Perhaps someone who has all the gen can tell us about the ill-fated proposal for an extending "tube" which could be deployed in flight to allow the aircrew to escape by sliding down it and emerge clear of the aircraft in the event of an aircraft abandonment. It should be said that at this stage it was envisaged that the crew would have parachutes! I'm not sure at what stage this mod was abandoned, but I seem to recall there was some form of installation on the port side just aft of the flight deck, which served as a waste basket container.
I now see that you mention this on your website (link above) Jhieminga . Could you perhaps give a few details? You say the system was extensively tested - were there any live "jumps" during this testing, and did the early VC10 tanker crews actually ever fly in parachutes?