Compared to its 'sister' the 'Pig', it was much improved - better handling, more power etc.
The crew emergency exit was 'interesting' ... a hatch in the floor had to be folded up and then a 'D' handle in a clip was pulled to open the external surface hatch. In the mid 50's a Varsity on a night x-country from Thorney suffered double engine fires and was abandoned. The first man out had a little trouble, initially, 'cos he was standing on the first trap door. When he eventually recognised the problem, he applied a slightly too enthusiastic pull to the 'D' ring for the second hatch and, since it was mainly opened by air flow he overbalanced and departed unintentionally early. All crew eventually departed OK but the skipper was a rather voluble Flt Sgt who had (don't ask!) brought his tool kit on board with him. The Nav reckons that he could hear streams of invective from said skipper as he floated down in the night air. The aircraft made an almost perfect arrival in a stream bed with very little apparent damage. My highest flight on a non-pressurised aircraft was made on the Varsity on a land-away to Gardemoen - 25k and an introduction to sinusitis to boot!!
