictured is the 1978 model Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #3 October 28, 2009 'Piggy Back' rig...what else would ya call it? ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sangi 0 #4 October 28, 2009 Oh my, that looks quite scary Thanks for the pics "Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sangi 0 #5 October 28, 2009 Oh and didn't someone somewhere use it for BASE jumping?"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #6 October 28, 2009 Quote Oh and didn't someone somewhere use it for BASE jumping? I've got a couple B.A.S.E. jumps on mine...no riser covers, what could possibly go wrong!? It was a pull out (no bellyband to twist)...with a raeper on the main...all I had to do was change the straight pin to a curved for handheld P.C. throw and it was the hot set up! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #7 October 28, 2009 SN 944 DOM 8-77 wonderhog w/MK-1 on BOC HD & 26 navy DOM 76.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #8 October 28, 2009 The Wonderhogs in the pics are all modified to either BOC or ROL p/c pouches. The earliest models in the mid to late seventies mounted the p/c pouch on the dreaded belly band. The earliest models I ever saw also featured a blast handle reserve ripcord and 1 1/2 shot Capewells. Saw some prototypes of what was called a "3 Ring Circus" cutaway system that had a hard orange piece of tubing for a handle instead of the pillow handle. (I remember wondering where in hell you were supposed to hook your thumbs into the rigs to cutaway.....and I am NOT making this up...). The Wonderhog sold for a princely $320 at a time when about $240 was the average price of a rig. They - and the SST Racer - were considered the two cutting edge rigs in the sport. And they were. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pontiacgtp00 0 #9 October 29, 2009 I'd like to jump one of those someday... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #10 October 29, 2009 Nothing scary about it. As long as you got rid of the belly band, elastic closing loop, shot and a halfs. BTW if your jumping a Vector III (or Vector II or Vector) your still jumping a Wonder Hog. Check the label on your harness. Made under the same TSO C23b approval. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
likestojump 3 #11 October 29, 2009 Quote Nothing scary about it. As long as you got rid of the belly band, elastic closing loop, shota and a halfs. BTW if your jumping a Vector III (or Vector II or Vector) your still jumping a Wonder Hog. Check the label on your harness. Made under the same TSO C23b approval. yes and yes and yes. but it still looks vintage and scary. The container is older than me ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NovaTTT 2 #12 October 29, 2009 Quote yes and yes and yes. but it still looks vintage and scary awesome. The container is older than me ! Fixed that for you. Nice kit, Strat."Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #13 October 30, 2009 QuoteIt looks....scary (in 2009) pictured is the 1978 model30 years ago I thought those rigs were BEAUTIFUL. Now I just look at them and shake my head. The Vector really changed things, didn't it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #14 October 30, 2009 QuoteQuoteIt looks....scary (in 2009) pictured is the 1978 model30 years ago I thought those rigs were BEAUTIFUL. Now I just look at them and shake my head. The Vector really changed things, didn't it? That red one in the glass from the PIA convention a few years back...am I right about it being Number 1 ? ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
africapete 0 #15 October 30, 2009 I remember a container called the "Springhog" manufactured by PISA in South Africa that looked very similar to the Wonderhog - does anybody know if that was a copy of the latter ? I also jumped a Coe-D 210 for a long time which was a PD 210 made under license by PISA , named after the designer I believe . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #16 October 30, 2009 If you hold up my 77 hog next to my 74 SST, it's (still) a very BEAUTIFUL rig! you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skydivesg 7 #17 October 31, 2009 I ordered my first Wonderhog directly from Bill while my buddy and I were on a Deland jump vacation in 1975 or 76. This narly looking guy walked up to me with a set of risers and he "forced" me to take one end. He then instructed me to pull back while he pulled on the other end. I gave it a half hearted effort at which time he emplored me to put some weight into it. Not wanting his "biker buddies" to get involved I really leaned back on the risers. He then told me to pull this piece of plastic (golf ball or chunk of wiffle bat ???) which was attached to a plastic cable. I almost fell on my ass as the 3 rings released. I immediately told him to hook that up so I could do it again. After the guy proudly explained to us how his new born child came to be, my buddy and I ordered rigs while we were there. He told us that we had a choice. We