Pilot's escape from bombers
I was at a meeting of the Stirling Aircraft Society earlier today (more recruits urgently needed please - anyone can sign up for an incredibly modest sub and they have the noble ambition of rebuilding a Stirling from scratch: no plans have survived) when the subject of escape from a downed aircraft came up and I heard one ex-Stirling crew member say the the Stirling was by far the easiest bomber to get out of. It had a wider fuselage than its contemporaries with room for an easily accessible escape hatch between the cockpit seats. In, I think it was the Lanc to which they were referring, a seat had to be physically removed to allow access to the cockpit escape hatch - not exactly the sort of job you wanted to do if you were in a hurry. No doubt an ex Lanc crew member will correct me if I misheard.