Geriaviator (pp Rupert Parkhouse RIP).
...I was in a burning aircraft and could not get the hood back however much I tried...
Not an enviable position !
In the Spit we had a "jemmy" clipped inside the door, the idea was to smasn your way out through the perspex.
EDIT:
....Unfortunately my airspeed indicator pitot head must have iced up and I saw my ASI unwinding at alarming speed. In my trepidation of the initial stages of attack I did not check my artificial horizon and I dived out at about 350mph...
A similar chain of circumstaces were to lead to the loss of AF447 in the S. Atlantic with 300+ souls on board 70 plus years later.
Still think it a lovely aircraft.
Danny.