Aircraft Quiz No. 111

[Doug Robertson]

1. Who made the first successful aircraft "parachute" jumps from an airplane? His
name?

2. What was the exact date of his first jumps?

3. Altitude of the first jump?

4. Over where was the first jump?

5. What was used for what we now call a "parachute"?

(AHA!)-You probably did not expect this teaser, explanation will be forthcoming after a correct answer set.

[Timothy Aanerud]

Here's a double answer due to conflicting sources:

1. Gordon Morton vs. Albert Berry
2. Morton 1911 vs Berry March 1, 1912
2a. Some sources say April 28, 1912 for Morton
3. Morton 4000 vs Berry 1500 feet
4. Morton Venice Beach CA vs Berry Jefferson Barracks south of St Louis MO
5. huh?

I have cited the first known jumps from an airplane. But, since this is a Doug Robertson quiz, you have to read clue 1 very carefully. He says aircraft "parachute". That's one of his tricky qualifiers. Doug might want to know when then 1919 Airplane Parachute Type-A was used.

[Doug Robertson]

Well, thank you Timothy. I am going to post what I and others consider the first "parachute' jumps from an airplane". I trust my source completely.

"On March 1, 1912, Army Captain Albert Barry jumped from a Benoist plane, piloted by Anthony Jannus, at an altitude of 15,000 feet over Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri. Barry had bought a small balloon of the type used by showmen and adapted it to his concept of a parachute". Incidentally, his jump was a success!

(This explanation from page 97, "1001 Questions Answered About Aviation History"), by C. H. Hildreth and Bernard C. Nalty. Dodd, Mead & Company. New York. 1969.

I highly recommend the incredibly fascinating book which covers aviation history very well.