First solo was in an RAFGSA T21 at Merryfield whilst the aerodrome was still on care and maintenance. On each launch, the cable back-released, much to my surprise. I floated rather a long way on the first landing sans instructor, but the other 2 were fine. They found out the reason for the back releases - the Ottfur was loose and had come away slightly at the front...
First power solo was a bit different. Brand new Cessna 150 at the Bedfordshire Flying Centre, Cranfield on an RAF Scholarship. On the runway in use, there were some 'slush pits' - shallow rubber-rimmed trays filled with water which were being used as part of a runway performance experiment being conducted following the Munich air disaster 10 years earlier.
"Don't worry if you think you'll encounter the pits", said my instructor, "They won't affect anything and it'll be quite safe"...
Anyway, off for my first solo circuit and all went well until the final part of the approach. I was a bit fast and slightly high, so throttled back and then realised that I hadn't selected 40° flap - I then did so and as a result the aircraft dropped rather rapidly into the slush pits and bounced. So I did what I'd been told and went round - all went fine the next time.
My rather tetchy instructor then accused me of having deliberately landed in the pits as all he'd seen was a cloud of spray from which had emerged a Cessna. But with only 6½ hrs of powered flying to my name, I wasn't actually capable of judging my touchdown point with any accuracy at the time, so explained what had happened but of course he had to have known better....
We weren't taught 'point and power' back then - but it is a much, much better way of ensuring that student pilots touch down in the right place!