Pirate
The snatch unit is automatic, a vicious thing it is, takes less than a second to pull the control column(s) out of the way.
2LP
In reply to you, and if Jacko doesn't mind, I would like to refer you to his last post in answer to yours. He outlines my thoughts exactly.
Jackonicko
When I was on Canberras the procedure was that in the event of an impending and possibly unrecoverable situation the nav's hatch was always blown first, even if, in the end, the nav didn't actually need to bang out. Although supposedly frangible, it was not recommended that anyone try to go through it. In a continuing situation the nav would be instructed to go next, maybe seconds later but sometimes quite a while (relatively) before the end of the event, but he would be clear of the kite well before the pilot(s). (Sadly it was not like this in the case of the B(I)8 though as you know although the nav's were always got out first - maybe you can recall Ron Ledwidge's magnificent effort). As for going through the canopy, well, it was feasible but definitely not recommended, except in a dire and sudden emergency. Blowing the lid was/is a separate action to pulling the seat handle and it's an action that takes quite a few seconds to carry out and complete There's no bang-cord on a Canberra and their canopies shatter jaggedly not into small pieces (seen enough of them to know that).
Agree with you about the look of the kite. It does look somewhat recoverable from seeing the TV videos, I've seen worse being recoverd. But then we're not there and anything anybody says at this stage is speculation, informed maybe, but still speculation. Maybe we should, as FE suggests, bow out.