[Radoye]

Not exactly a combat report but nevertheless an interesting document - a footage of early ejection seat tests using a specially modified Ju-87 Stuka.

A few of these tests didn't exactly go as planned, as you may see, but the program as a whole was a success and it lead to a working model used on some of Germany's late war designs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t59svWa1n_4

[fubear]

a bit of a wild ride :wink: thanks for posting

[socorrista22198]

Onlooker, thx

[Segelflieger]

great post!! didn't even know that there is footage about that around before you posted!
thank you man!

[fredgreen]

That's great footage, was the ejection power created with airpressure and was the the stuka only a test platform or was is actual used in stuka?

thanks :wink: fredgreen :wink:

[Radoye]

That's great footage, was the ejection power created with airpressure and was the the stuka only a test platform or was is actual used in stuka?

thanks :wink: fredgreen :wink:

I have no idea what they used to propel the seat out of the plane - air pressure seems a good guess.

Stuka was only a test vehicle, this was used in such types as Do-355 or He-162.

[wheelsup_cavu]

Don't know what was used on the Stuka.

Here is a little background on German ejection seats.

Source Site

The first ejection seat was made by Heinkel, for the He 280. It was pneumatically powered, and accelerated the pilot upwards at between 7 and 9 gees.

The first use of an ejection seat was made by pilot Schenk, on 13-1-1943. He required it's use when the He 280, which was powered by two Argus pulse-jets that required a high forward speed to start up, refused to separate from the tow aircraft due to the cable release mechanism icing up. As a precaution, Schenk ejected and landed safely.

Source Site

January 13, 1942 - Test pilot Helmut Schenk ejects from his stricken Heinkel He 280 (right) becoming the first pilot to successfully use an ejection system.

Seems to be some discrepancy to the actual year it was first used.


[quote="Christopher T. Carey"]Source Site

Many ideas occurred to German aeronautical engineers in the process of attempting to address this need for safe egress from crippled aircraft. One of the first was the "boom" concept, in which a pivoted fulcrum, attached to the pilot

[fredgreen]

thanks for the information wheelsup_cavu :lol: