Need help solving a mystery (to me at least).....

[Navy Chief]

Someone posted this picture on FB, saying it is a ejection seat handle from a A-7 that his dad ejected from, back in 1968, over Da Nang.

Am questioning this, somewhat, as I worked on ESCAPAC seats for many years, and never ever encountered a metallic lower ejection handle.

Any help here? I searched and searched and all I can find are pictures of the rubber handle I recall as being installed on USN A-7s. NC

and what I remember was:

 

[joe bob]

This site says early handles were metal. Depending on how you read it, it could be referring to the seat or the seat in the A-4.
I can't link directly to the page but here is part of the quote


"From the Escapac I seat on the Escapac line went through several variations. The earliest seats had the face curtain assembly attached atop the headrest. The Escapac IA-1 version (photo right) was used in the A-4E Skyhawk. The seat firing handle is also noteworthy as it is a metal unit as opposed to the later rubber handle."

I wonder if the person could be mistaken on the type of aircraft. An A-4 crashing at Da Nang in 69 would be much more likely than a Navy A-7

http://www.ejectionsite.com/

 

[Navy Chief]

This site says early handles were metal. Depending on how you read it, it could be referring to the seat or the seat in the A-4.
I can't link directly to the page but here is part of the quote


"From the Escapac I seat on the Escapac line went through several variations. The earliest seats had the face curtain assembly attached atop the headrest. The Escapac IA-1 version (photo right) was used in the A-4E Skyhawk. The seat firing handle is also noteworthy as it is a metal unit as opposed to the later rubber handle."

I wonder if the person could be mistaken on the type of aircraft. An A-4 crashing at Da Nang in 69 would be much more likely than a Navy A-7

http://www.ejectionsite.com/

Don't know why I didn't think of that site. I actually have two anecdotes on that site. I will email Kevin, the guy who created it. Thanks, NC