Japanese Zero

[bent metal]

Hi, I am wondering if the Japanese Zero plane had an ejection mechanism? Not rocket, but maybe some kind of spring operated thing? I'm looking at models and pictures of the seat. Some of which actually refer to the seat as "ejection", while others say there was no ejection. ...The seat is mounted to four arms that would pivot up and down. If not for ejection, then for what purpose are those arms?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

There was no type of ejection seat in the Zero. As a matter of fact some Zero pilots flew without parachutes.

 

[GregP]

No ejection mechanism at all.

Open the canopy and jump.

 

[GrauGeist]

Hi, I am wondering if the Japanese Zero plane had an ejection mechanism? Not rocket, but maybe some kind of spring operated thing? I'm looking at models and pictures of the seat. Some of which actually refer to the seat as "ejection", while others say there was no ejection. ...The seat is mounted to four arms that would pivot up and down. If not for ejection, then for what purpose are those arms?

Seat adjustment is all...

For a detailed look at the componets and an explanation, look at Shinpachi's thread and detail of the A6M's seat construction: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/personal-gallery/mitsubishi-a6m8-cgi-project-31284-12.html

 

[tyrodtom]

If you'll look at some pictures of Zeros taxying , you'll notice the pilot almost looks like he's standing up.

It's for better forward vision over the nose, I think they only used it that way on the ground, or maybe for carrier approaches also.

 

[fubar57]

For launches as well...

Geo

 

[Deleted member 63714]

No ejection at all huh? See, that's another fact that passed by me throughout all my readings and films...

 

[GrauGeist]

Japanese aircraft were not equipped with ejection seats. Even the Shinden didn't, instead requiring the pilot to discharge the explosive bolts to the propeller in the event of bailing out.

The Germans were better known for this feature, the first type equipped was the He280 jet (1940), then the He219 (1942) and others (He162, Do335 and so on)

 

[ohogain]

The whole premise of the Zero was to make it as light as possible. They didn't put in any armor protection for the pilot, nor did they use self-sealing gas tanks. An ejection seat, even if available at the time the aircraft was designed, would have been considered an unnecessary weight increase.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

No ejection at all huh? See, that's another fact that passed by me throughout all my readings and films...

Most WW2 aircraft had no ejection seats. Its not something unusual...

 

[bent metal]

Thanks for the quick and clear response! I did look at the Spinpachi link. Not all of it, but a few pages, very nice. I'm only familiar with the seat, I see he has taken a few liberties in changing the design, as we have. Very cool stuff!

 

[Deleted member 63714]

Most WW2 aircraft had no ejection seats. Its not something unusual...

True... It's not something that I had ever given much thought to honestly. As obsessed with WWII history as I was/am it never occurred to me to question any book or film that showed pilots "bailing out" of the plane. Now I understand they meant "jumping" and parachuting down...

 

[GrauGeist]

Thanks for the quick and clear response! I did look at the Spinpachi link. Not all of it, but a few pages, very nice. I'm only familiar with the seat, I see he has taken a few liberties in changing the design, as we have. Very cool stuff!

Shinpachi is building his A6M from factory blueprints...

He has quite an extensive library of aircraft plans.

 

[tyrodtom]

If you were in a fighter that had a canopy that could be jettisoned, ( most did) and you still had enough control left to do so, a lot of pilots seemed to prefer to roll inverted, or begin a outside loop, pull their knees up to their chest, (or get their legs out from under the instrument panel) release the seat belt/shoulder harness, and drop out.

That was faster and got you better separation from the aircraft than climbing out on the wing and hoping you missed the tail surfaces as you dove off the back of the wing.

 

[Shinpachi]

In my impression, IJN fighter pilots had no idea of bailing out at all unlike IJA airmen.

Thank for checking my works, bent metal and, GG, for introducing them!

 

[bent metal]

Spinpachi, someone mentioned you are working from "factory" blueprints?!?! Does this include the seat? Or have you created that blueprint. I'm missing two details on the back of the seat. But I didn't see them on your computer drawings either (page 13 or so), not sure of the page. The seat I'm refering to is the earlier (I think?) seat. The smaller one without the big parachute bubble on the back. Looking from the back of this seat there is a large brace that runs side to side. On the right side it has seven holes, on the left it has one hole. In between these groups of holes was some kind of bracket. It was riveted in with eight, if I remember right, rivets. What was there. Also, in the center of the seat, up high on the back is a small half round, tapered bracket that is riveted on. At the crown of that bracket were two small rivets that had something aluminum attached. Long since smeared off. Can you tell me what was there as well?
And just out of curiosity. What things were hooked on to the back of the seat with all of these brackets?

 

[zoomar]

Of course it shouldn't be suprising that the A6M didn't have an ejection seat. No fighter designed and entering service prior to 1944 did. If memory serves the first aircraft that featured an ejection seat was the experimental He 280 jet fighter...or maybe the He 217?

 

[GrauGeist]

The first to have a modern ejection seat was the He280, and the first ejection seat successfully used to save a pilot's life during a catastrophic event, was again, the He280.

The first production aircraft to have an ejection seat was the He219.

 

[Aozora]

If you were in a fighter that had a canopy that could be jettisoned, ( most did) and you still had enough control left to do so, a lot of pilots seemed to prefer to roll inverted, or begin a outside loop, pull their knees up to their chest, (or get their legs out from under the instrument panel) release the seat belt/shoulder harness, and drop out.

That was faster and got you better separation from the aircraft than climbing out on the wing and hoping you missed the tail surfaces as you dove off the back of the wing.

These are the officially mandated procedures for bail-out from the P-51D/K: it was recommended that the pilot crouch on the seat, then dive headfirst over the trailing edge of the right wing (although the left wing was also an option). Presumably this ensured that the pilot cleared the tail unit:

 

[GregP]

There's another aspect of bailing out, and that is the direction the propeller turns.

You should always bail out in the direction the prop blades are turning to get you away from the horizontal tail.