Eject! Eject! - John Nichol
My copy is on its way across the pond. I got out of an A-10 after a kid-air, lo that 37 years ago. A squadron mate has three tips up the tails in A-7s (USN).
GF
GF
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The Cadet WO joined the the RAF as a Nav. Tornado mudmover as well. Fat Larry if anyone remembers him.
Same bloke. Did a paper about electronic warfare which is in one of RAFHS journals on line on the RAF Museum Web Site.. Last ran into him at Valley in 1994. Only two cadet's out of all of the cadet's involved in the Central and Eastern Region Aircraft Competition of 1983 at RAF Henlow managed to ID the AW.52. I was the other Cadet BTW. Fun Fact, It was the only time I ever had my backside strapped to a live bang seat in late 1993 was when I found out what Mr W's Nickname was (Got a flight in a Hawk and the Pilot was from a station Mr W had been at. Asked him if he knew Mr W and got "Oh Fat Larry from ** Sqn. He is here on a ground tour!!!" .
Last edited by MAINJAFAD; 25th May 2023 at 21:42.
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Some of the most 'interesting' stories are from those who eject twice within a matter of weeks/months.
Steve Griggs (accidently shot down by the RAF Wildenrath Phantom in May '82) is one such lucky person. In the aftermath of his second ejection, 14 Sqn banned him from flying any more of their jets!
Steve is Martin-Baker ejectee number 5,017 AND number 5,068.
Paddy Mullen, who was his (rather surprised) wingman when he was shot down, later ejected too, number 5524.
And here's to raising a glass at your own second chance at life!
Good day John,
Coincidentally, there was a chap with the same name as you, and sounded very much like you, on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 programme this afternoon discussing ejection seats. Worth a listen if you get the chance.
Coincidentally, there was a chap with the same name as you, and sounded very much like you, on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 programme this afternoon discussing ejection seats. Worth a listen if you get the chance.
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Dear JN
halfway through the book and kudos very enjoyable read so far.
couple of things I really like. The falklands chapter which focussed on the Argentinian experience and the AA gunner on intrepid is a good and different take on events. The vietnam section really tugs at your heart strings and having visited the Hanoi Hilton probably even more so.
kudos well done, looking forward to polishing the other half of a with a decent port tonight
halfway through the book and kudos very enjoyable read so far.
couple of things I really like. The falklands chapter which focussed on the Argentinian experience and the AA gunner on intrepid is a good and different take on events. The vietnam section really tugs at your heart strings and having visited the Hanoi Hilton probably even more so.
kudos well done, looking forward to polishing the other half of a with a decent port tonight
Dear JN
halfway through the book and kudos very enjoyable read so far.
couple of things I really like. The falklands chapter which focussed on the Argentinian experience and the AA gunner on intrepid is a good and different take on events. The vietnam section really tugs at your heart strings and having visited the Hanoi Hilton probably even more so.
kudos well done, looking forward to polishing the other half of a with a decent port tonight
halfway through the book and kudos very enjoyable read so far.
couple of things I really like. The falklands chapter which focussed on the Argentinian experience and the AA gunner on intrepid is a good and different take on events. The vietnam section really tugs at your heart strings and having visited the Hanoi Hilton probably even more so.
kudos well done, looking forward to polishing the other half of a with a decent port tonight
just finished the book and it gets better and better.
the Serbia story was very well told and captures the drama of both sides. The closure of many of the threads is extremely well told. For me those parts of the book actually became the most riveting
look forward to the sequel as there are many more interesting tales to tell.
think I will have another canter through it next week
the Serbia story was very well told and captures the drama of both sides. The closure of many of the threads is extremely well told. For me those parts of the book actually became the most riveting
look forward to the sequel as there are many more interesting tales to tell.
