January 25, 20233 yr #1 hello all, please need a clarification about these particular items: Leg Garters for the Martin Baker seat of USN F-4J in 1969 - 1970, were they green (like those of USAF F-4C/D) or rather blue? Remembering photos of the blue ones when used by A-4 or F-pilots in that Vietnam timeframe, at least two out of the four-strap set, but cannot find any color picture of straps as used by USN F-4 crews. Rather certain that they had triangular rings instead of D-rings, but nothing more. Thanx in advance for any tips. Franco.
January 25, 20233 yr #2 Are these what you mean? If so, mines a seat from an F-4D and these ones are blue.
January 26, 20233 yr #3 9 hours ago, Obviousman said: Are these what you mean? If so, mines a seat from an F-4D and these ones are blue. Those are the actual withdrawal lines on the seat that the garters/leg restraints connect to. As the seat moves up with the ejection gun extending those lines pull your legs back against the seat with the garters worn around your leg/calf. For some reason there are many different styles and colors of the garters and even the withdrawal lines too. On the OV-1 Mohawk seats 1 line is blue and 1 line is white, and the garters are color coded to match those as well. The blue is worn on the left leg and the white is worn on the right.
January 26, 20233 yr #4 These are the garters for the Mk-J5 series ejection seats in the Army OV-1 Mohawk. Can see those quick release arrowhead buckle/rings that are connected to the fittings on the garters. Those leg lines loop through those ring and lock back in seat side. Some garters have rings built in to them vs have quick release rings. Not many pics out there of garters being worn since they are usually left in the aircraft with the seat, but someone showed me this picture from Vietnam in 1967 of a OV-1A Mohawk and can see the pilot off to the left with the white garter on his right leg.
January 26, 20233 yr #5 11 hours ago, BlueBookGuy said: hello all, please need a clarification about these particular items: Leg Garters for the Martin Baker seat of USN F-4J in 1969 - 1970, were they green (like those of USAF F-4C/D) or rather blue? Remembering photos of the blue ones when used by A-4 or F-pilots in that Vietnam timeframe, at least two out of the four-strap set, but cannot find any color picture of straps as used by USN F-4 crews. Rather certain that they had triangular rings instead of D-rings, but nothing more. Thanx in advance for any tips. Franco. I think the older Navy ones were blue, I recall seeing blue ones that had those V rings. I think the green ones were for the later Mk-H7 series seats vs the older H5 type. Im not sure if A-4 pilots ever wore garters for the ESCAPAC seats but I know the F-8 pilots had a Martin Baker seat that used garters. RWW (Bob) can probably answer this one for sure.
January 26, 20233 yr Author #6 11 hours ago, Obviousman said: Are these what you mean? If so, mines a seat from an F-4D and these ones are blue. these are the actual garters, btw. they should be the ones for the seat of F-4C and D. Each leg will get one of either type.
January 26, 20233 yr Author #7 1 hour ago, mohawkALSE said: I think the older Navy ones were blue, I recall seeing blue ones that had those V rings. I think the green ones were for the later Mk-H7 series seats vs the older H5 type. Im not sure if A-4 pilots ever wore garters for the ESCAPAC seats but I know the F-8 pilots had a Martin Baker seat that used garters. RWW (Bob) can probably answer this one for sure. Thanx very much, will try knowing more about that. Getting close to a USN complete set but I prefer to still wait.
January 26, 20233 yr #8 USAF not Navy but my recollections anyway....The E models had a thigh garter and a calf garter..IIRC the restraining straps were blue and the actual garters were brown/green(?)...we would lay the thigh strap on the seat, opened and the calf strap would be hung to the left and right of the seat for ease of sitting in the seat and strapping in.....aircrews really liked it when the cockpit was ready for them....
January 26, 20233 yr Author #9 30 minutes ago, phantomfixer said: USAF not Navy but my recollections anyway....The E models had a thigh garter and a calf garter..IIRC the restraining straps were blue and the actual garters were brown/green(?)...we would lay the thigh strap on the seat, opened and the calf strap would be hung to the left and right of the seat for ease of sitting in the seat and strapping in.....aircrews really liked it when the cockpit was ready for them.... ... interesting indeed. I always supposed the garters with that extra strap + ring were for the thighs, is this correct?
January 26, 20233 yr #10 The way I remember it, the calf straps pulled the feet back away from the rudder pedals, and the thigh straps kept the legs tight to the seat pan/what we called the bucket...to prevent injury to legs/feet on egress it seems the calf straps were on the bottom of the seat...I think, and this is 37 years ago, the thigh straps were on the same blue strap, one inertial type reel that pulled down and in... some of the egress guys have the specific TO I'm sure...
January 26, 20233 yr Author #11 ... it sounds like I was wrong, possibly. Thus it was the garter with the added long strap, that stayed at the calf I seem to understand? Not the opposite?
January 28, 20233 yr #12 The garters in the F-4 went around the upper calf (upper garter) just below the knee and the ankle (lower garter). The upper garter is the one longer one with the strap attached.
February 1, 20233 yr #14 I never seen or heard of the thigh strap on the F-4. Learned something today😂👍 During my time in the Navy (1980s-90s) the leg restraints (A-6s & F-14s) were part of the individual’s flight gear or pool gear from the Paraloft, they were not left with the aircraft. Here is a picture of a set I have from the A-6 Intruder. Chris
February 18, 20233 yr Author #16 Just got the desired set of correct USN Leg Restraints I had been looking for, and asking infos about. Will post a couple pics shortly of them as worn on the mannequinn- A great thank you again to all the kind guys who were helpful here, including a thought to mohawkALSE who has passed away very recently.
February 26, 20233 yr Author #17 Here the correct Leg Restraints I was asking infos about, at last got them and placed on the USN guy.
February 26, 20233 yr Author #19 1 hour ago, RWW said: They look great! hello Bob yes a very interesting and perhaps scarce item, here in complete set. The full size guy looks super-great, just its oxy. mask isn't 100% correct for the intended timeframe (mainly the hardshell) but not easy at all to find the proper one - will see, no rush. Thanx again of course for your very helpful tips about these restraints back then.
March 5, 20233 yr #22 Leg restraints look great!! Trying not to nitpick, but the display needs steel toed flight boots not combat boots. Chris
November 6, 20232 yr #23 The USN/USMC leg restraint garters for the Martin-Baker Mk-H7 were a four piece set with triangular rings. The nylon straps would be sage green and possibly olive drab green also. Upper and lower 4 piece set. The USAF used ones with circular rings. It is very possible that the very early USN/USMC Mk-H7 seats used the two piece set that was used with the MK-H5 seat. The Mk-H5 garter set was blue webbing with a black triangular ring, and was most likely used by both the USN/USMC and USAF in the Mk-H5 seat. The garter sets for the Mk-H5 and Mk-H7 stayed on the seat and remained in the aircraft. Other aircraft, such as the F-8 Crusader, the pilot wore them to and from the aircraft. I would go with the 4pc set with the triangular rings for the USN/USMC Mk-H7 F-4 seat. Always the possibility of rigger made garters with the Martin-Baker (MBEU) hardware.
November 6, 20232 yr #24 Hello. Some leg restraint. They belonged to a former usn fighter pilot f8 crusader ( vf 24 uss bonhomme Richard. 1967 1970)
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