Wm Blecky Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Does anyone know if W.W.2 US fighters shared the same style/type of pilot's bucket seat? For example, Brewster Buffalo, Wildcat, P-40, P-47 & F4U Corsair... I have looked online and to my eyes these seats do look the same (or at the very least, quite similar). I am hoping that someone with more expertise than I can confirm this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Hi, Wm Blecky, No, it doesn't seem so; though the fundamentals are the same, the shape of each plane's seat is different. FErnando 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Duvalier Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 (edited) Short answer, no, especially the P-40. But depending on the aircraft, kit, scale, open-vs.-closed canopy, etc. there is a degree of interchangeability. Many seats came from subcontractors who may have supplied various aircraft manufacturers. Edited February 2, 2018 by Jackson Duvalier derp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 2 hours ago, Fernando said: Hi, Wm Blecky, No, it doesn't seem so; though the fundamentals are the same, the shape of each plane's seat is different. FErnando I agree with Fernando's and Jackson's comments. It would seem to me certain elements of the seat, for example provision for the seatpack parachute, openings for shoulder/lap belts, etc. would lend themselves to be the same or similar in appearance, but other factors such as cockpit dimensions, seat mounts, armor plate, rearward visibility considerations, etc. would require a seat to be tailored to a specific aircraft. Form follows function, as they say! Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 21 hours ago, Wm Blecky said: Does anyone know if W.W.2 US fighters shared the same style/type of pilot's bucket seat? For example, Brewster Buffalo, Wildcat, P-40, P-47 & F4U Corsair... I have looked online and to my eyes these seats do look the same (or at the very least, quite similar). I am hoping that someone with more expertise than I can confirm this. Each of the main procurers (Being USAAF and US Navy (USMC had to take what ever the Navy gave them)) would have had specifications for pilots seats etc. These obviously changed during the course of the war, such as aircrew feed back (read complaints) and experience in design in mass production and aircrew comfort. Bear in mind that aircraft flown by US forces such as the USAAF which had been ordered by Britain/Commonwealth would have seats meeting those procurement requirements. Good example would be the Curtiss P 40E-1 flown by USAAF in the Pacific such as the 49th FG and 68th FG respectively would have British Spec seats as opposed to US Spec seats. Regards Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seawinder Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 23 hours ago, Wm Blecky said: Does anyone know if W.W.2 US fighters shared the same style/type of pilot's bucket seat? For example, Brewster Buffalo, Wildcat, P-40, P-47 & F4U Corsair... I have looked online and to my eyes these seats do look the same (or at the very least, quite similar). I am hoping that someone with more expertise than I can confirm this. Assuredly not. At least three different types of seats were used in the P-51 alone; at least two different types in the P-40; same with the P-47. Both the P-40 and P-47 at some point had seats with round backs, but they weren't identical. For a reasonably handy compendium, go to the the Ultracast web page and browse the seats selections for various planes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wm Blecky Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 (edited) Thanks fellas. I should have been a little more specific, as I was referring to round back bucket type seats (sorry about that). Nonetheless, my question answered and I appreciate it. @ Seawinder, thanks for the heads up. I'll check out Ultracast's website. Edited February 3, 2018 by Wm Blecky typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Holden Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Many US Navy aircraft of the 1930s (eg TBD, SB2U, SBU, etc) had a standard-design seat manufactured by Bendix. But with the enormous expansion in aircraft production represented by WW2, seats came from many sub-contractors. These would have common interface arrangements (mountings, seat belt mountings ) but were otherwise often quite different and often in a variety of materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonbraun Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 21 hours ago, LDSModeller said: Good example would be the Curtiss P 40E-1 flown by USAAF in the Pacific such as the 49th FG and 68th FG respectively would have British Spec seats as opposed to US Spec seats. Regards Alan This is the first I've heard that US and Commonwealth P-40Es had different seats. Does anyone have more details or photos documenting the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 22 hours ago, Seawinder said: Assuredly not. At least three different types of seats were used in the P-51 alone; at least two different types in the P-40; same with the P-47. Both the P-40 and P-47 at some point had seats with round backs, but they weren't identical. For a reasonably handy compendium, go to the the Ultracast web page and browse the seats selections for various planes. Great tip, SW! I go to the sites of all the resin aftermarket producers on a regular basis and save the photos of their 1/48 or 1/32 cockpit, engine, wheel bay sets, as they are outstanding references for scratchbuilding or improving the parts in my 1/72 models. Much better many times than a diagram or photo of the real article. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 5 hours ago, Vonbraun said: This is the first I've heard that US and Commonwealth P-40Es had different seats. Does anyone have more details or photos documenting the difference? Let me qualify my statement by adding that the P40E-1 was the export version. The seat would have been manufactured to accommodate the installation of the British Sutton Harness meaning that the attachment points /opening et al were built in. So similar, but also different to US P40E version. E-1's kept back for the USAAF would have retained those seats, probably fitted with US harnesses (but could have used RAF harness?) When RNZAF 15 Squadron took over P40E-1's that were being used by the USAAF 68PG in Tonga 1942, the RNZAF (if not installed already) could have retro fitted the Sutton Harness to the aircraft. This link shows the top of a E-1 Seat in RNZAF use in New Zealand looks like a typical seat.... RNZAF P40E-1 NZ3038 This RNZAF Official Photo shows NZ3009 (P40E-1) with Sutton Harness (Photo RNZAF Official - used for illustration purposes only) Regards Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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