WW2 British Airborne Forces Folding Bicycle, green painted steel bike frame with BSA bike chain section, brown leather Brooks saddle. Inflatable rubber tyres. Central folding brackets. Bike appears to have been repainted at some point and has some replaced parts as with 90% of all examples on the market. These folding bikes were famously issued to the British Airborne Forces who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and Arnhem later in 1944. They were issued these bikes as a way for the troops to quickly cover large areas of ground in a quiet manner as they were behind enemy lines. However many of the paratroopers found these cumbersome so abandoned them soon after landing. The bikes were held out in front of the paratroopers when they parachuted in behind enemy lines. Many famous wartime images can be seen of these bikes in use.