Warbird Information Exchange

The stripping of the MAPS F-14.
So far the ejection seats are gone, and more as you can see. Makes me want to cry. I hope we can get some similar seats and restore the cockpit.

AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

That stinks. But I guess the bright side is that we have an F-14.... well most of one.

So they did take the seats out? I thought they would but wasn't completely sure. What is so sensitive about the ejection seats? I've heard talk about taking them out of other planes too.
Was this today or yesterday?

_________________
When all is said and done more is said than done.

Nothing sensitive about the seats, it just that all the pyro has to be removed from the seat before it can be put on display. The ACES2 seat has something like 30 items that are considered pyro., but fortunately, most are not visable when the seat is installed.

I am guessing they would be removed to be put back into circulation for installation into another still active airframe, just like what would happen with the engines. Likely similar for other cockpit components. We often look at these machines as being cutting edge/state of the art, but really, many of the parts are obsolete and can't be sourced new in the commercial market place. Removal and refurbishment of parts from retired airframes is sometimes the only source. If this F-14 had gone to AMARC the same thing would have happened, we just would not have seen it. Also expect this to be a more regular occurance as military budgets get squeezed.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

My understanding is the engines are to be destroyed not reused. Do other aircraft use the same engine? I an not as versed on the newer jest as the older props.

Most of the ejection seats in the Canadian Forces CT-114 tutors at Mountainview were sent to the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) at CFB Cold Lake to be used in flight and ground based ejection seat (destructive) testing to make the seats in the airworthy fleet safer.

I heard they were to be destroyed as well. I don't have as much knowlege on the jets either but from what I heard and the knowlege that I do have, there isn't any other jets that use those same engines. If they were gonna take the engines out, they should of let us keep them as a display to put next to the aircraft.

_________________
When all is said and done more is said than done.

Who pays for the team to do all the work - when a bird comes out of AMARC you have to pay for all work involved unless you come and do it yourself (HA and are approved to do so).

Tom P.

MAPS pays for their hotel rooms and air far for both the demil crew and the two pilots. I'm not sure if we pay them for their time or not. Either way, it was cheaper (and more exciting) to have it fly in then do the demil then to have them demil it and truck it up here. Oh ya, I think we have to pay to have the "demiled items" shipped back, could be wrong though.

_________________
When all is said and done more is said than done.

like gutting an animal..... but like it was said, you got 1 for your museum. alot of the de-mill regs stuff has merit, but alot is ridiculous government b.s. gobbly gook. alot is wanton waste of materials, taxpayer dough, & govt. employee time. defense dept. auction regs are stiff these days especially with the terrorist thing since 9/11.

_________________
tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Interesting comments. Onc the seats are made safe will they be reinstalled?

_________________
Cheers,
Peter

________

i would say yes, for authenticity purposes. they only removed the rocket propellant or charge & actuator that moves the pilot's ass out of harms way. a fabulous coup for the maps boys in getting the f-14. makes me feel old, i remember the x protoypes from the 70's. now they are being retired. pass the prune juice & hold the poligrip!!!

_________________
tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

F-14B doesn't uses ACES II. Uses a Martin Baker called MK GRU 7A

F-14D uses the Martin Baker MK 17 NACES seat, this seat is also used in the F/A 18 and T-45

I thought they would be but now I'm second guessing that. From what I heard, no.

_________________
When all is said and done more is said than done.