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harness from '64?


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northcoastaero

The torso parachute harness may be a USN/USMC MA-2P type modified with a USAF MXU-22/P

inflatable? lumbar pad. The assy. was possibly used by early USAF F-4 Phantom II crews flying

the F-4B (USN/USMC variant) and possibly early variants of the F-4C. Would be used with the

Martin-Baker Mk-H5 ejection seat in the USN/USMC configuration. It is also possible that it is a

USAF harness made just for the early F-4 crews or a modified standard USN/USMC torso parachute

harness? The MA-2P harness was for the USN/USMC pressure suits for the F-4 Phantom, A3J Vigilante,

and possibly the F-8 Crusader aircraft. The MA-2P can be worn with standard flight gear as well. Also

modified to your harness is a SDU-5/E strobe light pouch on the right side and what appears to be a

channel on the left side for a high pressure oxygen hose from a MS-22001 (A-13A) oxygen mask equipped

with a face piece mounted mini-regulator (the large Firewel one or a Robertshaw Type 1) that would

terminate in an upper block assy. for connection to the left rear of the Martin-Baker Mk-H5 ejection seat

USN/USMC RSSK-1 Rigid Seat Survival Kit. The modification on the left side of the harness may also be

a pouch for survival contents? Need additional images. Hope this helps.

 

It just came to mind that the Mk-H5 ejection seat had an adjustable sliding lumbar pad attached to the

back cushion. Maybe the USAF attached the lumbar pad to the harness instead of keeping it with

the seat like on the later USAF PCU-21/P Personnel Lowering Devices (PLD)? Just a thought.

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northcoastaero

Another possibility. I have seen images of USN A-4 Skyhawk pilots wearing MA-2P or similar harnesses along with the Mark IV orange life preserver assy. Possibly VA-164 Ghost Riders squadron. The USN/USMC are

known for adding various pouches to the outside of their torso parachute harnesses. Maybe a USN/USMC A-4

pilot acquired a USAF MXU-22/P inflatable lumbar pad and used it with an ESCAPAC 1 ejection seat during

the mid 1960s? The U.S. Army may have used this type of harness in their OV-1 Mohawk aircraft equipped

with Martin-Baker Mk-J5 series ejection seats. The seat in the OV-1 had an adjustable sliding lumbar pad

also. Interesting mystery and debate. Right now, I seem to be leaning towards USN/USMC use in aircraft

such as: F-4, A3J/A-5, A-4, and possibly F-8. Hope this helps.

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Another possibility. I have seen images of USN A-4 Skyhawk pilots wearing MA-2P or similar harnesses along with the Mark IV orange life preserver assy. Possibly VA-164 Ghost Riders squadron. The USN/USMC are

known for adding various pouches to the outside of their torso parachute harnesses. Maybe a USN/USMC A-4

pilot acquired a USAF MXU-22/P inflatable lumbar pad and used it with an ESCAPAC 1 ejection seat during

the mid 1960s? The U.S. Army may have used this type of harness in their OV-1 Mohawk aircraft equipped

with Martin-Baker Mk-J5 series ejection seats. The seat in the OV-1 had an adjustable sliding lumbar pad

also. Interesting mystery and debate. Right now, I seem to be leaning towards USN/USMC use in aircraft

such as: F-4, A3J/A-5, A-4, and possibly F-8. Hope this helps.

 

Hi both,

 

Seems in the same lot was also a MS22001 / MBU-3/P (hardmann bajonetts) with a CRU-8/P to the end of the hose.

Also the comm cord did not look like USN. My first thought was also OV-1 Mohawk and I thought the pouch on the other side (not for the SDU-5) was a SRU-16/P? But I might be mistaken as they do look different. Also looking at this harness, there are no male fittings for the parachute?

 

Before i forget.. the set is named to a Col. Fogg. That's a rather famous name in US military history. Now to find the right one.

 

Cheers,

Ron

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northcoastaero

The parachute riser fittings on the top of the shoulders are adjustable Rocket Jet fittings. The male

Koch riser fittings were introduced in 1963-1964 and took some time to be replaced in USN/USMC

squadrons. Come to think of it, the OV-1 Mohawk Martin-Baker Mk-J5 seats from the 1960s did not

use the lower Rocket Jet lap belt fittings. The may have left them on the harness, but the harness

was modified in the front with two lengths of parachute webbing with two aluminum fittings in

which the ejection seat lap belt passed through. After separation from the seat after ejection,

the lap belt and soft seat survival kit would dangle from these modified straps/fittings until

the pilot/aircrewmember removed the unit from the modified harness strap fittings. The USN/USMC

