EJECTION TIE CLUB

Here at Martin-Baker, we run an exclusive club that unifies all pilots whose lives we’ve helped save: life membership of the Ejection Tie Club is confined solely to those who have emergency ejected from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker ejection seat, which has thereby saved their life.

To search our collection of Ejectee testimonials please enter information in the below search bar. If you have an Ejection story of your own that you’d like to share with us to be shown on this page, please forward to information@martin-baker.co.uk.

The first pilot to be accepted into the Club was an RAF serviceman who ejected over what was then Rhodesia in January 1957. Since then, the Club has over 6,000 registered members.

The primary objective of the Club is to provide a distinctive tie to be worn with civilian clothing which provides a visible sign of the members’ common bond. Every Club member is given a certificate, membership card, patch, tie, pin or a brooch for the women. All Tie Club memorabilia depicts a red triangle warning sign, the recognised international danger symbol for an ejection seat.

The Ejection Tie Club was founded by Sir James Martin and is now run by Andrew Martin, the grandson of Sir James.

#4416

John Peters

The first pilot to be accepted into the Club was an RAF serviceman who ejected over what was then Rhodesia in January 1957. Since then, the Club has over 6,000 registered members.

The primary objective of the Club is to provide a distinctive tie to be worn with civilian clothing which provides a visible sign of the members’ common bond. Every Club member is given a certificate, membership card, patch, tie, pin or a brooch for the women. All Tie Club memorabilia depicts a red triangle warning sign, the recognised international danger symbol for an ejection seat.

The Ejection Tie Club was founded by Sir James Martin and is now run by Andrew Martin, the grandson of Sir James.

EJECTION STORIES

No matter the decade, aircraft or air force, each and every one of the Club’s members have an incredible and heartwarming story to tell – we’re lucky enough to host a collection below.

Colonel Joe Mitchell USMC (Ret), EJECTEE #6196

On 31 July 1980 I was a Major and flying an F-4J as a VMFAT-101 instructor in the back seat with a student pilot in the front. After the aircraft departed controlled flight during a 1 vs 1 engagement in the R-2301 east of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, and after several attempts to recover the aircraft, I made…
Read More

Capt Maharaj, EJECTEE #4879

My day ended with a “BANG” in April 1993, a month just after my first born arrived. It was a beautiful Singapore afternoon, the usual Thunderstorms and light shows. I was called up for an Instrument CheckRide, and “YES” it was a ride that I will forever remember. I was executing a Vertical-S close to some flashing bolts. For just…
Read More

Peter Sturt, EJECTEE #2400

I ejected from my Harrier GR Mk 1 on 9 July 1973 whilst doing a short take off at RAF Wildenwrath in Germany. I had just got airborne at 90kts when I suffered multiple bird strikes of Lapwings many of which went down the engine. I tried to abort the take off and land straight ahead on the runway but…
Read More

Tom Eeles, EJECTEE #1929

“On 1 Dec 1970 I was detailed to fly in the back seat of Buccaneer S1 XN 951 as the flying instructor responsible for monitoring a student pilot’s first ever flight in a Buccaneer. There were no flying controls in the back seat and minimal instrumentation, so no opportunity to demonstrate or take over control in the event of an…
Read More

Peter Hay, EJECTEE #1048

On 20th September 1966, I was forced to use one of your seats, as fitted to the Lightning F-52 used by the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force, and feel sure that you, and the company as a whole, will be pleased to hear that the seat operated perfectly in marginal conditions and certainly saved by life. The ejection was as…
Read More

Captain Ángel Guillermo Guerra Vara, EJECTEE #6177

Good day! I send you a cordial greeting and I wish you are well. First of all, allow me to introduce myself, I am Pilot Captain Ángel Guillermo Guerra Vara, I have served in the Mexican Air Force for more than 30 years, flying fixed-wing aircraft such as: Stearman PT-17, Bonanza F-33C, Cessna C-206, Schweizer SA 2-37A, King Air C-90A,…
Read More

Francisco Visconti Osorio, EJECTEE #4381

This was in the Mirage M5-DV aircraft, acronym FAV-5471, in which, coincidentally, I made my first flight in Mirage aircraft, as a pilot-student, holding the rank of Lieutenant, in August 1973, in company of my instructor, the then Tcnel. Rafael Quintero Torres “TORO”. I flew many hours on this plane during my many privileged years as a Mirage pilot; but…
Read More

