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2022-08-07 Science & Technology

The ejector seats that fire through the floor

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Posted by Skidmark 2022-08-07 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11132 views ] Top

#1 If a mishap occur during take off on a carrier, it wouldn't bode well for the pilot(s) either!

Posted by Seeking Cure For Ignorance 2022-08-07 01:21|| 2022-08-07 01:21|| Front Page Top

#2 Ejection is rough, but it mostly beats the alternatives.

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-08-07 05:25|| 2022-08-07 05:25|| Front Page Top

#3 #2 Ejection is rough, but it mostly beats the alternatives.
Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-08-07 05:25

....Chuck Yeager His Own Self called it 'committing suicide to avoid being killed.'

And one of Yeager's contemporaries was CAPT Iven Kincheloe, USAF - Korean War ace and probably the best known USAF test pilot of the 50s after Yeager himself. He had been selected for the X-15 program and almost certainly would have been one of the Mercury 7...until his F-104 flamed out on takeoff at Edwards. He ejected down and his chute deployed, but he didn't have enough altitude. Had he had an upward ejecting seat (which later mods of the Starfighter got) he would have simply had a great story to tell at the O-club that night. Instead, we lost him at thirty years old.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2022-08-07 07:13|| 2022-08-07 07:13|| Front Page Top

#4 Any business where you say, "explosive bolts are my friend," is an interesting business.

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-08-07 07:15|| 2022-08-07 07:15|| Front Page Top

#5 Great story, Mike.

Posted by Matt 2022-08-07 12:38|| 2022-08-07 12:38|| Front Page Top

#6 Wouldn't upward ejection be interesting on a helicopter? ahhh.. but this is for aircraft.

Posted by CrazyFool 2022-08-07 12:43|| 2022-08-07 12:43|| Front Page Top

#7 Needless to say, a tight body position is key

Posted by Besoeker 2022-08-07 12:47|| 2022-08-07 12:47|| Front Page Top

#8 In is era, wasn't the F-104 nicknamed the "Lawn Dart"?

Posted by NoMoreBS 2022-08-07 12:51|| 2022-08-07 12:51|| Front Page Top

#9 In my day the F-16 was called the Lawn Dart due to its single engine. The F-104 was nicknamed Thud as in te sound it makes when impacting the ground. There is a book called Thud Ridge during Vietnam if interested.

Posted by Lowspark 2022-08-07 16:15|| 2022-08-07 16:15|| Front Page Top

#10 Thuds were F-105's

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-08-07 16:21|| 2022-08-07 16:21|| Front Page Top

#11

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-08-07 16:26|| 2022-08-07 16:26|| Front Page Top

#12 700,000 pounds of little pieces lyin' around.

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-08-07 16:37|| 2022-08-07 16:37|| Front Page Top

#13 Yep. I was thinking of F-105s. My bad.

Posted by Lowspark 2022-08-07 18:39|| 2022-08-07 18:39|| Front Page Top

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