GRU-5 ejection seat used in the early A-6 Intruder acft. was the same way. Your harness does not

have these modified straps/fittings for the OV-1 Mohawk aircraft. The modified pouch on the right

side of the harness is an early SDU-5/E strobe light pouch made without the two grommets for the

nylon cord to secure the strobe light to the pouch. With the name Colonel Fogg on the harness,

the harness is probably from USAF or USMC service. If the MBU-3/P mask came with the harness

and the harness has been modified with a USAF lumbar cushion, then the harness is probably USAF

issue. Now to figure out the aircraft the unit is for. My first guess would be the USN

F-4B Phantom II in early USAF service. Maybe the USAF MBU-3/P mask was used by the same pilot

but with another aircraft? It is also possible that Colonel Fogg could have been an exchange

pilot with a USN (most likely) or USMC squadron? Possible USN/USMC aircraft would be the F-4,

A-4, and RA-5C. Also, the early OV-1 seats may have used a MS-22001 mask with a MC-3A hose

end connector at the bottom and later on used the 3-pin connector for use with the CRU-60/P

oxygen connector. Other possibilities could be that Col. Fogg was a test pilot and used the

harness assy. in some other aircraft? I have heard that the USAF tested an ejection seat in

the F-106 aircraft in which the pilot used a torso parachute harness probably similar to the

one that you have instead of a back style parachute. The modified pouch on the left side

of the harness seems too long for a SRU-16/P minimum survival kit? Interesting mystery and

debate. I will do some more research. Can anybody check the part number on the harness

to see if it is in Dan Poynter's book The Parachute Manual Volume 1?

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hi guys ,

 

thanks for the effert to search after this harness and where it would be used in?

this was also the oxygen mask that was with the grouping but the oxygenmask bag, it looks likes a material made for fire resistens you can see on firemen on the airbases.?post-158693-0-94633100-1487964735_thumb.jpg

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northcoastaero

Nice P-4B flight helmet. The oxygen mask cable on your mask is a straight cable. The one

you need for the P-4B helmet would be a cloth covered Y style cable with larger plugs than

the later MBU-5/P mask coiled cables. What is the color and designation of the microphone

element that is on the inside of your oxygen mask? I had a USN/USMC parachute rigger made

navigational instruments bag (Nav Bag) at one time that was made from the same aluminized

material as your oxygen mask bag. I will continue to do more research on the harness that

you have.

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northcoastaero

The harness could be from a USAF or company test pilot flying the early F-111 and other aircraft such as the

XC-142 because both aircraft used Douglas ESCAPAC ejection seats in late 1964. The early F-111 may

have used the same ESCAPAC seat as installed in the later B-57 Canberra. The XC-142 at the USAF

Museum used a variant of the ESCAPAC seat with a Douglas seat pan soft oxygen/survival kit (later SKU-1)

in the seat bucket. Your MS-22001 mask variant that came with the harness has a straight microphone cable

installed which could have been used with a custom flight helmet with the main cable to the aircraft exiting the

flight helmet instead of off the mask. Also, your mask has the saw tooth bayonets installed for use with the

chrome squeeze releases on the helmet that were popular with test pilots. Use in the F-111 may explain the

3-pin oxygen mask hose end connector and CRU-8/P? I am not sure when the F-111 started using a quick

disconnect at the end of their mask hose (instead of a 3-pin connector/CRU-8/P-CRU-60/P) for the unique

oxygen regulator installed in the F-111. The images that I have seen of the early F-111 pilots show them

wearing harnesses (possibly USAF PCU-3/P) with USAF style female Koch riser fittings. The XC-142 aircraft

using the Douglas seat pan as found on some variants of the A-4 and A-3 aircraft (possibly with high pressure

oxygen hoses) may have used a MS-22001 mask modified with a mini-regulator and a lower high pressure

hose. I somewhat remember seeing an image in the Osprey book on the B-57 Canberra Units of the

Vietnam War that showed a test pilot? standing next to a B-57 with ESCAPAC seats installed and wearing a

harness similar to the MA-2P that may have had adjustable Rocket Jet or male Koch fittings for the risers. I

am uncertain of the year when the variants of the B-57 Canberra were being upgraded with ESCAPAC

ejection seats. Possibly the late 1960s-early 1970s? Another note. The later ESCAPAC seats that used a

rigid parachute container had Velcro attached to the front which was for an adjustable lumbar pad. Your

harness is modified with an early inflatable lumbar pad--similarities. What is the designation and color of the

microphone element that is installed in your MS-22001 oxygen mask? Hope this helps and does not add to

the confusion! Interesting mystery and debate!

