Ludicrus Sextus Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 My first WIP post here as I usually frequent another forum but have decided to diversify; this might amuse some of you on here. A couple of years ago I set about making a 1/1 scale ejection seat to use in my modelling room - not to eject through through the roof mind but as a chair to sit on and use. I started off with the base of my old office chair which has a height adjuster built in, so like a demented squirrel in later Summer I started scavenging around for household items which might be of use. I also went to the local Homebase and bought some MDF sheet. I'm no engineer so the whole project was to be measured by eye and guesswork, here's how it progressed: The office chair base provided a deal of structural strength for the build and allowed for the ejector seat to literally be built from the bottom up. You can see the black lever to raise or lower seat. Most of the carcass was MDF or stripwood but my workroom was filling up fast all sorts of really useful - crap: You get the idea. The seat I was trying to copy was the Martin Baker GRU-7A as found in the Grumman F-14A Tomcat. Above is the mdf marking out for the top of the seat parts and this is it cut out: I also bought shares in Evergreen plastic or at least it seemed like it. A pair of combats cut and sewed to mimic the drogue chute as seen from above the headrest. The actual build was enjoyable what wasn't fun was the traipsing around a local car boot sale and buying rather dubious and suspect clothing items which could be used. The foam was bought from good old fleabay. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Awesome, though mini corn and mange tout are the most random items! Keep up the good work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Capital idea Ludicrus (or should that be 'Ludicrus idea Capital'). Is the next step to turn the room into a Tomcat cockpit? If the project goes any further, you may need to move it into the garden. Not as silly as it sounds, this is a link to my mates, brothers project: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/boeing-747-simulator-coventry-spare-7020750 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Uh-oh; this could start a novel trend! And maybe the germ of a commercial possibility? There are those of us for whom the sight of a piece of raw MDF can lead to weeks of counselling... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Well this seems like a fun project. I have to say the ejector seats I've sat in at museums weren't particularly comfortable. Maybe this was so the occupants didn't nod off? And in the case of the Lightning I would have liked to be able to see where I was going at M2 - not much view in front past the gun sight and radar scope! Cheers Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossofiron1971 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 WOW!!! I want one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansReggelsen Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Well done! Maybe you should offer the plans to IKEA (or sum'fin like that)?! Cheers and looking forward to seeing this finished! Hans J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludicrus Sextus Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 Thanks for the comments and no, the mange tout and corn were not used but the packaging was. Although the carcass of the seat was MDF lots of plastic details were added on top: The time consuming part was all the sewing by hand, I never knew what a lifesaver a thimble was until now, here is my rough plan for the cushions: All the labelling was created on the computer and printed on to adhesive backed photo paper. The only trouble with the project was returning back to the world of 1/32 scale. It is however a great way to discover details which can be added to model GRU-7A seats. 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booty003 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 That looks soooo cool, will be great for flight sims as well...!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffajake Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Are your modelling sessions so intense you feel the need to strap yourself in? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludicrus Sextus Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 42 minutes ago, Jaffajake said: Are your modelling sessions so intense you feel the need to strap yourself in? No, but it comes in handy when the mother-in-law does the cooking. In hindsight I should have built it as part commode. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) That looks great, does anything happen if you pull any of the handles? John Edited March 31, 2017 by Biggles87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Love it ! great execution of an original idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthemodeller Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Fantastic but Mrs BtM just said NO when I suggested I could make something similar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) Nice job, I like it. I did a piece of art for my Cave wall, you could combine the concept... Edited March 31, 2017 by Grey Beema 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 That is really a rather clever piece of modelling. It would look good in a 1/1 model, but where would you put it?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eng Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Awesome! Great ingenuity, looks very realistic too. Eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 I've spent all day today making two of these in 1:48. Seeing the same things life sized is just weird! I think you are the kind of creative nutcase that makes the world go round. Keep it up! (I wonder what you do for a living...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Fantastic !! Well done, made my day . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Uncool Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Awlsome! Would ya make a mold 'n' cast it on resin to sell...? Cheers, Unc2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamS Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 This is so cool, love it! Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crushkill Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Never would have thought to build a 1:1 ejection seat! Looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Brilliant, for someone not familar with them, it could easily be taken for the genuine item! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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