Description
5/14/26- For sale is a WW2 U.S. Army Airborne First Pattern 1942 T-5 Parachute & T5 43-H Reserve Parachute Set produced by The Rigger Depot, widely regarded as the finest reproduction parachute manufacturer in the world. This set is 99% mint, with only a minor paint chip on the red reserve chute D-pull, and was custom ordered and handmade in California using original WWII schematics, period-correct materials, and authentic vintage machinery. Both the main and reserve parachutes are fully packed display sets and remain “keyed closed,” just like original wartime airborne configurations. These are premium collector and reenactor display pieces only and are NOT intended for actual parachuting use.
The Rigger Depot reproductions are considered the gold standard among serious WWII airborne collectors, reenactors, and film productions due to their unmatched accuracy and craftsmanship. This set features over 100 feet of custom-woven 9-layer Type VIII webbing, authentic 7-class stitching completed on original wartime harness machines, custom forged steel hardware with proper OD finishes, genuine Scovill grommets, tight-weave aeronautical canvas, and nearly 20 feet of hidden reinforcement webbing throughout the harness system. Every buckle, fitting, stitch, and marking was reproduced directly from original wartime blueprints and hand stamped just like the originals. The reserve pack features the correct early first-pattern “grip” extensions, and the harness includes historically accurate early-style webbing and lighter-duty V-rings consistent with 1941–1942 production examples.
To verify authentic Rigger Depot construction, look for the hand-stamped “JN316” marking associated with owner and craftsman Joshua De Jong, along with correct hand-stamped inspection dates, part numbers, and manufacturer markings. Main chute weight is approximately 19 lbs. 10 oz., while the reserve weighs approximately 11 lbs. 15 oz. Like original airborne sets, if the keys are broken and the pack opened, the set must be returned to The Rigger Depot for professional re-keying and repacking.
Historically, the white “training” T-5 parachutes were used extensively during WWII before camouflage chutes became widespread, seeing action in North Africa, Sicily, Southern France during Operation Dragoon, and throughout the Pacific Theater including Corregidor. This particular set was previously part of an 11th Airborne collection. The Rigger Depot’s parachute reproductions have also been used in numerous major film and television productions including Masters of the Air, SAS: Rogue Heroes, Midway, Catch-22, Overlord, and Unbroken.
NOTE: These parachutes are display reproductions only and are NOT to be used for real-life parachuting. Instructional manual is not included, though manuals and additional information may be requested directly through The Rigger Depot.