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northcoastaero

I just found this image online that shows two General Dynamics test pilots in the cockpit of a F-111 during the

mid 1960s. However, the area behind the aircraft hatch/canopy area looks to be different from a F-111.

Maybe it is a flight simulator, aircraft mock up, or another type of aircraft? Installed are two Douglas

ESCAPAC ejection seats which appear to be different from the later B-57 Canberra ESCAPAC seats

because of the single loop upper ejection handle. The B-57 ESCAPAC seats used a double loop upper

ejection handle face curtain assy. There are images online that also show the double loop handle being

used with the early F-111 aircraft. The pilot seated on the right appears to be wearing a USN/USMC

MA-2 torso parachute harness with Rocket Jet riser fittings, the same fittings that are installed on your

MA-2P or similar harness. I was unaware of this earlier ESCAPAC seat being used with the F-111.

Learn something new every day! Also note the HGU-26/P? USAF helmet with a MS-22001 oxygen

mask that is being worn by the pilot in the left seat. Test pilots are known to use a mix of flight gear

items from the various branches of service and also can wear custom made clothing and equipment.

The mystery of the harness may be solved--Early F-111 test pilot or...?!

 

http://www.salimbeti.com/aviation/images/helmets/hgu15-06.jpg

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The micro elements are Orange.

If i want to complet the harness, what will the items be that goes in the pouches?

This harness is rare no?

Thanks alot for your sleepless nights solving this.

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northcoastaero

Is the microphone element an ANB-M-C1 that fits completely inside the mask microphone bulge? The snap

pocket on the right side of the harness is for the SDU-5/E strobe light, probably the pre 1968 variant

with the letters USAF stamped or molded into the lower back side of the unit. The zippered pouch may be

for the SRU-16/P minimum survival kit as stated by another member. However, this pocket may be too long

for the SRU-16/P kit? The harness is either a USN/USMC MA-2P that was originally for their Mark- series

high altitude pressure suit; a USAF harness that was for test pilots and possibly USAF high altitude

suits, etc.; or even a harness made for aircraft company test pilots. I would consider the harness to

be rare and in excellent condition.

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northcoastaero

The microphone element in the center is the green M-32 series used by the USAF, possibly the Army, and

quite possibly aircraft company test pilots. The two inhalation valves seem to be orange in color.

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northcoastaero

A variant of the Toptex or some other custom flight helmet would be compatible. I am not 100% sure that

the harness/mask was worn by a test pilot flying the very early F-111 aircraft. They would be compatible

with the ejection seat and life support systems in that aircraft, but there are probably other aircraft

that used the same setup. Experimental and prototype aircraft flown by test pilots could be a possibility

also. Will have to do research on the pilot himself.

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Perfect thanks again!!!

its strange that nobody then you reply to the mater?

Normaly more people should have a idea?

Maybe times are changing...

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northcoastaero

Probably due to the harness being rare and possibly used only for a short period of time before being

replaced by the USAF PCU-3/P and then the later PCU-15/P torso parachute harnesses. The label on

your harness does not state MA-2P or have a USN/USMC contract number. USAF is not on the label either.

Interesting harness and applications.

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There was a member here who had an early MK-J5B seat from a Mohawk that actually had the lap belt halves modified with RJE fittings on the inner retention straps of the lap belt halves. Id never seen that before as the lap belt I have lacks them and just has the small survival kit lanyard strap that clips to those survival kit retention straps that come from the upper torso portion of the harness and fasten to the lap belt. In the early AO-1 (Pre OV-1 designation) operators manual it mentions the use of the normal Quick Fit type harness and the MA-2 type harness. I have seen MA-2 harnesses with those front survival kit retention straps. Though the manual never showed the RJEs on the lap belt or mentioned them, it was apparently sometimes locally modified. There was units in Vietnam at bases where the USMC were the big dogs around and the life support stuff was mixed. The 245th SAC in Vietnam around 1968-1969 used both the SRU-21 survival vest as well as the SV-2 according to a ALSE shop pic Ive seen. OV-1s didn't use CRU-60s for masks til the 70s, the MS masks had the MC-3A connectors, so no 3 pin fittings. The earliest MS mask I had that came from a OV-1 pilot was 1963 and it had the M-133 style mic in it. Was totally wrecked but came with a killer HGU-2A helmet he used in Vietnam that the USAF setup for him in Thailand.

 

Id say this wasn't from an OV-1 background and the possibility of this Col being a test pilot is good. Id say it came from a USN and USAF background. Those round ID tags with the Col's name on it Ive seen alot on USAF helmet and mask setups from the 60s

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