This ride is defunct.
Arriving in 1960, the Paratrooper was one of the larger thrill rides that began to appear as the park and the nation continued to recover post-war. It was built by AMECO, a Welsh amusement ride manufacturer who were also (and still are) responsible for operating the Mumbles Pier in Swansea Bay.
Later Paratrooper rides featured hydraulic mechanisms where main body of the ride was lifted for operation and lowered for loading, allowing all cars to be loaded at once. This was an ‘upright’ ride that required the cars to be loaded individually like those on a ferris wheel, when they were closest to the ground.
There are several photos that appear to show another Paratrooper ride, or perhaps this one was heavily modified. Please get in touch via the About page if you can help provide more information.