could get the rigs right away and have R3s for the cutaway system or wait until he got the large ring TSO'd. He had no idea how long that might be because he still had not found a source to forge the large ring. I told him to wait until the "3 Ring Circus" was TSO'd. My buddy didn't want to wait and ordered the Rodrigues cutaway. After about 8 weeks or so my friend showed up at the DZ with his new rig. I was envious. One week later I showed up with my new rig with 3 rings. My friend was not only envious and jealous he was pissed at himself for not waiting. My new Wonderhog was awesome. Even with the belly band, blast handle and folded over bite of bridle to keep the main closed, I would still jump it today with no worries. I'm pretty sure I had the fiftieth Wonderhog ever made with 3 rings I've been jumping Wonderhogs ever since.Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #18 October 31, 2009 thatl's an awesome story - thanks for sharing! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #19 October 31, 2009 QuoteQuoteQuoteIt looks....scary (in 2009) pictured is the 1978 model30 years ago I thought those rigs were BEAUTIFUL. Now I just look at them and shake my head. The Vector really changed things, didn't it? That red one in the glass from the PIA convention a few years back...am I right about it being Number 1 ? That was #1. I made it for myself and was jumping it at DeLand when a guy came up to me and asked where he could get one. I told him I only made rigs for myself, and already had a full time job as a band director. He said he'd give me $100 for it and I thought, "Why not?" I'll just pocket the hundred, and make another one for myself next week. That was the beginning of the end of my career in music. Thirty years later, the same guy walked into the Relative Workshop and said, "Gimme $100 and it's yours...and I'll throw in the Church Window PC. As I joyfully gave him his money back I asked, "How long has this been packed?" To which he replied, "About 25 years." Everybody in the room smiled..."Mad Dog" grabbed it and stated, as he walked out the door toward the DZ, "I gottta go jump this!" The 25 year old pack job opened great, and the rig has been jumped several times since. You can see a picture of it on the "ape" on the 50,000th Vector ad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #20 October 31, 2009 Always thought hogs were a great looking rig. Still do.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stuntturtle9 0 #21 March 13, 2015 QuoteI ordered my first Wonderhog in 1975,Mr.Booth measured me for a custom rig cost $275.Put a Strato Star in it and a 1000 jumps later I bought my second Wonderhog.I still refer to my Vector 3 as My Wonder hog.[/re Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyboy6554 3 #22 March 14, 2015 here's mine!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nigel99 501 #23 March 14, 2015 councilman24 Nothing scary about it. As long as you got rid of the belly band, elastic closing loop, shot and a halfs. BTW if your jumping a Vector III (or Vector II or Vector) your still jumping a Wonder Hog. Check the label on your harness. Made under the same TSO C23b approval. My first ever rig was a battered old wonderhog. TSO system is seriously flawed that a Vector III is considered the 'same' from an approvals point of view.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites pms07 3 #24 March 15, 2015 A '78 original model is going to look a bit different. This one looks like the belly band was removed and modified to ROL pilot chute. My first Wonderhog was a '77 model and it was by far the best thing on the market! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites riggerrob 643 #25 March 15, 2015 If it ain't broke, why fix it? The TSO program is primarily about quality control. If the failure/fatality rate is low, why repeat the drop-tests? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
flyboy6554 3 #22 March 14, 2015 here's mine!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 501 #23 March 14, 2015 councilman24 Nothing scary about it. As long as you got rid of the belly band, elastic closing loop, shot and a halfs. BTW if your jumping a Vector III (or Vector II or Vector) your still jumping a Wonder Hog. Check the label on your harness. Made under the same TSO C23b approval. My first ever rig was a battered old wonderhog. TSO system is seriously flawed that a Vector III is considered the 'same' from an approvals point of view.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pms07 3 #24 March 15, 2015 A '78 original model is going to look a bit different. This one looks like the belly band was removed and modified to ROL pilot chute. My first Wonderhog was a '77 model and it was by far the best thing on the market! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #25 March 15, 2015 If it ain't broke, why fix it? The TSO program is primarily about quality control. If the failure/fatality rate is low, why repeat the drop-tests? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
