Who is making warbird seats?

[Forgotten Field]

If anybody is out there building EXACT copies of WWII US aircraft seats, please pass their information along to me.

[Dan K]

You and me both, Johnny!

[Tulio]

I would like to find out about prices for PT-19 seats, too.

Saludos,


Tulio

[Tim Landers]

We just recieved all new canvas seat covers and other items such as medical kits, ammo bags and musett bags for B-17 Texas Raiders. Ray Meldrum of American Patrol Co. was kind enough to donate the labor and Rob Singer paid out of pocket for supplies. Ray does great work and even did canvas items for Band of Brothers. He can be reached at 801-568-9189 and is located in West Jordan, Utah. You will have to supply him with the pattern though. Hope this helps.

Tim Landers

[Forgotten Field]

Thanks for the tip on the canvas, but I am interested in the actual cockpit aluminum, stainless steel, wooden, and phenolic seats. Good to know about the other canvas sources.

[HELLDIVERS]

HI:IM THINKING ABOUT BUILDING UP SOME BUT THE PRICE THEY SELL FOR ON EBAY ITS HARDLY WORTH THE EFFORT.THERE ARE ALOT OF PARTS TO MAKE AND AS WE ALL KNOW TIME IS MONEY!! PRICES RANGE FROM $650.00 TO $1200.00 ON EBAY,NEW MFG. WOULD BE MUCH MORE!!IF THE MARKET IS THERE THEY CAN BE MADE!!THANKS MIKE

[Steven M. Dennis]

Hi Mike,

I have been thinking about this for a while too. I feel that there is definitely a market for seats, just for the PT's alone, not counting all of the larger trainers/fighters, etc.

Just last night in fact, I received a phone call from a prominent, multi award winning restorer asking if I could get him a set of seats for a Fairchild PT, (and I get these calls a lot!), but I am fresh out of seats. I too have seen the prices these seats are going for on the internet (ie. ebay), and I think they are starting to get ridiculous. And I know the Stearman guys are having the exact same problems finding seats as the Fairchild guys, so the market is definitely there in my opinion. Maybe you couldn't produce them for less than what they are going for on ebay right now, but sooner or later, they supply is going to dry up, and then what?

I remember a while back that a guy I have done some business with was setting up to do new build seats for Stearmans but for one reason or another he was looking to sell the molds/jigs/etc, that they had tooled up for this job. I should get in touch with him and see if he sold them (and if so who bought them), or if they are still available. I know that they weren't going cheap, but......

I wonder what kind of liablilty a person would assume by making these for people?

Mike if anybody around this neck of the woods could get these things produced, it would probably be you or the boys over in Wahpeton, ND.

As if you don't have enough to do already!

Steve

[Stoney]

What a T-6 seat worth? or just a warbird seat out some other one?

[Dan K]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... gory=26439


Hmmm........

[bdk]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4511941771&category=26439

Way over simplified design and no hardware! The seat pan can be formed easily enough, but all the hardware for moving the seat up and down is where a significant part of the expense lies.

I got a quote to make a magnesium Mustang seat for about $2500 a copy- just for the seat pan assembly. I'm not sure that a complete seat with hardware would even bring that much right now.

I could probably get a cost break for 5 or 10 of them, but I can't afford to tie up that much money unless they are pre-sold. And for that money I wouldn't be making a profit for my efforts (or for tying up my capital).

[HELLDIVERS]

HI:THATS A POOR COPY OF A WW2 A/C SEAT,IT WOULD WORK FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GUYS BUT NOT STANDARD CATAGORY.COMPAIRED TO AN ORIGINAL ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE!IF THERE IS ENOUGH INTEREST IN THEM CONTACT ME AND WE CAN COME UP WITH A COST TO BUILD EXACT COPYS BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE 1/2 UP FRONT THE REST AT TIME OF DELIVERY.THE REPLICA SEAT WOULD HELP KEEP THE HOT ROD GUYS OUT OF THE MARKET BUT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM FOR A/C USE UNLESS THERE FAA APPROVED!THANKS MIKE

[wendovertom]

Humm . . . if anybody comes across a C-123 seat (s) I'd love to know!

Tom P

[pilot06]

That seat on the eBay link is not great. The welds are huge and not good.

Patrick

[pilot06]

How about we start a seat photo guide? I can post the two different T-6 seats designs. I would like to see the other trainer fighter designs out there. Any interest

[HELLDIVERS]

HAY THAT WOULD BE GREAT !!IF YOU HAVE GOOD PHOTOS OF DIFFERENT A/C SEATS PLEASE POST ,INCLUDE A DISCRIPTION IF POSSIBLE .AS FAR AS BT/ STEARMAN SEATS IF THERE IS ENOUGH INTEREST WE MAY START NEW MFG ,COST IS STILL UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.THANKS MIKE