AH-1 Cobra Pilots Seat

[RWW]

A friend asked me if I wanted this seat 10 or 15 years ago.  We live about 1,600 miles apart so last year we both drove to The Show of Shows and I finally got the seat.  After taking the seat apart, cleaning and repainting, I finally got it like I wanted it to look to represent Army Aviation!

 

 

[917601]

Very nice. I spent some time in one of those, I hope you use it regularly. I sit in my OV-1 Almost every day.

[RWW]

This is my 4th and last, I hope, seat. I have two ejection seats, an Air Force F-4 and Navy A-6 , then two Army helicopter seats, this one and a Pilots seat from a UH-1.  For a long time I wanted 3 ejection seats, an Air Force, Navy, and Army seat.  After finishing the MK-H7 and GRU-7, the J5D seat was also a Martin Baker seat and close enough to the other two, I decided a helicopter seat better represented Army aviation than the OV-1 seat, so the UH-1 seat came about.  This one was a "bonus", so to speak, but it is an interesting and fun seat.  It is the most comfortable of the 4 to sit in...  Below is the Huey seat.

[hink441]

Wow really nice Bob!!

 

Didn't know you had these Army Helicopter seats, they look great!!!

 

Chris

[viking73]

Those helo seats are very cool!  Thanks for sharing these photos.

 

-Derek

 

[RWW]

Thanks guys!  I could have dusted the Huey seat a little before I took the picture.

[mohawkALSE]

The J5D seat was the most unique Army Aviation piece!  Poor Mohawk gets no love out there, its all about fast movers and the MK-H7 seat.  How many ejection seats has the US Army had  J5 series is all I can think of that was officially in service beyond a test phase.   

 

Id love a UH-1 seat for my father and then 1 J5B and 1 J5D seat to represent both eras of Mohawk ejection seat.   I gotta say its awesome you have a floor section with the fire bottle and mount in the correct place for the PIC seat, my father would love that and be sure to bring back memories.  I know the first thing he would say to me about this though is the seat is the newer black color from the NVG compatible cockpits,  he would say his were gray.

 

917601 , is your seat marked a J5B or the odd J5C?  I recall that seat was out of a OV-1D from the 73d Avn Co in Germany which around the time this aircraft crashed they were modifying seats to the last J5D variant.   The original OV-1Ds made from the factory had the J5B seats at first and the strange mysterious J5C which was intermediate prior to the J5D.  I think the J5C used Koch fittings for the risers and also had a RSSK seat kit.  Other than that it was a J5B seat overall.  Ive only seen 2 or 3 seats marked J5C, some of which were converted over to the D.

[917601]

Where would I find the designation? I can’t seem to find a data plate, only on components. I was able to see “assy MBEU 442 J5/4” stamped into the sheetmetal where the neck ( as sitting in it) would be.

[mohawkALSE]

4 minutes ago, 917601 said:

Where would I find the designation? I can’t seem to find a data plate, only on components. I was able to see “assy MBEU 442 J5/4” stamped into the sheetmetal where the neck ( as sitting in it) would be.

I believe it is located on seat bucket.  If you removed the seat pad the tags are usually at the front there aft of the lowering firing handle.

[917601]

19 minutes ago, mohawkALSE said:

I believe it is located on seat bucket.  If you removed the seat pad the tags are usually at the front there aft of the lowering firing handle.

Right you are, marked “J5/C”. I will post a pic tomorrow.

[MWalsh]

Are you guys fabricating those seat stands yourself or does someone make them and sell them? 

[RWW]

We have fabricated them ourselves.  I have seen a few for sale, but they are way beyond my budget.