howardwhite 6 #1 March 12, 2007 For all you Ripcord fans... Life Magazine (April 12, 1963) had an article about your favorite TV show. (Picture attached.) One excerpt from the story: "Another time the script called for a hero-type to lower himself from the good guy's plane onto the tail of the bad guy's plane. After several false starts our hero finally managed to latch on, whereupon the two planes collided in mid-air. "The hero-type was able to retreat to the familiar wide-open spaces of the blue sky, pull his ripcord and descend to safety. One pilot jumped clear. But the other one, for some unfathomable reason, had brought along his chute but had neglected to put it on. "As his plane began disintegrating he reached back, grabbed the chute, and jumped clear with the bundle of nylon in his hands. "In a descent that not even a Ripcord writer could think up without dizzy spells, he fell thousands of feet, all the while trying to hook the chute to his harness which is roughly as easy as dressing for a white-tie dinner, studs, collar button, and all. "While the rest of the cast watched from the ground and feared the worst, he succeeded in getting hooked up just in time." HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
longtall 0 #2 March 13, 2007 Man! What a show! Thanks for the clip; do you have any others?........................................J..............." 90 right, five miles then cut."---Pukin Buzzards Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #3 March 13, 2007 QuoteMan! What a show! Thanks for the clip; do you have any others?........................................J............... Sure, but it wouldn't be any fun to put them all up at once. Stay tuned. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #4 March 14, 2007 O.K. Here's another. It's a very big original, too big to fit on my scanner in one piece. I sort of glued together two pieces; one of these days maybe I'll spend a few more Photoshop minutes doing a better job of concealing the seam. Gives new meaning to the term "handheld camera." HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
longtall 0 #5 March 14, 2007 How far do you backslide after shooting a .357?..J.." 90 right, five miles then cut."---Pukin Buzzards Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #6 March 14, 2007 QuoteHow far do you backslide after shooting a .357?..J.. Ah, yes, a new excuse. Instead of "I got caught in the burble," "I got recoiled out of my slot." HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #7 March 14, 2007 I like the camera flyer doing the hand track . . . lol.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bozo 0 #8 March 14, 2007 QuoteI like the camera flyer doing the hand track . . . lol. HEY ! The handtrack is coming back,,,,you just watch and see ! bozo Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #9 March 14, 2007 LOOKS LIKE THE CAMERA MAN IS MISSING A PACK OPENING BAND! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenneth21441 0 #10 March 14, 2007 Those were the days when skydiving was dangerous and sex was safe. I must see if I can really get a chance to check out if I can find a copy of the series, as ive never seen it. But listening to Bob Sinclair talk about those days gives me more respect for the founding fathers and mothers of our sport today. Love the pics that you had posted. Thanks, Ken.Kenneth Potter FAA Senior Parachute Rigger Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA) FFL Gunsmith Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #11 March 15, 2007 QuoteLOOKS LIKE THE CAMERA MAN IS MISSING A PACK OPENING BAND! ..................................... I think it's there, but for whatever reason, two bands may be crossed and hooked in the wrong place. Maybe it was a way to get them a little tighter??...Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shermanator 4 #12 March 16, 2007 you mean handtrack is gone? I read about it in a dusty book from the public library when i first started jumping. and without booties, boy does it work.CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08 CSA #720 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #13 March 17, 2007 QuoteHEY ! The handtrack is coming back,,,,you just watch and see ! Perhaps it would help if you wore some of these. (see picture) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zing 2 #14 March 17, 2007 What was the date for the ad, Howard? I know a couple jumpers, including myself, who made a set of "Death Gloves" at home in the 70s ... so named because the inserts between the fingers made fumbling for ripcords, Capewells and other stuff a bit more difficult, but they do work.Zing Lurks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #15 March 17, 2007 And are still available... http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=148#G1125 ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #16 March 17, 2007 QuoteWhat was the date for the ad, Howard? Sorry, dunno. I scanned it from an old Parachutist or maybe Skydiver when I was at USPA HQ last December, and didn't write down the date. I'm guessing early sixties. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #17 March 17, 2007 So what exactly is this hand track? I am guessing it was something perfected long before I was a twinkle in my father's eyes... when you guys were jumping with rocks !!! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #18 March 17, 2007 QuoteSo what exactly is this hand track? You didn't learn hand tracking? Where did you get your training? Look at the cameraman's hands, folded down at the wrist. Try it some time. (Not this weekend, unfortunately). HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #19 March 17, 2007 I learned to skydive at the dz of hard knocks!!! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #20 March 17, 2007 > when you guys were jumping with rocks No, no, the stone parachutes were before this. In the early 60s we were jumping wooden parachutes. And I'm here to tell you that sometimes getting those things into the box was a real bear! My first jumpsuit was a pair of Sear's Carpenter Coveralls, complete with loops for hammer and saw and other stuff you needed. Although the hammer was mostly needed in case you had a nail-over, which was a particularly nasty malfunction. Gotta keep those historical facts straight. Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #21 March 17, 2007 Gotta keep those historical facts straight. Quote And of course the saw was in case ya had to Cut Away! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dks13827 3 #22 June 7, 2009 Howard, great memories, I was 11 years old and never missed an episode of Ripcord. who are the jumpers and photographers shown ? Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 6 #23 June 8, 2009 Quote who are the jumpers and photographers shown? I dunno. I'll have to dredge out the original LIFE and see if there are photo credits. There are also some stories in Sky Diver about Ripcord after Lyle Cameron became part of it. Meanwhile I have recently: -Acquired DVDs of (I think) every episode of Ripcord produced; -Spent a lot of time on the phone and in email contact with a person who was directly involved in the creation and early development of the program. He told me the other day how the series got its name. (But I'm not saying anything else just now.) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites councilman24 37 #24 June 8, 2009 Hey, my first parachute had wood on it! Wooden toggles!I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ripcord4 0 #25 June 8, 2009 QuoteHey, my first parachute had wood on it! Wooden toggles! Several of mine still do! 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
dks13827 3 #22 June 7, 2009 Howard, great memories, I was 11 years old and never missed an episode of Ripcord. who are the jumpers and photographers shown ? Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #23 June 8, 2009 Quote who are the jumpers and photographers shown? I dunno. I'll have to dredge out the original LIFE and see if there are photo credits. There are also some stories in Sky Diver about Ripcord after Lyle Cameron became part of it. Meanwhile I have recently: -Acquired DVDs of (I think) every episode of Ripcord produced; -Spent a lot of time on the phone and in email contact with a person who was directly involved in the creation and early development of the program. He told me the other day how the series got its name. (But I'm not saying anything else just now.) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #24 June 8, 2009 Hey, my first parachute had wood on it! Wooden toggles!I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ripcord4 0 #25 June 8, 2009 QuoteHey, my first parachute had wood on it! Wooden toggles! Several of mine still do! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
