Martin Baker Ejection Seats Mk.1 and 2

Hi Nicko, the seat in your picture looks like a mk4, the Mk4P is fitted to the Jet Provost which would match the fact it has ‘port seat’ labelled on the head box.  However, looking at my copy of AP129 the following aircraft were fitted with the Mk. 2 seat:

Wyvern Mk. 2B 

Sea Hawk Mk. 2D

Meteor Mk. 2E

Venom Mk. 2F

Swift Mk. 2G

Hunter Mk. 2H

Javelin (aircraft mks 1-6) Mk. 2J.

The Swift, Hunter and Javelins were also later fitted with variations of the Mk. 3 seat too.

Regards,

Martyn

GYD

Ejection Seat Mk.2 – Can anyone identify what aircraft this Mk.2 is installed in?

Per the data plate:

Type: 4P4 [Not sure this is correct]

Assy Drg No. MBEU 38770

Comp Frg No. MBEU 35894 [I think I have read this correctly]

Date: 11 9 72

AM Ref 27 L 150.529 [Not sure this is correct]

Here is the basic info that answers my questions about the seat selected for the Australian single-seat Vampire – why it took so long to figure out what seat would be used, and why De Havilland in Bankstown thought that various marks other than the final selection would be used.

From Terry’s list, the Mk.1A, 1B, 1C and 1E were all available around 1949/1950.

De Havilland and MB were looking at the 1E being fitted in the Venom FB.1 from ca.1950. An inspection of the mock-up in Jan 1951 using the fuselage of Vampire FB.5 VZ835 and a modified Mk.1E seat revealed various changes required. The seat became the Mk.1F.

A Mk.1F was sent to Australia for fitment in Mk.31 A79-390. To address the outstanding concern of pilot size, any pilot had to be approved first as having less than 24.5″ thigh length. After finding that putting his feet in the stirrups required the pilot to loosen his harness, causing spine curvature and so likely spinal injury, the stirrups were removed. The package to address the removal of the stirrups was to change from Mk.1F to Mk.2F – the Automatic seat. I assume the Mk.2F(A) was Australian-specific. The removal of the stirrups was covered for by ankle straps. Tying of the lower legs was to prevent the legs flaying and going outside of the thigh-guards – this would be a major threat to the legs.

Tying of the legs instead of stirrups required the addition of some padding on the underside of the seat.

As it turned out for the Venom, it was the FB.4 that first flew (in late 1953) with the ejection seat – before the FB.1. It entered service in 1955.

For RAF and RN aircraft, the work to modify Mk.1 seats to Mk.2 began in August 1953.

In Australia, the prototype mod aircraft (A79-390) flew with the seat in 1953, and the mod program for the fleet ran from the second half of 1955 through to early 1957.

https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=3023621

NAA: A705, 9/84/49

Also, am still interested to know if anyone out there knows what sort of detail about such things might be found in the book.

Okay, PM situation now understood.

Anyway, back to my original question being about the when the individual variants are available, I’ll chase this by looking at the individual aircraft as listed by Terry.

FYI, addition to Terry’s list – and the reason for my interest – Vampire Mk.30 and 31. Initially the Mk.1 was intended but various delays occurred. They thought the Mk.3 might even be possible. As it turned out it was the Mk. 2F(A). The actual design for the installation is based on that for the Venom; all of the airframe dwgs involved have 12* part numbers.

I have requested a digital copy of our (NAA) archive’s file. Some of these are affordable for me, so I avoid the long wait until the next interstate travel.

The other addition for Terry’s list would be the Vampire FB.6. I should be able to check this fairly easily and will advise
: – )

Terry – thanks – pdf works and is much appreciated.

All – I have PM’d many times over the years. Last time I tried it worked for me – that was about a year ago.

It’s possible but not in this particular case.

I couldn’t get the text file – as I said 404 not found – but no trouble with the pdf.

Ditto. Could it be that, on this forum, a certain number of posts are required not only to send and receive PMs but also to view attachments?

Works for me 🙂

Maybe you’ll be able to see it as a PDF file!

Nicko. The document  AVIA 53/450 is held by the TNA at Kew. 

Txt file doesn’t work for me either – 404 not found.

Private messaging won’t work for me!

No luck in other browser. In the old days I used to be able to right click on the link and ‘save target as’, but I guess the greater need for cyber security these days has removed that option.

PM sent.

Thanks gents.

Oracal – is that an archive document? I’m in Australia. If it is elsewhere, I don’t suppose it would be of use unless it is digitised.

Terry – I’m having trouble with the txt file. I don’t think this forum is set up to allow viewing of attachments other than images. I’ll try another browser.

Try:

https://martin-baker.com/products/mk1-ejection-seat/

https://martin-baker.com/products/mk2/

and see the attached.

As I understand it early ejection seats were modified from Type 1 to type 2 and used as;

Type 1A & 2A Attacker

Type 1B & 2B Wyvern

Type 1C & 2C Canberra (very different from other Type 1s and 2s)

Type 1D & 2D Sea Hawk

Type 1E & 2E Meteor

Type 1F & 2F Venom FB4

Type 1H & 2H Hunter

Have you looked at this TNA file? AVIA 53/450, Martin Baker Aircraft Co: development of Mk I pilot ejection seat.