Ejection History

[mike bennett]

Dear Forum Members,

Please excuse this unsolicited email. For the last 25 years I have researched the history and use of assisted aircrew escape systems and part of that is to chronicle every known ejection - successful or not.
My results to date (with lots to add) are available at

www.ejection-history.org.uk

If you could pass on my serious request for information I would be most grateful. And, from the outset please let me make it clear I have no pilot credentials other than being a serious enthisiast of aviation safety history.


I thought I'd contact you in the hope that you may be able to offer me advice on the best way to reach as wide a knowledgeable group as possible with a request. Also if you have other outlets that could be sent my project details to chronicle every ejection and where-ever possible contact actual ejectees or their families that would be brilliant I have noticed one or two posts from Forum members who obviously have contact with ejectees.

I prefer to use information on my website that has the permission of the actual ejectee or their family.

Also part of the site is devoted to filtering out "fictitious" ejections from "factual" - it will come as no surprise to you that on more than one occasion I have been submitted ejections from an F-14 by "Goose" and "Maverick". I have no problem with such information as long as it does not detract from the historic side of the project also that when human lives are being detailed and chronicled I want to ensure my website's integrity for the memory of those who experienced such escapes.

Thank you for reading this request and any help in spreading word of my project is appreciated.

With respect

Mike Bennett
Project Get Out and Walk
www.ejection-history.org.uk

 

[Huggyu2]

You need to talk to the folks at the Human Factors Lab at Brooks AFB in San Antonio. At least it was there 4 years ago. They investigate all ejections and crashes in the USAF, and many others. It was founded by a Brit, Mike Grost (sp?) who was a brilliant man. He died suddenly about 5 years ago, but his legacy lives on through this Lab. I've been through it a few times over the years. Amazing stuff. Grost was a former Martin-Baker ejection seat at some point in his past.
Good luck.

 

[mike bennett]

Dear Huggyu2,

Thanks for the quick response. Mike Grost and I were good "telephone" friends. Mike was a real gentleman and we spent many hours on the phone making trans-Atlantic calls. He really helped me in the early days of the project. He ensured that I was made aware of many things that I was, as an "outsider" to the aero-community, ignorant of.
His expertise and encouragement is fondly remembered.

He was also a member of SAFE, an organisation I am certain you are aware of and was introduced to over 14 years ago.

A few years after making contact with Mike I had the good fortune to be introduced to the POW-NAM veterans and in the near future should be uploading the results of years of research - this will include a photo of virtually every POW ejectee from NAM.

I will take up your suggestion and recontact the "at the Human Factors Lab at Brooks AFB in San Antonio" in the hope that they will be able to help fill a few gaps in the listings.

With respect

Mike Bennett
Project Get Out and Walk
www.ejection-history.org.uk

 

[F16TJ]

Mike,

Are you going to count F-111 capsule ejections in your project? I noticed you didn't have any on your website.

TJ

 

[mike bennett]

Dear T J.

YES is the answer - I'm slowly sorting through 25 years of files - and I know there are a few F-111 capsule escpaes to add involving both the USAF and the RAAF. Also will be the capsules that didn't all make it including the designs for the F-104, the A-7, the A-4, also there are a couple of Spviet capsule escapes to add.

Eventually I'll make a clear link to a Capsules section

Best wishes

Mike

 

[F16TJ]

Mike,

Realize you have lots of material to go through, but this site has good info on most F-111 accidents. Look under the aircraft listings and it gives details on most of the ejections. Good luck.

http://www.f-111.net/index.htm

TJ

 

[Huggyu2]

The USMC just lost a Harrier yesterday in the Atlantic. The pilot got out and spent some time in the water, but is ok. There's a real good, fresh source! See if you can track him down.

 

[mike bennett]

Dear Huggyu2

Thanks for the info -

I've already contacted the USMC and they are not releasing anything at present. A couple of years ago there was an article that got a "pulitzer Prize" on the amount of losses that the Harrier suffered since its introduction.
From other sources in the public domain I have ascertained the pilot of the latest Harrier loss was Capt Jason Thomsen who survived.

Sadly a couple of days earlier an Indian Naval Harrier went down near but the pilot did not survive.

If anyone has contacts or friends in the US Navy, Air Force, Marines or Army who can pass on th eproject details to others - a lot may now be out of the service and are willing / allowed to divulge more details I'd be very grateful.

Regards

Mike
Project Get Out and Walk
www.ejection-history.org.uk