TIMELINE

From Sir James Martin’s first company to 7,500 lives saved to now, Martin-Baker has been constantly evolving, pioneering and raising the bar year on year.

TIMELINE

From Sir James Martin’s first company to 7,500 lives saved to now, Martin-Baker has been constantly evolving, pioneering and raising the bar year on year.

1929

‘Martin’s Aircraft Works’ established

1934

‘Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd.’ founded by Sir James Martin and Capt Valentine Baker

1942

Capt Valentine Baker killed during an MB3 test flight

1944

Sir James Martin invited to the Ministry of Aircraft Production to investigate providing fighter aircraft with a means of assisted escape and begins producing designs

1945

First live test ejection - Bernard Lynch

1949

First life saved - J.O. Lancaster

1955

First live runway ejection test - Sqn Ldr J. S. Fifield

1958

Highest altitude live ejection from a British Canberra - 56,000ft

1961

First live zero/zero test ejection - William ‘Doddy’ Hay

1961

500 lives saved

1962

First live rocket-assisted test ejection - Peter Howard

1965

1,000 lives saved

1966-1969

Awarded four Queen's Awards for Export Trade & Technological Innovation

1982

Awarded 5th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

1981

Sir James Martin passes away

1983

5,000 lives saved

1986

Awarded 6th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

1989

NACES enters service with the US Navy

1991

First female ejectee - Linda Maloney from a US Navy A-6 Intruder

1993

Awarded 7th Queen’s Award for Technology

1997

5,000th member enrolled into the Ejection Tie Club

1997

Awarded 8th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

2000

Martin-Baker US16E selected - F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

2001

Awarded 9th Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade

2004

Awarded 10th Queen's Award for Enterprise - Sustainable Development

2011

Awarded 11th Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade Award

2014

150th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2016

7,500 lives saved

2017

300th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2018

Martin-Baker wins the KF-X Ejection Seat competition

2018

First US16E F-35 ejection

2019

500th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2019

Awarded the National Aviation Hall of Fame 'Spirit of Flight' Award

2020

600th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2020

Martin-Baker wins the F-16 Block 70/72 Ejection Seat competition

2022

5th US16E F-35 ejection

2022

1,000th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2022

Mk18 (KR18A) First Flight

2022

3,000th NACES delivered

About

Contact

Interested in finding out some more about the world’s leader in ejection seats? Get in touch with Martin-Baker today.

1929

‘Martin’s Aircraft Works’ established

1934

‘Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd.’ founded by Sir James Martin and Capt Valentine Baker

1942

Capt Valentine Baker killed during an MB3 test flight

1944

Sir James Martin invited to the Ministry of Aircraft Production to investigate providing fighter aircraft with a means of assisted escape and begins producing designs

1945

First live test ejection - Bernard Lynch

1949

First life saved - J.O. Lancaster

1955

First live runway ejection test - Sqn Ldr J. S. Fifield

1958

Highest altitude live ejection from a British Canberra - 56,000ft

1961

First live zero/zero test ejection - William ‘Doddy’ Hay

1961

500 lives saved

1962

First live rocket-assisted test ejection - Peter Howard

1965

1,000 lives saved

1966-1969

Awarded four Queen's Awards for Export Trade & Technological Innovation

1982

Awarded 5th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

1981

Sir James Martin passes away

1983

5,000 lives saved

1986

Awarded 6th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

1989

NACES enters service with the US Navy

1991

First female ejectee - Linda Maloney from a US Navy A-6 Intruder

1993

Awarded 7th Queen’s Award for Technology

1997

5,000th member enrolled into the Ejection Tie Club

1997

Awarded 8th Queen’s Award for Export Achievement

2000

Martin-Baker US16E selected - F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

2001

Awarded 9th Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade

2004

Awarded 10th Queen's Award for Enterprise - Sustainable Development

2011

Awarded 11th Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade Award

2014

150th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2016

7,500 lives saved

2017

300th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2018

Martin-Baker wins the KF-X Ejection Seat competition

2018

First US16E F-35 ejection

2019

500th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2019

Awarded the National Aviation Hall of Fame 'Spirit of Flight' Award

2020

600th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2020

Martin-Baker wins the F-16 Block 70/72 Ejection Seat competition

2022

5th US16E F-35 ejection

2022

1,000th US16E F-35 seat delivered

2022

Mk18 (KR18A) First Flight

2022

3,000th NACES delivered

About

Contact

Interested in finding out some more about the world’s leader in ejection seats? Get in touch with Martin-Baker today.

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