ChippyWho Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Thought I'd share this photo of the Martin Baker Test Facility being put to use. It belongs to the excellent Barry Raymond, who posted it on one of the FB pages I follow -so I guess he won't mind me showing you folks. The page is 'Eastcote, Ruislip, Uxbridge now and Then'. I grew up in Uxbridge (and how I WISH I was still there!), and the Martin Baker works was a couple of miles down the road at Higher Denham in the leafy Buckinghamshire countryside. Not sure I'd want a job there, though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Life of dummies is hard! In early years of ejection seat trials human “dummies” were also used but as far as I know nowdays only test dummies are used, of course unless you are a fighter pilot and have to eject to save your life. Still a great photo. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EagleAviation Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Fantastic shot! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Not sure I'd want a job there, though... :woot.gif:/> I would have loved a job there!!!!!!! :woot.gif: Now I have a job with ejection seats but it is very, very far from a M-B job. Still I also have two Martin-Baker seats to restore so in a way it is a job for M-B. :D :D :D Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 In early years of ejection seat trials human “dummies” were also used but as far as I know nowdays only test dummies are used, of course unless you are a fighter pilot and have to eject to save your life. Looks like that pic is from the dummy era (what is it -Jaguar?); these have become so sophisticated y'can't go far wrong. However, ages ago maybe in the '70s, I recall reading an article about a 'live dummy' who routinely knocked six bells out of himself on bang seat tests. One day, after a particularly adventurous excursion, he got pretty beaten up but went stoically to bed that night feeling 'bruised'. Waking up the next day, everything inside was so swollen and out of whack he told his wife: "Darling...I think I'm pregnant!" I believe her reply was to the effect that he was only around one-tenth of the way to experiencing the real thing...not including the actual birth! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Interesting story. I think it is an Alpha Jet cockpit test and a Zero Zero one, not a sledge test. Our pilots had to go through "real" ejection tests few decades ago, there was dummy cockpit with a rail (some 10 meters or so) on which the ejection seat was fired. The pilots had the choice between two different piro charges. Have to say that they were not to happy to do this. In later years a small class room system was used which only gave a small kick with air pressure where the seat traveled just few centimeters. It was intended for familiarization with what to do before ejection. Have seen similar trainer used by USAF even up to this day. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RedHeadKevin Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Not sure I'd want a job there, though... :woot.gif:/> Well, it has its ups and downs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
squezzer Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Interesting story. I think it is an Alpha Jet cockpit test and a Zero Zero one, not a sledge test... Best regards Gabor It is definetly a Jaguar cockpit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 It is definetly a Jaguar cockpit. Thanks for the info, good to know. Was not sure and I dont have the original photo. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 Well, it has its ups and downs. :naughty:/> Is this what they mean by "Bangers and Mash" ??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JOHN Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Looks like that pic is from the dummy era (what is it -Jaguar?); these have become so sophisticated y'can't go far wrong. However, ages ago maybe in the '70s, I recall reading an article about a 'live dummy' who routinely knocked six bells out of himself on bang seat tests. One day, after a particularly adventurous excursion, he got pretty beaten up but went stoically to bed that night feeling 'bruised'. Waking up the next day, everything inside was so swollen and out of whack he told his wife: "Darling...I think I'm pregnant!" I believe her reply was to the effect that he was only around one-tenth of the way to experiencing the real thing...not including the actual birth! Doddy Hay was the Martin Baker seat live dummy and he wrote a book called "The man in the hot seat". It is a good read on early ejector seat testing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winnie Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) W.T. Hay and Bernard Lynch. Bernad Lynch was the first guy to eject out of a Gloster Meteor on a Martin Baker seat. Check out this link for some history: Martin Baker History Cheers H. Edited December 28, 2015 by Winnie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erik_g Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 It is definetly a Jaguar cockpit. That´s why it has got "Alpha Jet" written on the side? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 That´s why it has got "Alpha Jet" written on the side? A cunning deception ploy! :lol: (And my eyesight is getting worse...) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erik_g Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 A cunning deception ploy! :lol:/> (And my eyesight is getting worse...) Well, on the nose of all Gripen fighters it says "No Grip"*, but I don´t think that has fooled anyone yet. :-D (*In Swedish "Grip" is griffin in singular, one grip, several gripar and the gripen) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.