1967 Para-Commander

[SEREJumper 1]

Finally had a windy day to get my 1967 PC in the breeze (on the ground). This one was supposedly jumped a lot at Elsinore with a pretty interesting story to go along with it. Anyone seen a color pattern like this before? She is a beauty.

http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e280/Gearpics/paracommander/

Thanks for looking.

Kurt

We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

[darkwing 5]

It looks familiar to me. Seems I recall a guy in Boise had one like that when I started jumping there in 1973. I don't recall the name of the pattern though, although I do remember some other pattern names. I owned a "clown"

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[JerryBaumchen 1,426]

Hi Jeff,

We had a guy at the Donald, OR dz who also had a Clown PC. He then ordered a X-BO rig with every flap/panel on the container being a 'different' color to match the canopy.

Very busy to look at,

JerryBaumchen

[mccurley 1]

By "Busy" do mean ugly?

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[377 22]

Never saw that pattern.

Paul Laput (Cal Club Livermore CA circa 69) got a custom PC with lots of orange and black panels. We called it the Great Pumpkin. Anyone recall Paul and his PC?

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[jerry9461 0]

Pioneer had a design called "Aztec" with these colors, but I am not sure if the pattern was the same.

[Beatnik 2]

This is not a n Aztec pattern. I have an Aztec PC that is used for parts it has more yellow and black than red. More of a stripe pattern. I might have a picture of one somewhere.

[377 22]

Sounds like Beatnik has a FrankenPC.

I can see the rig now, squeeze type Capewell on one side, pull ring type on the other. Hey, it's all vintage so it's all good.

God bless Beatnik, he really needs it.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[JerryBaumchen 1,426]

Hi Steve,

No, 'busy' does not mean ugly.

If you were to look at an Army Team PC you would find a very simple pattern; a black w/gold keyhole.

This canopy shown in this thread just has lots of colors all mixed up; to me that is 'busy.'

OK?

JerryBaumchen

[SkydiveJack 1]

I'm really digging through the dead (KIA) brain cells here.

Could that pattern be something they called the Black Widow?

[Graybird 0]

I had a friend who jumped one very similar. I believe it was called the bumble bee color pattern.

[Beatnik 2]

Quote

Could that pattern be something they called the Black Widow?

I believe a black widow pattern has black and red alternating gores. I could be wrong though.

[piper17 1]

Jack,

Not a Black Widow pattern. My first rig (Pioneer three pin canvas container) included a MkI PC in the "Black Widow" pattern; apex was red, black "legs" and then white. I have a photo somewhere...yellow with age but no yellow in the canopy.

"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"...Rudyard Kipling

[ParaShoot 0]

I've a very similar one that I regularly jump. Especially on our vintage weekends. It's a Competition though and I've to look for the date.

Now I've a closer look the colors are a like but the pattern is different.

** Know what you say but don't say all you know. **

[Tink1717 2]

There's one like that covering the ceiling in the loft at Skydive Delmarva.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[phildthedildo 0]

bumblebee pattern was american Papillon not para commander

[steve1 5]

Quote

I've a very similar one that I regularly jump. Especially on our vintage weekends. It's a Competition though and I've to look for the date.

How does that Competition model land. I've heard many stories about how much harder they land than a Mk-1.

I bought a competion model a few years back. I had the high turning slots shortened by a rigger. I hope to try it out this summer.....

I do recall the black widow pattern. I think I remember the clown pattern.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I loved my Red Devil P.C. I wish I still had that canopy.....

[Niki1 1]

Quote

I'm really digging through the dead (KIA) brain cells here.

Could that pattern be something they called the Black Widow?

Hey, Jack! Toda Bone?
I'm thinking that the pattern you're reffering to is the "Merry Widow". It was black with a multi colored keyhole. A "Black Widow" would'nt be a very good name for a life saving device.The colors in this picture are the same as those used in the pattern called the "Aztec" but a different layout. there's a picture several posts down from yours that is an Aztec.
I hope everything is going fine for you. Don't bend the aircraft.

Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done.
Louis D Brandeis

Where are we going and why are we in this basket?

[ripcord4 0]

The all-black PC with multi-colored keyhole was the "Church Window" - I had two of them and it was the prettiest PC pattern EVER!

Hi ya, Beatnik!

[howardwhite 6]

OK, since everyone is having such fun dusting off cobwebs, here is the first of a set of little quizzes. Just assign a name to each number.
If this becomes too hard, maybe I'll provide the answers and you just have to match name to number.
There will be a prize, probably a free skydive at a DZ of my choice.

HW

[wdy_bnckr 0]

Damn, if I could turn back the clock 44 years I'd be able to tell you what my PC looked like when it comes out...

[Beatnik 2]

I have the ads these pics came from so I will leave it alone for a while. But I do know what they are.

[Beatnik 2]

Quote

I'm thinking that the pattern you're reffering to is the "Merry Widow"

This is a Merry Widow PC.

I apologize if this is someone's picture. I got in a long time ago off the net and can't remember where now.

[ParaShoot 0]

I've an ad with two full pages with the names including the piglets and starlites and the MK2 colors.

I'll scan it but post it after most names are filled in so people still have to think hard.

** Know what you say but don't say all you know. **

[pchapman 279]

Quote

I've an ad with two full pages with the names

That would be great because I've seen a few discussions here where everyone is chipping in about PC color scheme names and whether or not a canopy is exactly that scheme or not...