Ejection History

[104th_Maverick]

I found this website today.

 

It's a little morbid, there are some tragic incidents listed and some true horrors, but it is fascinating reading if you have some time to check it out.

 

You also see just how many ejection seats save pilots lives!

 

I was checking out the Tornado Ejection history among others and found this ... an Air to Ground pilots worst nightmare!

 

"During the early hours of 24 January 1991 Fg Off S J Burgess and Sqn Ldr R Ankerson flew on a mission to attack an airfield in SW Iraq with 1,000lb bombs from level flight at medium altitude. Shortly after having released their weapon load as planned there was a large explosion behind the aircraft and the crew thought they had been hit by a surface-to-air missile. They turned towards the Saudi border with flames spreading along the aircraft wings. The aircraft became difficult to control and the crew prepared for ejection, which they did once control was finally lost. The crew suffered very minor injuries as a result of the ejection and descent. They were both captured and held in captivity until the cessation of hostilities. The wreckage of the aircraft was found and briefly inspected by the investigating team; the Accident Data Recorder was recovered for analysis. Shrapnel fragments recovered from the aircraft wreckage were analysed and indicate conclusively that premature detonation of one or more of the 1,000lb bombs had occurred, damaging the aircraft to such an extent that the crew had no option but to eject."

 

^^ You're right over your target and your own weapon takes you out!!!

 

http://www.ejection-history.org.uk

 

View by Aircraft Type

http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/0000/AT.htm

[Home Fries]

A very good site.

 

I wouldn't call it morbid; it's what happened. It's someone's own motivation to read the site that might be considered morbid. The fact that people involved in the mishaps (who survive) often provide corrections or their own account shows that the site is both respectful and respected.

 

I also have a few friends named on the site, so sometimes I'll just find them there as a way to think about them.

[StrongHarm]

I worked on seats in the U.S. Navy. At Red Flag one of the pilots came in the shop and asked if his seat was good to go.. he said was going to be doing some radical flying that day. One of my buddies said; "Sir, if it doesn't work bring it back and we'll give you a new one."

The pilot had to eject that day... it was successful.

 

Ejection seats are amazingly complex. It's more than just a rocket that pushes you out of the bird. The sequence operates pneumatically (small squib explosives) with hundreds of actuations just within the first second. It's like a Swiss watch. Here's an interesting read.

[Aginor]

I spent hours on that site throughout the years.

Very interesting stories, although quite some of them are sad.

 

But some also tell us about very lucky guys. Like the pilot of the F-14 that ejected and survived despite his chute not opening. Years later I read about that story in Dave Baranek's book (he was the RIO).

[whiteladder]

Their was a documentary on the UK forces channel recently that had Flt. Lt. R. Stewart and Flt. Lt. D. Waddington talking about their experiences of getting shot down in Tornado ZA396/GE, during the first gulf war.

 

The ejection site has them being hit by a Sam 7, they were actually hit by a Roland fired at extremely short range. After the war the cockpit voice recorder was recovered, they play the audio on the program, pretty incredible stuff. Their high speed ejections cause multiple fractures/dislocations, and they had a pretty rough time at the hands of their interrogators.

 

2 Very Brave men.