This might not be of interest to most, but I ran across these the other day at a surplus store.

 

These are Ejection seat pins for the A-6 Intruder. Martin-Baker GRU-7 set of seat safety pins. Seven pins used to "safe" the seat when the aircraft is not flying. I was once a A-6 Plane Captain and had to safe the seats after every recovery, so I immediately recognized the pins at the surplus store.

 

Anyway here are some pics of this nice un-issued set. The store had more available, but I only purchased one set.

 

 

A couple more pics.

 

 

I dig it, I have a couple for the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. Very similar setup. Can always tell Grumman part numbers starting off with 3 numbers for the aircraft type. 128 is A6, 134 was the Mohawks.

Hi hink441,

 

That's a great piece. I hope you don't mind , but could I please ask from which surplus store did you find it? I'm thinking of getting one to give a friend who likes any and everything about the A-6 "Intruder".

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

Hi hink441,

 

That's a great piece. I hope you don't mind , but could I please ask from which surplus store did you find it? I'm thinking of getting one to give a friend who likes any and everything about the A-6 "Intruder".

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

 

Hi Joe,

 

It came from a store in Norfolk Va. The store is named "G. I. Joe's" on Military Highway near Norview ave. Good luck.

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

Thanks for the info. Might pass by, if I get the chance to attend Warbirds over the Beach next month. The shop should be nearby. I hope they still have some left.

 

Joe

Hi Chris,

 

Thanks for the info. Might pass by, if I get the chance to attend Warbirds over the Beach next month. The shop should be nearby. I hope they still have some left.

 

Joe

Joe,

The shop had about 4 or 5 sets left. They should still have plenty available.

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

I was able to pass by Little GI Joes Military Surplus this weekend. Fortunately, they still had a couple of sets left. I got my friend a set. Im sure hell be very happy with it.

 

The guy in the shop was very friendly and helpful.

 

Had a great time at Warbirds Over the Beach too. Great Airshow weather.

 

All in all a perfect weekend.

 

Thanks for the tip! Appreciate it very much.

 

Joe

Glad it worked out for you Joe. I am sure the Airshow was excellent!!

 

I spent the weekend up on the Virginia Eastern Shore away from crowds LOL.

 

Chris

What was the going rate for those safety locks at a store? Here are pics of my safety lock for the Grumman OV-1 Mohawks Mk-J5D ejection seats. What are all the pins labeled on the A-6 set? These for the J5D seat have 7 pins: Ejection Gun, Face Curtain, Drogue Gun, Rocket (TCR) on the left side and the right side has Bucket Pin, Manual Override and Secondary Firing Handle. The earlier version of these from the Nam era with only 5 pins were setup exactly like your A-6 assembly in the L shape. The old Mk-J5 and J5B seats for the Mohawk had 2 less pins, lacked the Bucket Pin and the TCR Rocket pin.

 

Here is the tag showing the 3 digit Grumman Aircraft model number 134 for the OV-1 like the A-6 is shown as 128

Wow, nice find. That is a Vietnam era Mk-J5B ejection seat for the Mohawk. Missing the main soft pack horseshoe parachute container, Looks like the ejection gun for it was made into a cut away to show the 3 sections of it that telescopes and expands. Where was this seat and what were they asking for it? I actually have the missing parts for that seat, would be a cool project. The drogue chute and the seat pad are a mess on that.

he wanted 1500 for that seat...very cool seat...

I saw the ad, he thinks its the J5D which was the newer seat from 1974- til the end of Mohawks. This one is actually a J5B seat from the earlier Mohawk days. Was def a seat used in training aircraft CONUS that it has a filler pad under the seat pad vs the soft pack survival kit. Also funny he mentioned Ft Eustis in the ad, I was going to say after seeing the ejection gun was sectioned to show the 3 pieces, I was thinking it was a Eustis training aid since the OV-1 Mx school was there as was the school to learn Mx on the Martin Baker J5 seats. This seat looks well loved on but not bad seeing it survived in its original state vs being converted over the years to a later J5D version.

If you ever decide to acquire and restore it, please post some pics.

Awesome looks great!!!

Thank you, Chris! My friend thanks you, too.

Thats an awesome seat, nice shape. They always look better with the ground safety locks installed on display. Like a cherry on top in my opinion. I even have the brass handwheel for the Top Latch Mech if i was to ever display a seat off the ejection gun tube.

I dig it, I have a couple for the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. Very similar setup. Can always tell Grumman part numbers starting off with 3 numbers for the aircraft type. 128 is A6, 134 was the Mohawks.

 

Would that indicate the an original F-14 seat pin set would have 303 in the partnumber? (and not 128)

 

Thanks,

 

Ron

 

Would that indicate the an original F-14 seat pin set would have 303 in the partnumber? (and not 128)

 

Thanks,

 

Ron

 

Id imagine so, but guess we would have to see a F-14s seat straight out of service with its original safely lock tag to confirm. I know they are similar 7 series seats so the pins are probably the same setup as the A-6 and EA-6 versions of the seat.

 

Would that indicate the an original F-14 seat pin set would have 303 in the partnumber? (and not 128)

 

Thanks,

 

Ron

I am not sure of where the 303 prefix came from. I have always seen F-14 part numbers using an A-51 prefix.

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

For a partnumber, that maybe. But the Grumman model numbers where like this:

 

A-6 intruder (and forerunners)

G-128B Proposal SR-195

G-128C* Missileer proposal
G-128E Fleet defender version of Intruder with Long Range AAM
G-128F same as above; variant with twin tails and high wing; forerunner of the Mohawk design
G-128G Model 128-G12 VA(L), no details
G-128J EA-6B Prowler
G-128M Model 128M-4 with M shaped wing planform
G-128R Sandy Intruder (RESCAP)
G-128S A-6E Intruder
G-128U Intruder (ASW variant, not built)
G-128X Intruder (export version, not built)
G-1128 EA-6B Prowler (CME version)
G-129 low-level attack conversions, optical sensors in ventral fairing (or G-128T?

 

F-14 (including VFX designs)

303-60-1, VFX

303-60-2, VFX
303-60-3, VFX
303-60-4, VFX
303A, VFX pre 303B
303B, VFX pre 303C
303C, VFX pre 303D
303D, VFX pre 303E
303E, VFX F-14A Tomcat
303F,
303G,

 

My GRU-7 rbf set has a 128GT partnumber.

 

 

I am confused, I dont remember the 303 numbers used on the F-14. The usual numbers for the F-14A is the A51 prefix.

 

Here is a screen shot of the prefixes used by Grumman. Not sure what the 303 numbers are used for.

 

Sorry should have added the link to the above chart.

 

Aviation Archeology information.

 

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/partmanu.htm#NORTH

Id guess if you have a correct NATOPS manual covering the Maintenance of Illustrated Parts for the actual GRU-7 seat used in the F-14, it would show the correct Grumman part number for the Ground Safety Lock.