Wyvern/ML Aviation Ejection Seat info Request

[Ossington 2]

I've got early Wyvern mania this week. Apparently my machine has a ML ejection seat fitted. I can find lots of stuff on early Martin Bakers, but nothing on Marcel Lobelles. Does anyone out there have a decent photo or drawing to share please? I haven't removed the sprues from the Trumpeter bags yet and already it's teetering on the Shelf of Doom. Help!  

[Navy Bird]

Would it look anything like the ML Aviation seat used in the Gnat? There is a photo here:

 

http://www.mlaviationwhitewaltham.yolasite.com/things-we-manufactured-page-2.php

 

Further down on that page is a photo of a different seat, but it's not a great photo.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Ossington 2]

Thank You for that steer. I always knew that the Gnat had its special-to-type seat, but not its provenance. Also, as it happens, I used to work on Mu-meters. If the central tyre needed replacing, it had to be dragged up and down Coltishall's runway until it was bald first (this gizmo matched the difference between the central tyre grip to the outer pair to give a reading. They took forever to settle down for  a reliable and repeatable trace on graph paper. Always happened when the SATCO wanted to know if the runway was sufficiently clear of ice to use.   

[Ossington 2]

I've another shufti at my chosen subject, VP120, the Clyde test bed. It does look more like a standard Martin Baker seat to me. 

https://imgur.com/Uc83tjF

 

[71chally]

17 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

Would it look anything like the ML Aviation seat used in the Gnat? There is a photo here:

http://www.mlaviationwhitewaltham.yolasite.com/things-we-manufactured-page-2.php

 

Bill

Interestingly worded that.

Folland developed their own seat designs for the Gnat (and some other types), and these were based on previous SAAB seat designs.

My understanding is that ML Aviation gave up developing ejection seats after the P1081 accident in April 1951.

 

Up until last year I had to use ML Mu-Meters aswel, hateful things!!

[Selwyn]

The wyvern was fitted with the MB mk 2 seat fitted with the underwater ejection system for ditching  aircraft. I think the wyvern was the first aircraft to actually use this system after going over the bow on launch.

 

Selwyn

[Junchan]

The Pilot's Notes for Wyvern S. 4, A.P. 4272C 2nd Edition describes as follows:

38. Ejection seat MK. 1B or Mk. 2B

(i) Either a Mk. 1B or Mk. 2B pilot ejection seat may be fitted. Both seats incorporate a type ZD harness, a container to support the weight of the Mk. 3A (1B seat) or Mk. 8A (2B seat) back-type parachute and seat well in which is carried the K dinghy pack type J and emergency oxygen supply.

(ii) On both seats the harness release lever is on the outboard side of the starboard thigh guard and the seat adjustment lever (49) is on the starboard side of the seat.

(iii) The Mk. 2B seat is fitted with fully automatic facilities which after ejection separate the occupant from the seat and open his parachute. After ejection, at height of 10,000 ft. and below, a barostat causes the automatic cycle to commence; after 5 seconds the seat harness is released, as are the face screen, firing handle and headrest pad. An apron attached to the seat drogue then pitches the pilot head first out of the seat at the same time opening his parachute. A manual override D ring is fitted, over the rip-cord D ring and when pulled disconnects the parachute from the seat. In this event it is subsequently necessary manually to release the seat harness and pull the ripcord D-ring.

 

Here's an illustration of the Mk. 2B seat.

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

[bentwaters81tfw]

23 hours ago, Selwyn said:

The wyvern was fitted with the MB mk 2 seat fitted with the underwater ejection system for ditching  aircraft. I think the wyvern was the first aircraft to actually use this system after going over the bow on launch.

 

Selwyn

The pilot said he had to wait inside the sinking a/c as the carrier went over the top, then ejected astern, to avoid the screws.

[71chally]

The MB Mk2 was not a designed underwater capable seat, Lt Bruce McFarlane took a life or death decision to eject from the sinking Wyvern as his options of survival were quickly disappearing.  It was an awful struggle for him resulting in injuries from hitting the canopy on the way out and being entangled in the various seat strappings which almost drowned him.

The ejection occurred before the aircraft was cut into two by HMS Albion.   I believe there was at least one other similar ejection from a Sea Hawk.

 

Underwater ejection and escape systems came about toward the late 1950s, the Sea Vixen having one of the first systems with the Mk4 DSA seat.

 

The ML seat being referred to was fitted to the early trails Wyverns, not to production aircraft.  I have to say the seat shown in the link in post no4 doesn't look like a MB style headbox to me.