View Full Version : Any ideas about this photo?
flyer43
2nd Aug 2007, 07:10
I recently received this photo from somebody looking for any info on its history etc. Any ideas most welcome!
F43
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/Helihanging.jpg
lartsa
2nd Aug 2007, 07:29
its was a new type of parachute they were testing called a paraheli
it has a engine and rotor blade to help you go back up, it helped on return journeys
after testing this device they deceided that they could put the parachuter inside the top device and they called it a helicopter the rest we know
LOL
Hahhaha, it took 1000h to realize that...;o)
Cheers!
I thought it was a new ride at the local fair :eek:
I reckon that is a camera on his right shoulder - and this is an early attempt at a damped airborne camera platform prior to those clever gyroscopic remote thingies in big white balls that the dangle from helicopters now
effortless
2nd Aug 2007, 07:52
I believe that it is a film shoot. Lots of things were hung from helos in order to get "in flight" footage.
evilroy
2nd Aug 2007, 09:12
Looks like an Alouette II with a German reg (though I can't really make out the reg at all).
The rigging of the "parachute" lines looks very strange.
Short answer: I don't have a clue...
ShyTorque
2nd Aug 2007, 09:38
It's the very first Anglo-French multi crew concept. It's the British co-pilot underneath.
Dan Reno
2nd Aug 2007, 10:53
This setup all but eliminated camera vibration.
flyer43
2nd Aug 2007, 11:09
Thanks for the replies so far, even the less than serious ones!! My ailing grey matter tells me that I think I have seen a similar photo many years ago and that it was indeed an early form of managing camera vibration for aerial shots.
If anybody has any extra info on this it would be of interest to me - and possibly other sad persons as well!!
F43
treadigraph
2nd Aug 2007, 12:16
I'm certain that this rig was used by ace film camerman, the late John Jordan (had Battle of Britain and Catch 22 to his credit), and was used in the James Bond film starring George Lazenby. He earlier lost a leg when a Bell 47 got too close filming You Only Live Twice (the Little Nellie sequence - using this same rig?) and died after he fell out of the back of a B-25 filming Catch 22.
Not the John Jordan who used to terrorise the airshow circuit in a Stearman by the way!
spinwing
2nd Aug 2007, 12:32
Mmmmmmmmm ....
Now I could be wrong on this .... but as I have a mind that retains all manner of not very useful info and very little useful stuff I will have a go ...
I think you will find this piccy is of a rig that was used during the fliming of the movie "Catch 22" (or similar) ... when the director wanted to easily film a 360 deg panorama from in the centre of a B25 formation.
The idea was to suspend the camera man from this rig which then allowed the Allouette to fly around as part of the formation being able to do that task giving an uninterupted 360 take ....
Jeeze I hope i'm right or I'm gunna get some sh*t eh! :O
Cheers :E:ok:
flyer43
2nd Aug 2007, 13:19
Taking info from some of the responses, I googled around the web and found several sites which refer to John Jordan and his exploits as a helicopter cameraman. He lost part of his leg whilst filming You Only Live Twice and died whilst filming Catch 22 when he fell out of the helicopter - apparently he never wore a safety harness whilst filming........
The following link is to further info for those interested:- John Jordan (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0430025/bio)
PS: Thanks to all for the help in identifying the pickie.
SASless
2nd Aug 2007, 18:15
Helicopter Hire at Southend had one of those rigs. John Crewdson and Gil.....name now forgotten described using the thing over a pub lunch one day (circa 1975). Gil had been a stunt double for a Ms. P. Galore in the film Goldfinger as I recall. Stunning blonde she was! (Gil....as well as Ms. Galore).
I thought it was a new ride at the local fair :eek:
It's Called "The Chair of Death!" And it's called that because someone was killed on it last year :}
Hilico
2nd Aug 2007, 19:49
Spinwing, you say this Allouette was supposed to keep formation with B25s. Question one - max speed of an Allouette with chap dangling underneath? Question two - stalling speed of B25?
212man
2nd Aug 2007, 21:42
Nah....it's a new hangover cure!
gingernut
2nd Aug 2007, 22:07
How does it land without squashing the poor chap?
nervouspassenger
2nd Aug 2007, 23:37
Yyyyyooooovvvv'eeeeee aaallll ggooot iit wwwwrroonnngg... Iiiiiii wwwassss tttthheeerrreeeeeeeeee --------- iiittt dddiidd nnnmottthhiingg ffffooorrrr vvvviiiibbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbrrraaattiiiooonnn aaaatttt aaaallllllllllllllllllll
flyer43
3rd Aug 2007, 07:59
OK, so now the picture I posted appears to have been positively identified, do any of you budding knowledge hounds have any other pickies of this contraption in use?
Cheers
F43
PS: 212man - I didn't think that you were allowed to get hangovers where you are working........
spinwing
3rd Aug 2007, 10:54
Hilico ......
I have no idea .... we could have asked Gen Jimmy Doolittle who managed to launch a whole bunch of them off an aircraft carrier (without the benefit of a catapault) ...... but he no longer with us!
I would imagine without the weight of a bombload ...... slow enough for the air shot required ?????? ... the wake turbulence from the formation though would have made the job interesting eh? :yuk:
Cheers :E
treadigraph
3rd Aug 2007, 13:00
Flyer43, if you get hold of a DVD copy of "On her Majesty's Secret Service", I think it includes a short documentary about John Jordan, aerial filming and the rig - I meant to check last night, will tonight if sober enough to remember!
Helicopter was used for some shots in Catch 22, but I'm sure they used a B-25 (they certainly had enough of them!) for the aerial work and it was from this that Jordan fell.