
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
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.