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Book Discussion About DB Cooper
fcastle866:
This has been discussed before. I am of the belief that the bomb was railroad flares. I am also of the belief that a flare might have been useful to see where he was going, but it would difficult to pull out while under the canopy. Doable for a real experienced jumper, but for a less experienced one? Maybe he used the flares to burn up the briefcase. I personally think that he would have had enough light to see the ground coming up, or to use the para cord to lower the money, like a paratrooper would lower his equipment, just before hitting the ground.
RaoulDuke24:
The way Cooper's "bomb" was described makes it sound like a reasonable possibility that it was in fact some flares bundled together.
When you combine that with eyewitness reports of some sort of "fire ball" falling from the sky, it's possible that something like this might have played out:
Cooper had a few accomplices on the ground, each stationed several miles apart from north to south. Cooper jumped with a burning flare so an accomplice could see where he bailed and track him to a general area on the ground. Once on the ground, Cooper may have lit another flare to signal his location (although this of course is obviously quite risky when your buddy isn't the only one interested in knowing your location).
So the purpose of the flares could have been two-fold: Serve as a decoy for a bomb and also to signal to an accomplice.
Question is, are there flares that are safe to hold? And even jump out of a plane with? Could the flare burn up the canopy of his chute? Any chance it's even feasible to do? (I know nothing about flares and have never played with one, probably for good reason).
If it isn't quite realistic, perhaps he lit one and tossed it out of the plane immediately before jumping. Of course he wouldn't land anywhere near the flare, but it could at least signal the jumping out spot.
Just one of a million possibilities.
377:
Ordinary road flares can be hand held without severe danger. Watch this:
The dangerous part is the molten sulfur oxide mess that drips as the fuel is burned. Freefalling with an ignited one held in your hand would be dangerous as the molten goop might come up towards you at 120 mph freefall speeds. I'd have no trouble igniting one after my canopy was open and holding it in my hand.
The fuel has some rare components, but no Yttrium.
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377
georger:
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Register or LoginThis has been discussed before. I am of the belief that the bomb was railroad flares. I am also of the belief that a flare might have been useful to see where he was going, but it would difficult to pull out while under the canopy. Doable for a real experienced jumper, but for a less experienced one? Maybe he used the flares to burn up the briefcase. I personally think that he would have had enough light to see the ground coming up, or to use the para cord to lower the money, like a paratrooper would lower his equipment, just before hitting the ground.
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Nobody smelled a flare having been ignited in the plane or on the stairs. So if he had flares and ignited one it must have left no trace in the plane.
If it was flares why did he wire the eight flares like a real bomb? To convince who?
18C:
Have been listening to the Cooper Vortex podcasts and been interested, among other things, to hear of some new(ish) DB Cooper books.
When I heard Nat Loufoque had E. Howard Hunt as his Cooper I thought yeah, yea, here we go... But credit where it is due, whether E. Howard Hunt was Cooper or not. Loufoque has done some hard yards and I wouldn't mind getting hold of his book.
I have already ordered 'Paratrooper of Fortune' - the story of Ted Braden - not because I think he is Cooper, but because it sounds like an interesting life to read about. Similarly, Keith Hirshland's 'Big Flies.' Great concept for a story tying a few unsolved crimes together and using it as a framework for some fiction. Bought that too.
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