The
first quick release fittings were used on an integrated torso
harness starting in World War 2, the Navy being the first to employ
them on their aircraft because of the danger of crews walking
across the carrier deck and getting blown overboard if the back
parachute accidentally deployed. By having the pilot wear a integrated
torso harness and having him hook into the ejection seat at the
aircraft, this also saved him from lugging the heavy 'chute around.
The Air Force began using a torso harness later in the early 1960s
in the F-4 Phantom Aircraft. Jets that were designed earlier utilized
a back-style parachute/torso harness, like the F-100 and F-105.
In this article, we will show you the different styles of Ejection
Seat / Torso Harness quick Release fittings from both the Navy
and Air Force. At the right, you will see the 4 main quick
release fittings broken down by service (Air
Force / Navy) and by use (Seat
Side / Harness). It is obvious from this picture how the
Air Force and Navy seem to think they have to be totally different,
basically exact opposites.
The Navy's integrated torso harness is designated the MA-2 (or
PCU-33). The MA-2 has a series of webbing straps going between
the legs, over the shoulders, and across the chest.
The pilot would put it on by slipping his legs through the leg
loops and pulling it over his shoulders. There is a zipper in
the front that closes the body material and then a chest strap
is cinched. The early MA-2s had the body material coving the entire
strap system. Most pilots found this full-body material restrictive
and uncomfortable. Some studies were done and it was found
that the full-body material provide no extra support and was basically
unnecessary, so the ALSE Techs were able to cut the lower body
material away from around 1966 through the early 1980s.
Around 1983, the MA-2s were being manufactured without the lower
body material. This type of MA-2 is still being used today.
The MA-2 torso harness used 2 sets of quick release fittings.
2 at the shoulder (upper) for attaching the parachute riser
and 2 at the waist/crotch area (lower) for attaching the
survival seat kit so upon ejection, it would stay with the crewmember. Another
difference in the early and later MA-2s is the style of life/extraction
ring used. The extraction ring was used in case the crewmember
had ejected, it gave a rescue helicopter a solid point to attach
a winch to and pull him to safety. The MA-2s were issued with
a
small V life ring from the late 1950s through
the late 1970s. In the early 1970s, after use in Vietnam showed
the small V ring was sometimes difficult to hook to if injured
or under fire, the crewmembers began putting large carabineers
on their MA-2 harness too. In 1974, the military got the picture
and began have the MA-2s made with
large snap life rings in place of the small
V ring.
The first type of harness quick release fittings were made by
the Rocket Jet Engineering Company (RJE) in the 1950s. This type
of quick release fitting was used on aircraft like the F-8 Crusader
to the OV-1 Bronco. The RJE fitting was used primarily by the
US Navy and Marine Corps, with the exception of limited use by
the Army in the OV-1 Bronco aircraft. From introduction the 1950s
through mid-1960s the
RJE fitting was used on the upper and lower
points of the MA-2. In the 1960s another company came up with
a superior designed quick release fitting, H. Koch and Sons introduced
what is simply called the Koch fitting. The large male Koch
fitting began seeing squadron use in the mid-1960s and was used
early on with the lower RJE fitting. Eventually, Koch and Sons
made a miniature male Koch fitting to replace*
the lower RJE fitting. These were seen in the squadrons around
1968, but not in quantities until around 1970. The upper Kochs
on the MA-2 are called "Large
Male Kochs" while the lower Kochs are called
"Mini
Male Kochs." [As a side note, the US Army
used the RJE fitting in the OV-1 aircraft well into the late 1970s-
after that, they used the Navy Koch fittings on a specially designed
harness that is basically a cross between the MA-2 and the Air
Force PCU-15.] Currently and since the 1970s, the US Navy
and Marine Corps use the MA-2 with large male upper and mini male
lower Kochs in all ejection seat aircraft. Test pilots and
High Altitude crews required a different type of torso harness,
one that was not as restrictive with the body material. The harness
was designated MA-2/P. Basically the same as the MA-2 with the
exception of no body material and a ejector snap closure at the
chest. These would use the same quick release fittings as stated
above at those years.
The
US Air Force felt they had different requirements for their torso
harness, so the similarities are minimal between the 2. The Air
Force, as mentioned before, was a little slower
in utilizing the integrated torso harness- first being used in
the F-4 Phantom in the 1960s. The Air Force's first ejection seat
integrated torso harness was designated PCU-3 and was designed
for use on the Martin Baker MK-H5 ejection seat. Later variants
were designated PCU-15 and PCU-15A/P. The PCU-3 (shown at left)
was similar to the 15 & 15A/P with the exception of closure
buckles- this will be discussed later. The basic PCU ejection
harness has straps going between the legs, over the shoulder,
and across the chest- sounds like the MA-2, doesn't it? That is
where the similarities end though. The Air Force has their harness
equipped with 3 closure buckles and rings. Each crotch strap and
the chest strap can be unhooked. This allows the crewmember to
be comfortable and unrestricted until getting into the aircraft
where he will hook the crotch straps and chest strap. The PCU-3
harness used attachment buckles made by Koch, there is no similarity
between the current Kochs fittings and the ones used on the PCU-3.
The rare fittings on the PCU-3 are similar, except the chest strap
clip has a removable pin and the 2 leg clips are threaded with
the strap. The PCU-3 was used from 1963 until the late 1970s when
it was replaced* by the PCU-15 and
a new improved snap/buckle system (actually, a lot of the PCU-3
harnesses had their fittings replaced with the new and improved
ejector snaps). The snaps on the later torso harnesses are called
ejector snaps. This is because not only do they
securely lock, but they also open and actually push the
"V" ring out, thereby releasing the
strap. One can only imagine how great this must be after getting
shot down over enemy territory and trying to get out of the harness
quickly. The V ring is the mate to the ejector snap, called such
because it comes to a point where the snap meets it. The back
of the harness has body material, but other than that, it is all
heavy webbing straps. The underside of the shoulder straps has
some thin padding for comfort. The PCU-15 ejection harness uses
female upper Kochs for attaching the parachute
risers and there are
D rings at the hip area for hooking into the
ejection seat survival kit. The PCU-15 harness is used with aircraft
like the F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle. The PCU-15A/P ejection harness
(shown at right with LPU-9/P Life Preserver attached) uses
Frost fittings at the shoulders for attaching to the parachute
risers and D rings for the survival kit. The
Frost fittings are uses only in the F-16 Fighting
Falcon with the Aces II ejection seat. Though called Frost fittings
(originally made by Frost Engineering), H Koch and Sons also make
these fittings for the Air Force.
*
The word "replace" is used loosely. When a new item
is introduced into the military supply system, it typically takes
quite a while for it to get to every squadron and totally
replace the other piece.
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