I don't want to detract from the excellent work of this thread, but......
It would appear that the UK has a long history of not providing it's airman with the best equipment to enhance their survival. I seem to remember reading that in WW1 the RFC/RAF did not provide its pilots with parachutes (the crews of observation balloons had them!) as they thought the pilots would 'bail out' at the first sign of trouble. As a result if the aircraft caught fire at height the pilot had to either to, try and ride it down, burn to death, or jump without a parachute to a certain fate!!