Pilot Seat. Mystery

[David O'Reilly]

 

[Airframes]

Looks rather like a seat from a F-4 Corsair.

 

[GrauGeist]

Looks alot like a pilot's seat from a TBF Avenger

 

[David O'Reilly]

Looks alot like a pilot's seat from a TBF Avenger

That centre seat hole is killing me. I can but it as well which is even better for 110usd

 

[Wurger]

Not sure what you can but I would like to remind that trading here in any way is not allowed on the forum.

 

[David O'Reilly]

No problem. Not selling. Just hoping it matches my other stuff.

 

[GrauGeist]

I did some scrounging and my suspicions were in the right direction.

That is definitely a Grumman seat, I just can't figure out the type that had a triangular support (seen by the riveting in the back) and the oval slot.

 

[MiTasol]

Apart from the centre hole it looks like a generic AN7500 seat - are there any part numbers???

 

[David O'Reilly]

Apart from the centre hole it looks like a generic AN7500 seat - are there any part numbers???

Ill know Friday, will check really close and place pics up.

 

[waroff]

Perhaps this hole in backrest of this US seat was for a sutton harness?
the british shoulder straps go through the backrest by the hole

 

[fubar57]

You can eliminate the F6F-3 and -5, at least according to the Walkaround book. And the F8F. F4F-3, -4 and FM-2 as well

 

[GrauGeist]

It has a Grumman feel to it, though.

The seat and backrest have a unique shape as well as the two slots on the back for a pad.

While the F3F didn't have the slots on the back or the recesses on the seat, the shape and construction os there:

On the F4F-3, the shape remains unchanged and now the backrest slots appear:

And on the TBF/M, the seat appears the same as the Wildcat - the recesses in the seat and the cusion slots in the backrest:

The difference between the OP photo and these examples, is the "A" shaped backrest reinforcement and that oval slot - so I am wondering if this may not be a pilot's seat, but perhaps another crew station's seat...which seems really hard to find in searches.

 

[fubar57]

The Wings and Wheels Publications book "TBM/TBF Avenger in detail" shows the rear cockpit seat, similar to all Grumman single engine pilot seats

 

[David O'Reilly]

Part number

 

[MiTasol]

I was thrown off at first by the V- over-stamped X- prefix

 

[TonyT]

The hole in the back on British seats was simply to aid lifting them in and out of the aircraft when removing or fitting them.

 

[MiTasol]

but that is an American seat

 

[TonyT]

but that is an American seat

i know, but last time I looked you had hands too.

 

[Sound of round]

Part number

That part number is a left over from the North American Aviation part numbering system and this seat looks 99% like it has come from an Australian built Wirraway Trainer, which was a licenced built NA-16-2K or NA-33 aircraft. Even the paint looks like Royal Australian Air Force RAAF silver. Is the owner located in Australia or overseas? The seat is also compatible for installation into the CAC Boomerang aircraft. Unfortunately it looks like corrosion has taken hold pretty badly. I have attached a picture of a Wirraway and also of the Wirraway cockpit showing this seat type.

 

[MiTasol]

Congratulations

You are right. Nice work.

The complete Wirraway seat is 23-53074 but digging deeper I find

Remember this seat also fits the

So if it is in Aus it will be Wirraway, and maybe Boomerang, and in the USA/Canada from those models