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Aviation History
1979
1979 - 1811.PDF
Martin-Baker: 50 years, 5,000 lives, 50,000 seats An international life saving synonym celebrates its golden jubilee this year. J. M. RAMSDEN reports from the company's factory at Higher Denham, England. M ARTIN-BAKER is working on an articulated ejection seat, probably with the new KAF tactical fighter (AST 403) in mind. The operational requirement is for the safe ejection of a fighter pilot in a reclining seat dur ing high-g combat. Pulling the ejection handle sequences an articulation mechanism which brings the seat upright —perhaps through as much as 45 degrees—before ejec tion. A prototype seat is being designed and probably will be tested in the back seat of a BAe Hawk. The Hawk would be ideal for the test, being a two-seater and capable of pulling up to 9g. The company's main product in its 50th-anniversary year is the Mk 10 zero-altitude seat. This and other models come out of the Higher Denham factory at a rate of about 800 a year, the majority of them for F-4 Phantoms. Martin-Baker Aircraft was founded on August 19, 1929, by 37-year-old James Martin. He invented and developed the first ejection seats in 1944^6. Fifty thousand seats and approaching five thousand lives* later, Sir James remains chief designer. His company's history was described in our sister journal Aeroplane Monthly for October and Novem ber 1973. A year ago Martin-Baker chose Teledyne Ryan as its * Martin-Baker seats had saved 4.466 lives at May 15, 1979. The number increases by about four a week. Top Macchi 339 instructor's view (Mk 10 * seat). Right Every McDonnell Douglas Phantom has been fitted with Martin-Baker ..U «** *Al i -I***' I i UfiJ 1DUL fiiiS ' V&Z..-1 i*''J
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