Seat Harness

The blue harness above looks very similar to the one fitted to my Chipmunk (although mine is black). If anyone has some spare shoulder straps in this style, I’d be very interested as I’ve only got the lap strap for my rear seat 😉

cheers

John

In the pictures below am I right in assuming the complete harness is from the 50’s. The partial one seems to be off an adjustable Sutton type, not sure what era

The only wartime RAF aircraft (that I’ve been able to find) with the quick-release-type harness, was the Tempest; it’s illustrated in the A.P. I think that it would have been tan, in colour, just like the Sutton; as far as I can tell the blue version was post-war.
The Sutton (in the Spitfire, certainly) lasted until just post-war, with the quick-release QS/ZB harnesses arriving in late 45/46. The Sutton was invented at the end of the First World War, but was largely “forgotten,” soon after. When more powerful, and highly manouverable, a/c arrived, and pilots started to lose their seating, it was brought back into use.
Edgar

Thanks Elliott I have sent you a PM and look forward to the pics

Ken

Ken – I have some Sutton harnesses, but also another wartime harness made by a company called Mech Co. I’ll post some pics when I dig it out.

The blue one is 50s. I scrounged one when I had a car and had it fitted, saved me when I did have a near head-on. One of the very first to have a harness fitted in a car in 1955.

I have a blue one like this assume its post war but not a clue as to its application.

In the pictures below am I right in assuming the complete harness is from the 50’s. The partial one seems to be off an adjustable Sutton type, not sure what era

Thanks Graham, the pictures are very interesting.

Ken

Here you go