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bobatl
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Martin Baker MBEU 14053. Can anyone identify what it goes to? It is set for 4G and 10000 feet. There were some Grumman Mohawk parts in the same lot but that doesn't necessarily mean that is what this is for.

post-54142-0-64199300-1388416544.jpg

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I think it goes on the right side of an OV-1 ejection seat, towards the top. Not sure what it is for for sure, maybe to separate the seat from the crew member, maybe to actuate something that is part of the ejection sequence, etc.

 

http://www.ejectionsite.com/kmcseats/j5d_1a.jpg

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/132615-ov-1-mohawk-ejection-seat/

 

Remember, Google is your friend, and so is the search function here on the Forum :)

 

I suspect our Mohawk experts here will tell you exactly what it is shortly.

 

MW

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I believe that is the Time Release Mechanism (TRM). The setting of 10000FT means the TRM will not allow man-seat separation above that altitude, .Because seat separation will allow the pilot's parachute to deploy, the TRM prevents this happening at high altitudes so that with the weight of the seat the pilot can quickly descend to an altitude with breathable and warmer air. (Ie. below 10000FT) The seat is equipped with a small drogue chute that deploys upon ejecting and prevents the seat and man from tumbling down to 10000FT. Once below 10000FT the TRM allows man-seat separation and the deployment of the personnel parachute. The TRM is prevented from functioning by a G restrictor - in this case, 4 G's.

 

An ejection below 10000FT and 4 G's means the TRM goes right to work and allows the seat to separate, personnel chute to deploy, etc.

 

We had these on F-4 Phantoms. (Note: I was not an Egress/Ejection Seat man, so I'm sure my above comments can be upgraded by someone who was!)

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I wont call myself and expert but I've done alot of research and collecting of OV-1 Mohawk related stuff over the years. I have a number of the original pubs, especially MB ejection seat related for the OV-1.

 

That is in fact a Time Release Mechanism, I'm fairly certain this isn't the TRM off the later MK-J5D ejection seat, the barostatic function on the TRM would be 14,000. It may be off of the earlier Mk-J5A or J5B seats used in the OV-1 during the Vietnam era. I have the manual that covers both of those seats as well as the newer J5D seat but unfortunately I moved a few months back and I left at least 90% of my militaria collection at my family. If no one comes up with a more concrete answer in the next couple of days I can find out for sure. I'm on vacation next week and headed back to visit and bring some more of my stuff out west. I can check the J5A/B seat manual then. I'm pretty sure one of the differences between the A and B seat was the TRM, so I'm thinking if this was for an OV-1 its the J5A seat. Again, I can say for sure in a few days if its OV-1 or not once I can see the manuals and the part numbers.

 

I actually have the little spanner wrench that Grumman fabricates to remove and install the barostat on this part that came in some mixed Mohawk parts I bought once.

 

What were the other parts that you got with this that you knew for sure were for the OV-1?

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I wont call myself and expert but I've done alot of research and collecting of OV-1 Mohawk related stuff over the years. I have a number of the original pubs, especially MB ejection seat related for the OV-1.

 

That is in fact a Time Release Mechanism, I'm fairly certain this isn't the TRM off the later MK-J5D ejection seat, the barostatic function on the TRM would be 14,000. It may be off of the earlier Mk-J5A or J5B seats used in the OV-1 during the Vietnam era. I have the manual that covers both of those seats as well as the newer J5D seat but unfortunately I moved a few months back and I left at least 90% of my militaria collection at my family. If no one comes up with a more concrete answer in the next couple of days I can find out for sure. I'm on vacation next week and headed back to visit and bring some more of my stuff out west. I can check the J5A/B seat manual then. I'm pretty sure one of the differences between the A and B seat was the TRM, so I'm thinking if this was for an OV-1 its the J5A seat. Again, I can say for sure in a few days if its OV-1 or not once I can see the manuals and the part numbers.

 

I actually have the little spanner wrench that Grumman fabricates to remove and install the barostat on this part that came in some mixed Mohawk parts I bought once.

 

What were the other parts that you got with this that you knew for sure were for the OV-1?

Someone told me that this cowl is for early model OV-1's and there was a change on the later models. A few odd small parts with part numbers legible and some tools that must have been used for some field mods.

post-54142-0-16652200-1388712791.jpg

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Looks like a standard cowling for an OV-1, not sure what the differences are, might be the smaller door is slightly different than a later version. Where did you come across these parts? I know the GA ARNG had Mohawks back in the day so I'm sure stuff floats around there.

