I am amazed at how much I have learnt just from this thread. With all of the detailed descriptions above I am really starting to understand where everything goes and how it all depends on it all to be in place so that it can work properly. The finished seat will be going in my Mohawk cockpit but that is a project that is in storage for now, I don’t expect it to be completed for a number of years.

Anon – the Mohawk uses a harness similar to a MA-2 but slightly different. Early seats used RJE fasteners and later seats Kochs, mine was used in a transitional period where both were used so I’ll probably go with whatever type I see first. The Kochs are fitted with the male portion on the harness and female on the seat similar to US Navy systems, I understand that USAF is the opposite. There is also anecdotal evidence on the net that some Mohawks in Vietnam actually used chutes and harnesses from F-8 Crusaders as the supply chain was better for them than through the Army system.

I’ve attached a photo of a small part that came with the seat, it’s just a thin tube about 10cm long, does anyone know where it goes?

The BTRU on my seat is set to 5000m and I have 3 trip rods for it as well as 2 trip rods for the drogue gun, on this seat the trip rods are connected to a crossbeam attached to the main gun rather than the cockpit wall, unfortunately I’m missing the main gun but will be able to make a dummy up eventually.

Parts that I do have are; headrest, parachute restraining straps (2 sets), trip rods, drogue shackle, drogue slug shackle (x2), oxy bottle and leg restraint lines (the Mohawk uses 1 blue and 1 white one)

Parts that I don’t have are; drogue chute, drogue link line, drogue withdrawal line, main parachute, main parachute soft case, PSP (or RSSK as the Americans call it), seat cushion, leg restraint garters.

Regards Paul

Thanks, its a J5B from a Grumman Mohawk so I’m not holding my breath to find all of the correct bits and may have to ‘make do’ with some items. I’ve got 1 question at the moment, the straps that come down from the headbox and hold the main parachute in place, how are they attached at the backrest end?
Cheers Paul

Thanks for the answers, I was starting to think it may be designed for only short use cycles which Beaufighter has confirmed, still don’t know why they’re getting so hot though, there is not much power going through them.

Hi Ian, yes the 134 prefix kinda gives it away. I’ve already got a control column from a prototype aircraft without all of the buttons, although nice I can’t afford it at the moment just for the buttons.
lanc35, thanks for the link, I haven’t seen that before, it is useful but I really need a OV-1C version as it is a different layout.
Paul