The Martin-Baker Mk.4 is a British ejection seat designed and built by Martin-Baker. Introduced in the 1950s, the Mk.4 has been installed in combat and training aircraft worldwide.[1]
The Mk.4 seat was designed as an improved, lightweight version of earlier Martin-Baker seats for installation in a range of lighter, smaller aircraft types.[2] Improvements included a single combined seat and parachute quick release fastener (QRF) and a snubber mechanism to allow crews to lean forward without loosening the harness.[2] The first successful ejection using a Mk.4 seat took place in March 1957, the aircraft involved being a Fiat G.91.[3]
Operation sequenceedit
Operating either the seat pan or face blind firing handles initiates aircraft canopy jettison, the main gun located at the rear of the seat then fires, the main gun is a telescopic tube with two explosive charges that fire in sequence. As the seat moves up its guide rails an emergency oxygen supply is activated and personal equipment tubing and communication leads are automatically disconnected, leg restraints also operate.[2]
Once the seat is safely clear of the aircraft a steel rod, known as the drogue gun, is fired which extracts two small drogue parachutes to stabilise the seat's descent path. A barostatic mechanism prevents the main parachute from opening above an altitude of 10,000 ft (3,000 m) allowing the seat and pilot to descend rapidly in free fall so conserving the on-seat oxygen supply until normally-breathable atmospheric air becomes available. A time delay mechanism operates the main parachute below this altitude in conjunction with another device to prevent the parachute opening at high speed to prevent possible parachute canopy damage. The seat then separates from the occupant for a normal parachute descent, a manual separation handle and ripcord is provided should the automatic system fail.[2]
Applicationsedit
The Mk.4 ejection seat has been installed in over 35 aircraft types including the following: List from Martin-Baker.[2]
^Royal Air Force Museum London - Martin-Baker Mk.4P navigator.rafmuseum.org Retrieved: 15 December 2011
Bibliographyedit
* Philpott, Bryan. Eject!! Eject!!. Shepperton, Surrey. Ian Allan Ltd., 1989. ISBN0-7110-1804-9
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martin-Baker Mk.4.
"Getting Away With It" a 1954 Flight article
December 15, 2023
martin, baker, british, ejection, seat, designed, built, martin, baker, introduced, 1950s, been, installed, combat, training, aircraft, worldwide, display, royal, force, museum, cosford, contents, history, operation, sequence, applications, seats, display, spe. The Martin Baker Mk 4 is a British ejection seat designed and built by Martin Baker Introduced in the 1950s the Mk 4 has been installed in combat and training aircraft worldwide 1 Mk 4Martin Baker Mk 4P on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford Contents 1 History 2 Operation sequence 3 Applications 4 Seats on display 5 Specifications Mk 4 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksHistory editThe Mk 4 seat was designed as an improved lightweight version of earlier Martin Baker seats for installation in a range of lighter smaller aircraft types 2 Improvements included a single combined seat and parachute quick release fastener QRF and a snubber mechanism to allow crews to lean forward without loosening the harness 2 The first successful ejection using a Mk 4 seat took place in March 1957 the aircraft involved being a Fiat G 91 3 Operation sequence editOperating either the seat pan or face blind firing handles initiates aircraft canopy jettison the main gun located at the rear of the seat then fires the main gun is a telescopic tube with two explosive charges that fire in sequence As the seat moves up its guide rails an emergency oxygen supply is activated and personal equipment tubing and communication leads are automatically disconnected leg restraints also operate 2 Once the seat is safely clear of the aircraft a steel rod known as the drogue gun is fired which extracts two small drogue parachutes to stabilise the seat s descent path A barostatic mechanism prevents the main parachute from opening above an altitude of 10 000 ft 3 000 m allowing the seat and pilot to descend rapidly in free fall so conserving the on seat oxygen supply until normally breathable atmospheric air becomes available A time delay mechanism operates the main parachute below this altitude in conjunction with another device to prevent the parachute opening at high speed to prevent possible parachute canopy damage The seat then separates from the occupant for a normal parachute descent a manual separation handle and ripcord is provided should the automatic system fail 2 Applications editThe Mk 4 ejection seat has been installed in over 35 aircraft types including the following List from Martin Baker 2 Aermacchi MB 326 BAC Strikemaster Breguet Taon Dassault Etendard IV Dassault Mirage III Dassault Mystere Dassault Ouragan Dassault Dornier Alpha Jet de Havilland Vampire Dornier Do 29 English Electric Canberra English Electric Lightning Fouga CM 170 Magister HAL Ajeet HAL HF 24 Marut HAL Kiran Hawker Hunter Helwan HA 300 Nord 1500 Griffon Nord Gerfaut SEPECAT Jaguar SNCASE SE 212 Durandal SNCASO Trident Sud Aviation VautourSeats on display editA Martin Baker Mk 4P seat is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford 4 Specifications Mk 4 editMaximum operating height 50 000 ft 15 240 m Minimum operating height Ground level Minimum operating speed 90 knots indicated airspeed KIAS Maximum operating speed 600 KIASReferences editNotes edit Philpott 1989 pp 77 78 a b c d e Martin Baker Mk 4 fact sheets www martin baker com Retrieved 15 December 2011 Philpott 1989 p 77 Royal Air Force Museum London Martin Baker Mk 4P navigator rafmuseum org Retrieved 15 December 2011 Bibliography edit Philpott Bryan Eject Eject Shepperton Surrey Ian Allan Ltd 1989 ISBN 0 7110 1804 9External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martin Baker Mk 4 Getting Away With It a 1954 Flight article Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Martin Baker Mk 4 amp oldid 1005012208, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
