Japanese Zero

Hi,
I'm trying to find out if the Japanese Zero had an ejection seat. Not a rocket propelled, but maybe a spring operated thing? I'm looking at several photos and models of the cockpit, some of which refer to the seat as "ejection". Other photos say NOT an ejection seat. If it is not ejection, then what are the four arms that come off the back of the seat for? They obviously pivot.

There were no ejection seat in the Zero.

No ejection seat in any Zero ...

bent metal said:

Hi,
I'm trying to find out if the Japanese Zero had an ejection seat. Not a rocket propelled, but maybe a spring operated thing? I'm looking at several photos and models of the cockpit, some of which refer to the seat as "ejection". Other photos say NOT an ejection seat. If it is not ejection, then what are the four arms that come off the back of the seat for? They obviously pivot.

Click to expand...

There was no ejection seat in the Japanese "Zero"; the four arms that come off the back secure the seat to the bulkhead immediately behind; they pivot because the seat can be adjusted for height by the pilot, same as a lot of seats in WW 2 fighters:



(Photo of a model showing seat and adjustment lever and lever arc)

The only countries to seriously engage in researching ejector seat technology during WW 2 were the Germans and Swedes, although Britain dabbled: Ejector seat history.