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MB. Mk. 7 ejection seat no step markings


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Looking at the Quinta F-4 Phantom set and some preprinted Eduard PE sets, I have noticed this marking with the No Step and arrow for the lower seat cushion. But I have never noticed it in any photos of actual MB Mk. 7 seats.  Was it really there? Does it go under the cushion?  Would it wear off in use?  I am sure that some one here must know, because they have serviced these seats for 20 years. 

6B53EF75-C688-4EDB-B272-72D2A6D8275C.jpeg

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Yes, the stencilling is there on the seat cushion. Take a closer look at photos, it is visible. Of course with time and use it fades somewhat. And also very important that most museum “restored” aircraft will either have something else in place of the cushion or have a very old example with almost no visible marking. Actual period, in service photos are more valuable and will show the marking!   

 

There are several versions of this stencilling, it varies both in size and exact positioning for the marking.

 

There is also a very different stencilling which has far more text painted on the cushion, but the Lift Here with the arrow is pointing to the same place in the back of the cushion to the handle on the survival pack box.

 

Actually the seat cushion version made by Quinta is the one for the NAVY seat where the emergency O2 bottle was in the survival pack on which the pilot was sitting. The Air Force version had it on the back of the seat.

 

The stencil marking on that Quinta set is the way it would look like when brand new, so some weathering and fading should be made to it. Same goes for the ejection rings on the head box, in real life they are more a dull buff colour rather than a bright yellow. But all this is up to individual taste of the modeller.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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It wasn't always present on USAF seat cushions. I saw more of that later in the F-4’s life. You’re safe with just a plain, medium OD colored cushions. Same for the lumbar pad. One of these days I’m going to go on ARC and Hyperscale with notes on the various USAF and USN/MC Mk 7 variations for those ultra-deTail freaks. Several seat landmarks changed over the years that would be visible even in 72nd scale. 

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5 hours ago, BillS said:

It wasn't always present on USAF seat cushions. I saw more of that later in the F-4’s life. You’re safe with just a plain, medium OD colored cushions. Same for the lumbar pad. One of these days I’m going to go on ARC and Hyperscale with notes on the various USAF and USN/MC Mk 7 variations for those ultra-deTail freaks. Several seat landmarks changed over the years that would be visible even in 72nd scale. 

 

Hi BillS

Look forward to those details!

 

I am not a freak, but like fine details and have more than 20 different (real full size) ejection seats in my collection / museum.  : )  Unfortunately no M-B Mk.7. : (  : (

 

Best regards

Gabor

Edited by ya-gabor
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Hi MartinBK,

 

Nice examples! Very nice!!   : )   : )

Envy you for them!!! But not in a bad way.

Years ago I did a lot of buying from ebay and similar seat paddings came up for sale regularly. The only problem was that they were from US sellers and even that it is just a piece of foam covered with some textile is considered by US law to be military equipment and as such is not available for sale outside US. So after a time I gave up with any US pieces. It is interesting that it was absolutely no problem to buy a full US harness with all the connectors in place here in Europe. : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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The USAF and USN/MC shared the same harness and lap belts rated to 40g’s. The images of the seat cushion on this thread are for Navy seats evidenced by the emergency oxy gauge under the crew member’s left thigh. BTW, Tam’s F-4B has the USAF style emergency o2 which was mounted behind the crew’s left kidney flank.

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Hello,

I'm sorry to say I disagree : harness are not exactly the same (at least for the lower straps).

 

Tamiya's kit is a F-4B (so USN) : The O2 bottle has to be cut (as shown in the instruction sheet) for the Navy seat but you a the choice between 2 PSP. Obviously, we'll see an USAF Phantom in the future.

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22 minutes ago, is it windy yet? said:

If those seat marking are common, you’d think someone would include them on the decal sheet. Too bad. 

 

Kit makers dont really have much interest in ejection seats and proper markings on them. All they do inside a cockpit are instrument panels and side penels. Even the side and back walls are in most cases not dealt with.

 

Apart from the Lift Here and No Step there are other visible markings on a Martin-Baker Mk7 seat which should be included also. And I am speaking of a bang seat inside a kit cockpit even in 72nd scale not only in 48 or 32nd.

 

Personaly for me at first it was not easy to persuade a kit maker to include stencil markings on the ejection seat for the kit which we were designing. Fortunately in the end all the markings I suggested were included. But this kind of approach from a kit manufacturer is not the norm. Most want to get it over with as soon as possible. They do care about (in most cases) outline and surface details but when it comes to cockpit and decal desing it is the very last part of desing work and deadlines force them to get on with it as fast as possible with less attention.

 

It is good to see that for example Quinta Studio added details and stencils not only to instrument panels but also seat parts!

 

Stay Safe!

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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On 6/21/2021 at 7:03 PM, mrvark said:

As a guy with a little (NOT a lot) of USAF F-4 time, I wonder how those Navy guys got in the jet without stepping on the seat cushion!

I wondered as well when reading that thread. Going in was possible by holding onto both side walls and sliding directly with the feet onto the cockpit floor. But leaving the cockpit? No chance. I always stepped onto the seat cushion. But I cannot remember seeing such a daring on our Lufwaffe MK-7 seats.

B/r

Michael

 

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