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Browsed through my OV-1 library of seat and Mx manuals. The MK-J5 seat Mx manual nor the J5 training TC helped with part numbers so I looked in the OV-1 -20P manual dated August 1964. Right in the ejection seat section it lists every part of the Mk-J5 seat and boom! there was the time release mechanism exploded view.. Browsed the list of part numbers and MBEU-14053 is right there for the whole assemblies part number. Its now safe to say that your TRM is in fact for an OV-1, earlier time frame when they still incorporated the Mk-J5A and J5B ejection seats.

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Browsed through my OV-1 library of seat and Mx manuals. The MK-J5 seat Mx manual nor the J5 training TC helped with part numbers so I looked in the OV-1 -20P manual dated August 1964. Right in the ejection seat section it lists every part of the Mk-J5 seat and boom! there was the time release mechanism exploded view.. Browsed the list of part numbers and MBEU-14053 is right there for the whole assemblies part number. Its now safe to say that your TRM is in fact for an OV-1, earlier time frame when they still incorporated the Mk-J5A and J5B ejection seats.

Thanks for the info. Also have this light control panel. Some of these panels are attractive desk ornaments.

post-54142-0-47017100-1388978538.jpg

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  • 5 months later...

I sure like the cowling....does it need a different home? :)

I'd like for the cowl to find a new home but shipping is a problem. It won't fit in a USPS small flat rate box.

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  • 2 weeks later...

MBEU/404PA Spring Assy. I assume that this is for the parachute pack. I don't think that this spring is strong enough to eject the seat out of an airplane.

post-54142-0-29177200-1405367610.jpg

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That is for the parachute pack. Common style used on MB seats with the soft packs and rigid fiberglass packs. If this was specifically from a OV-1 seat, it would have been the J5A or B seat with the soft pack judging by the 1969 date, Note sure if there are different lengths/part numbers to them, they all look similar. Looks to be a Navy contract, Do you just have that one? The packs I believe usually have a set of 4

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That is for the parachute pack. Common style used on MB seats with the soft packs and rigid fiberglass packs. If this was specifically from a OV-1 seat, it would have been the J5A or B seat with the soft pack judging by the 1969 date, Note sure if there are different lengths/part numbers to them, they all look similar. Looks to be a Navy contract, Do you just have that one? The packs I believe usually have a set of 4

There was a set of four, individually packed in sealed plastic bags but the bags are disintegrating. I can't really say if these were for OV-1 but I think that it was the only aircraft type in the inventory that this came from that had an ejection seat. This inventory came out of Pennsylvania and there was a lot of stuff from the Navy in Philadelphia and from New Cumberland Army Depot in Pennsylvania. There was actually a lot of odd stuff that came out of Philadelphia, from a Naval Aircraft Factory overhauled carburetor for an N3N and tailwheel for ZPN blimp to a landing gear strut for a TO-1 so these may have come from there.

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  • 1 year later...

I believe that is the Time Release Mechanism (TRM). The setting of 10000FT means the TRM will not allow man-seat separation above that altitude, .Because seat separation will allow the pilot's parachute to deploy, the TRM prevents this happening at high altitudes so that with the weight of the seat the pilot can quickly descend to an altitude with breathable and warmer air. (Ie. below 10000FT) The seat is equipped with a small drogue chute that deploys upon ejecting and prevents the seat and man from tumbling down to 10000FT. Once below 10000FT the TRM allows man-seat separation and the deployment of the personnel parachute. The TRM is prevented from functioning by a G restrictor - in this case, 4 G's.

 

An ejection below 10000FT and 4 G's means the TRM goes right to work and allows the seat to separate, personnel chute to deploy, etc.

 

We had these on F-4 Phantoms. (Note: I was not an Egress/Ejection Seat man, so I'm sure my above comments can be upgraded by someone who was!)

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And you are right. I was a Mohawk Crew Chief with the first Mohawks to be deployed to Korea in 1962.

It allowed the seat and occupant to be stabilized by the drogue Shute and to reach 10,000 ft B 4 the main shute was deployed and seat separation. There was enough Oxygen on board to sustain the occupant until separation.

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Check this out for full info on the seat. Pay attention to the Drogue Gun.

https://dk-media.s3.amazonaws.com/AA/AA/moomoo/downloads/288673/1961-10_Martin-Baker_Seat.pdf

Thanks for the link to that article. I knew a former Tennessee Air National Guard mechanic who said that one of their mechanics survived a zero-zero ejection from an F-80. He landed on the roof of a hangar so he didn't develop significant descent speed.

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