Graham Clarke, EJECTEE #2149

It will be the 50th anniversary of my ejection this year, so I thought it would be a good time to record my experiences on the day. It was a sunny day in Cyprus and I was in Akrotiri as part of the 29 Sqn detachment from Wattisham. On the 8th of July 1971, I was an IWI (Interceptor Weapon…
Read More

Steve Brown, EJECTEE #3372

3rd May 1983 was an interesting day. The Harrier Force was deployed in the field for TACEVAL. On our first launch, just as I was nozzling aft, the engine noise stopped, most warning lights came on and when the view out the front changed from blue sky to green field I ejected. It was estimated that I pulled the handle…
Read More

Denzil Beard, EJECTEE #17

On the 67th anniversary of my ejection and having reached my 91st birthday, I thought it was about time, on behalf of my wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, that I expressed my thanks to the Martin-Baker Company for saving my life all those years ago. As you can see, much has happened since then. The service you have provided…
Read More

Colonel Joe Mitchell USMC (Ret), EJECTEE #6196

On 31 July 1980 I was a Major and flying an F-4J as a VMFAT-101 instructor in the back seat with a student pilot in the front. After the aircraft departed controlled flight during a 1 vs 1 engagement in the R-2301 east of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, and after several attempts to recover the aircraft, I made…
Read More

Capt Maharaj, EJECTEE #4879

My day ended with a “BANG” in April 1993, a month just after my first born arrived. It was a beautiful Singapore afternoon, the usual Thunderstorms and light shows. I was called up for an Instrument CheckRide, and “YES” it was a ride that I will forever remember. I was executing a Vertical-S close to some flashing bolts. For just…
Read More

Peter Sturt, EJECTEE #2400

I ejected from my Harrier GR Mk 1 on 9 July 1973 whilst doing a short take off at RAF Wildenwrath in Germany. I had just got airborne at 90kts when I suffered multiple bird strikes of Lapwings many of which went down the engine. I tried to abort the take off and land straight ahead on the runway but…
Read More

Tom Eeles, EJECTEE #1929

“On 1 Dec 1970 I was detailed to fly in the back seat of Buccaneer S1 XN 951 as the flying instructor responsible for monitoring a student pilot’s first ever flight in a Buccaneer. There were no flying controls in the back seat and minimal instrumentation, so no opportunity to demonstrate or take over control in the event of an…
Read More

Peter Hay, EJECTEE #1048

On 20th September 1966, I was forced to use one of your seats, as fitted to the Lightning F-52 used by the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force, and feel sure that you, and the company as a whole, will be pleased to hear that the seat operated perfectly in marginal conditions and certainly saved by life. The ejection was as…
Read More

Captain Ángel Guillermo Guerra Vara, EJECTEE #6177

Good day! I send you a cordial greeting and I wish you are well. First of all, allow me to introduce myself, I am Pilot Captain Ángel Guillermo Guerra Vara, I have served in the Mexican Air Force for more than 30 years, flying fixed-wing aircraft such as: Stearman PT-17, Bonanza F-33C, Cessna C-206, Schweizer SA 2-37A, King Air C-90A,…
Read More

Francisco Visconti Osorio, EJECTEE #4381

This was in the Mirage M5-DV aircraft, acronym FAV-5471, in which, coincidentally, I made my first flight in Mirage aircraft, as a pilot-student, holding the rank of Lieutenant, in August 1973, in company of my instructor, the then Tcnel. Rafael Quintero Torres “TORO”. I flew many hours on this plane during my many privileged years as a Mirage pilot; but…
Read More

Graham Clarke, EJECTEE #2149

It will be the 50th anniversary of my ejection this year, so I thought it would be a good time to record my experiences on the day. It was a sunny day in Cyprus and I was in Akrotiri as part of the 29 Sqn detachment from Wattisham. On the 8th of July 1971, I was an IWI (Interceptor Weapon…
Read More

Steve Brown, EJECTEE #3372

3rd May 1983 was an interesting day. The Harrier Force was deployed in the field for TACEVAL. On our first launch, just as I was nozzling aft, the engine noise stopped, most warning lights came on and when the view out the front changed from blue sky to green field I ejected. It was estimated that I pulled the handle…
Read More

Denzil Beard, EJECTEE #17

On the 67th anniversary of my ejection and having reached my 91st birthday, I thought it was about time, on behalf of my wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, that I expressed my thanks to the Martin-Baker Company for saving my life all those years ago. As you can see, much has happened since then. The service you have provided…
Read More
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