And another photo of the one person to have 5 ejections (anyone else?). John, this event was apparently, the first UK F4 to exceed 1000 hrs (XT864), 29 Nov '72. Interesting that he went on his RN exchange tour probably pretty much after his NFWS "Topgun" tour (in '70-71 it seems) where he was one of the 2nd cadre (the one that replaced the founding instructors of that school).
On a medical-physiological level, how is one allowed the prospect of 5 ejections? I suppose if you do everything right and are within the sweetspot, (say 10,000ft and 250-300kts?) and with everything working perfectly, you could even turn this into a joyride?! (not!). Lortscher's 400ft RN F4 ejection does sound dodgy though.
High time, to hit your book John. By the way 2-3 of the dodgiest ejections in my book as a fighter a/c geek: John Squires' M1.7 ejection from a Lightning back in the 50s and any of a number of underwater ejections that have occurred over the years. Particularly, a couple where the carrier went over the plane with the pilots coming out the back past the propellers! This has happened with both RN and USN operations (if not with the French Navy etc). Here are a few dodgy ones:
Underwater Aircraft Ejections. World Naval Ships Forums Archive