Re: Is this true?

Bill Pratt Wrote:
=======================================================
> Tom,
> Speaking of tail numbers, at RAF Alconbury one
> Sqdn had 000 thru 016, my Sqdn had 017 thru 032,
> and a third Sqdn had 033 to about 040 plus a bunch
> of odd ones. Never saw that many consecutive
> numbers at one base before.
>
> Consider your self honored, very few got back seat
> F-4 rides, especially cross countries.

Thanks for your comments. The Martin-Baker seat was a lot
different than most everything else that I worked on. I remember
that you could remove just the seat bucket FOM (for other maintenance)
and we frequently did that. IIRC, the canopy glass was quite
thick and there was a cable interlock preventing the catapult from
firing if the canopy did not jettison. When I was in, I was around
for the mod that put the rocket pack on the seat bottom and the low
yield pancake cartridges so as to lessen G's and injuries to pilot's
spines. I was always wide awake when I had to remove the primary
cartridge at the top of the catapult. We used to pass safety wire
through the hole on the linkage a couple of times so it couldn't be
inadvertantly fired.





> My youngest son was also a seat mechanic on
> RF-4s.


I just hope that his time in the service was interesting also. I
do feel somewhat blessed to have seen all that I did at Edwards;
B-70, SR-71, XC-142, B-57 and B-58 (chase for the B-70) plus 8-9
other aircraft.

Tom
>
> Bill