Another hoary old Meatbox legend happened at CFS Little Rissington at the beginning of the '50s, when CFS had one or two Mk4s on Type Sqn. In those days most stations held their own BoB Day "At Homes" including displays by own and visiting aircraft. Reading the Sunday papers on the morrow, it sometimes seemed that we had lost more aircraft than during the Battle itself!
Remember that in those days the sight of a jet aircrft belting along low at about 500 kts was a rare one and wowed the punters. Our "Ace" was a Flt Sgt (A1 QFI) who did his low run and then reefed it up intending a series of vertical rolls. We will never know how much 'g'he pulled, but a main gear uplock failed and the aircraft came apart. No bang-seat, of course, (only in Mk8s and subsequent marks), but the cockpit section must have opened up like a sardine can and our hero was thrown clear. He does not remember pulling the D Ring, but his chute opened just before he landed in a very prickly hedge alongside the lane down to Bourton-on-the Water. He extricate himself with difficulty and, badly shaken and in some pain, he stood beside the lane with his chute folded over his shoulder. Along came a pair of dear old ladies in an old Austin 7 or similar and stopped by him.
"We saw you come down in your parachute, young man, are you all right?"
Our Hero, being understandably sarcastic: "I do this everyday for a living, Ma'am".
"Oh well that's all right then. You can walk back to the aerodrome from here!" And drove on! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
[ 20 January 2002: Message edited by: Flatus Veteranus ]</p>