In the event of a government shutdown, American History will remain OPEN through at least Saturday, October 7, by using prior year funds. Visit si.edu for updates.

S. Slater and Sons nylon twill Parachute cloth length; 1941.

S. Slater and Sons nylon twill Parachute cloth length; 1941.

Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description
S. Slater and Sons nylon twill Parachute cloth fabric length; 1941.
White twill weave fabric length with some brown marks and spotting throughout. This Nylon cloth was specifically made for parachutes in World War II. Manufacturer's notes: Style 10340 Ex. 2, 38" reed, counting 143 x 104; warp 37/13 nylon 8 T, filling 56/20 nylon 3 T. Woven by S. Slater and Sons. One edge is pinked, and the other is torn and not straight.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
Fabric
Fabric length
Nylon Parachute Cloth
Fabric Length
date made
1941
maker
Slater, Samuel
S. Slater & Sons
place made
United States: Rhode Island, Pawtucket
Associated Place
United States: New Jersey, Allentown
Physical Description
nylon (overall material)
twill weave (overall production method/technique)
white (overall color)
Measurements
overall: 117 in x 37 in; 297.18 cm x 93.98 cm
ID Number
TE.T08523.000
catalog number
T08523.000
Credit Line
Gift of S. Slater and Sons
subject
World War II
American Textile Industry
related event
World War II
See more items in
Home and Community Life: Textiles
American Silks
American Textile Industry
Textiles
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Comments

I was using a twill reserve canopy during a jump in 1973 at the Pascagoula Mississippi airport when I had a main canopy malfunction and had to deploy the reserve. The Twill canopy deployed perfectly and I had a smooth but firm Landing under it. They had a history of blowing out panels during high speed deployment. Fortunately I had a may west failure which is not high speed. The canopy was retired after that jump and used by a friend of mine as a drapery hung, as if open, from his ceiling.

Joseph Smith

Mon, 2020-04-06 12:21

Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.