Hot Rods I bought a bomber seat, who knows what it's out of?

I bought a bomber seat at the Springfield swap meet and don't know what it's out of. Any of you experts know?













The tag says Assy. Dwg. No. CR-70?.1, General Fireproofing Co., Youngstown, Ohio. Not sure what that digit in the number is. The thing is made of aluminum and has a gold-ish plating then a green paint. There are spot welds and rivets holding it together.

Anyone know how old it is and what it was originally installed in?

 

A boat.

 

Like a big flaked ski boat, or more like Gilligan's yacht?

 

Heavy bass boat.

 

Well, they did make WWII aircraft parts:


The General Fireproofing Company (GF) was founded in 1902 in Youngstown, Ohio as a manufacturer of building materials. During the panic of 1907, when all building practically ceased, the company decided to emphasize their line steel office furniture. GF’s first 4-drawer steel vertical file was built in 1910, and their first fireproof safe was introduced in 1912.

In 1923 GF decided to produce a standardized steel desk which could be made on an assembly. This led to the introduction of the 1600 Series in 1925, which was produced well into the 1970’s. Starting in the 1950’s, these were the largest selling commerical office desks in the world.

The world’s first all-aluminum office chair was designed by the ALCOA company in 1924. In 1929 GF began manufacturing their own aluminum chairs, the first of which were shipped in 1930. These first chairs were copies of the wood office chairs popular at the time, and were even painted with woodgrain finishes.

The “Goodform” seating line began in August 1932 with the introduction of the Model #2123. Ten more models were introduced in 1935. The original Comfort Master executive office chair came out in 1937 and was redeisgned in 1939. Also in 1939, the institutional twin Models #4303 and #4304 were announced.

During World War II, GF ceased production of all its regular products in order to manufacture aircraft parts. After VJ Day, almost the entire plant had to be converted back to the manufacture of furniture, and by 1946 the company was producing the same volume they were in 1938. In 1948, GF introduced the Mode-Maker line of executive office desks, designed in collaboration with Raymond Loewy.

Many of GF’s furniture lines were discontinued in the 1970’s, and the original company went bankrupt in 1989 and was bought by TANG Industries of Gallatin, Tennessee.

 

How about this?

 

The goldish coating underneath is probably Dow7, used as a primer to seal off moisture from the aluminum.

 

The boat mount looks like it was added later. Otherwise I'm not much help.

 

I thought Dow-7 coating was used on magnesium? It might be a similar conversion coating though, as I've used Alodine as a pre-paint etch on aluminum and it gave a greenish-yellow tint.

Maybe the decal says CR-7099. It's hard to read.

I think that cylindrical base mount is factory installed.

 

Very possible that a navigator or gunner's seat could have the option to swivel. Just a guess.

 

If it's not out of a bomber is it still called a "bomber seat?"


What'cha gonna do with it?

 

"Bomber seat" is cooler than "bass boat seat".

 

First off its real cool to see someone with a real one. I bet the company that made them did so for several Aircraft producers so finding an actual Plane my be impossible. Pick your favourite Bomber and call that. JW

 

You might check with Chris Jones ( Oldfart36 ), he deals in, or at least used to, Air Force Surplus. He might be able to help you.

 

I belive your correct on the Dow7 product. I did use alodine for some alum now that you mention that.

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Could be out of anything.Heavy,medium or light bomber or some type of fighter or training aircraft.Ya pays yer money and take your chances.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Looks like it came out of a rat rod.

 

wojo wrote -
Looks like it came out of a rat rod.
Great comment...take long to come up with it..? So exactly where did the rat rod buyer come up with it ?

alchemy -
My guess is it was a gunners seat from a bomber. The top turret gunner in a B-17, B-24 and B-25 was on a swivel if I'm not mistaken.

Mike

 

I'll take that to heart, coming from a guy with a 53 Plymouth and some VW's.

I was actually reading the new Hop Up last night and the article on Legendary Lars' T shows a similar seat. But it's hard to tell exactly because there is some upholstery on it. I guess that T is a rat rod too, built way back in 1953 and Bonneville raced many times.

I'm building a narrowed and cut off 26 touring in the style of the a 40's built dry lakes or track car. I thought maybe this seat would fit right in if determined it wasn't something made in the 60's or later.

 

It's old Alchy, will fit right in. What's it out of? Well duh, a bomber... Just sayin, nice score.

 

The yellow is zinc chromate primer. A must to paint over aluminum in the military.

 

Yep, I'd go along with that.

OP, I'm a registered user on the Warbird Information Exchange forum, so can re-post the pics there if you want, there will definitely be someone on there that will be able to identify them?

 

Yes please fee free to repost these pics anywhere an expert may see them. We are all eager to see the proper application.

 

Not a B-17 seat...

 

Sam's Corner Saloon?

 

What makes you say that?

From a bit of digging, it's not a B-24 seat, as they are quite clearly a different design with a arms and a higher back rest.

However, it does look very much like the pilot seats in a B-17 (albeit as suggested, with the base modified for boat use perhaps?)

B-17 seat

 

I'd bet my life that center stand is original equipment on this seat, not added later. The whole center stand is one piece, and still riveted to the diagonal braces underneath. Maybe somebody was part way through removing it since the rivets holding it to the seat bottom are gone, but the remainder show it's original.

 

The military tamped all the seats they excepted with stamp the size of a pencil eraser head on the side of the seat. The Navy ones were a small anchor in a circle with a few numbers and the Army one was different. That is not a B17, B24 and B25 pilot seats as I have owned all of them at one time. The pilot seats had mounting tabs on the bottom and sometimes on the back were solid mounted. Most of the gunners seats I have seen has some sort of armor for protection and some even have a small rill bar above the seat. If the swivel is original my Guess would be a radio operators seat. But what ever it is its very cool find.

 

I was just thinking that if my dad were still alive he could probably say what it fit by just looking at it. He knew those bombers pretty well having flown 25 + missions in B 25,s in the South Pacific.
With the shorter and rounded back I'd think it was the navigators or bombardier's seat in front of the bomb bay. The post with the pin was probably to make it easy to remove to service what was behind it. if you have ever been in one of those old bombers they are real skinny and very tight spaced. I got to crawl though one that came to Yakima last year and had do drop out the bomb bay doors as I couldn't get through between the bomb racks. No seat in the photo but it does show how tight the space is. The seat is the seat my dad would have flown in in a B-25 that was also on display with the other plane.

 

B-17 bombardier and navigator seat look like old office chairs. But the navigator chair"seat" has a swivel mount underneath and the hole thing swings out on an arm. I think your headed in the right direction though with it being used in a specialty position in the fuselage as opposed to the cockpit of the mystery plane in question.
It's not the radiator operator seat either but they are a more traditional "bomber" seat. What about a whirlybird?
Check out this b-29 super fortress seat


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