I look forward to reading this as it’s a fascinating and not that well covered topic. Thankfully, out of my course to go on to FJ, I’m the only one not to have ejected. But then John knows that as we were both on that course!
They were Halcyon Days indeed MG. Who'd have thought how it would all turn out for us.... Quite a few of us grateful to Martin-Baker for that 2nd chance at life!
I see Barndoor (ejectee number 6022) regularly & we both wear our Bremont MB1 watches with 'pride'...... & Harls was 6157. Who else took the M-B ride?
I was privileged to know Jo Lancaster who was M-B ejectee number 1. I am 6089.
When he ejected on a MK1 seat, it took around 30 seconds to get under the parachute:
jettison canopy - pull red handle - bang out - stabilise - manually unstrap from seat - push seat away - freefall - pull personal parachute handle
It was around 2.5 seconds for me on a Mk10.
This is a Mk1 Seat he used. VERY primitive!