think I will have another canter through it next week
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Naval Aviation News Oct 1976 story about first live airborne ejection test (Martin-Baker seat):
https://www.history.navy.mil/content.../pdf/oct76.pdf
https://www.history.navy.mil/content.../pdf/oct76.pdf
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'Sandy' Sandberg (Observer) & Brian Dutch (Pilot) ejected at less that 400 feet at night from a Sea Venom F.A.W. Mk 53 in the NAS Nowra circuit using MB Mk4B seats. Sandy was ejectee 129 : Ejection Tie Club – Martin Baker (martin-baker.com); Brian 130 : Ejection Tie Club – Martin Baker (martin-baker.com)
47 page PDF story about ejection and reasons on Microsoft OneDrive - free no registration required direct download link: Sandberg & Dutch Venom Night Ejection Info pp47.pdf (17.5Mb)
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AuYHBzTWY83LgZMM..._ej-Q?e=0OTmQr
47 page PDF story about ejection and reasons on Microsoft OneDrive - free no registration required direct download link: Sandberg & Dutch Venom Night Ejection Info pp47.pdf (17.5Mb)
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AuYHBzTWY83LgZMM..._ej-Q?e=0OTmQr
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LCDR Kevin Finan USN (exchange) ejects from A4G 888 after wire broke under deck (bad installation) of HMAS Melbourne. Kev rescued OK after ESCAPAC 1C-3 zero/zero rocket seat deposited him in da oggin. 
A4G Skyhawk 888 Wire Break HMAS Melbourne Pilot Eject OK Finan USN
A4G Skyhawk 888 Wire Break HMAS Melbourne Pilot Eject OK Finan USN
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 27th May 2023 at 07:40.
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just finished the book and it gets better and better.
the Serbia story was very well told and captures the drama of both sides. The closure of many of the threads is extremely well told. For me those parts of the book actually became the most riveting
look forward to the sequel as there are many more interesting tales to tell. think I will have another canter through it next week
the Serbia story was very well told and captures the drama of both sides. The closure of many of the threads is extremely well told. For me those parts of the book actually became the most riveting
look forward to the sequel as there are many more interesting tales to tell. think I will have another canter through it next week
As I say a couple of times in the book - "pulling the yellow and black ejection handle is just the start of the journey".
I learnt a lot during my own return trip to Iraq in 2000 (still in Saddam era) when I met a number of those who would have tried to kill me just a few years earlier.
I was privileged to interview Eric Lomax "The Railway Man" about his beyond-horrific experiences as a POW of the Japanese in WW2, and his subsequent journey of reconciliation with his former captors.
28 April 1968 - F-4 Vietnam. Shot down & Rescued.......Martin-Baker ejectee #2108
14 Sep 1970 F-4J San Diego. Flame out. ‘Lack of fuel’. #2867
22 Sep 1971 F-4 pilot’s canopy loss. #3127
15 Oct 1973 - RN FAA Phantom – double engine flame out. #3717
No real details on final F-14 ejection, though a friend is quoted as saying:
"The real RIO in question was Lt. David J. “Goose” Lortscher. His callsign Goose later became part of the [Top Gun] movie. I knew him in the F-14 RAG, VF-124 although I don’t think I ever flew with him. He already had a couple of ejections and we used to laugh that we did not want to fly with him because he was, “bad luck”. Nevertheless, he was a highly respected officer and RIO, and no one actually avoided flying with him. He was a big guy, and easy-going. He ended up with five total ejections, the last one proved to be fatal. But that last one was different than the movie."
14 Sep 1970 F-4J San Diego. Flame out. ‘Lack of fuel’. #2867
22 Sep 1971 F-4 pilot’s canopy loss. #3127
15 Oct 1973 - RN FAA Phantom – double engine flame out. #3717
No real details on final F-14 ejection, though a friend is quoted as saying:
"The real RIO in question was Lt. David J. “Goose” Lortscher. His callsign Goose later became part of the [Top Gun] movie. I knew him in the F-14 RAG, VF-124 although I don’t think I ever flew with him. He already had a couple of ejections and we used to laugh that we did not want to fly with him because he was, “bad luck”. Nevertheless, he was a highly respected officer and RIO, and no one actually avoided flying with him. He was a big guy, and easy-going. He ended up with five total ejections, the last one proved to be fatal. But that last one was different than the movie."
28 April 1968 - F-4 Vietnam. Shot down & Rescued.......Martin-Baker ejectee #2108
14 Sep 1970 F-4J San Diego. Flame out. ‘Lack of fuel’. #2867
22 Sep 1971 F-4 pilot’s canopy loss. #3127
15 Oct 1973 - RN FAA Phantom – double engine flame out. #3717
No real details on final F-14 ejection, though a friend is quoted as saying:
"The real RIO in question was Lt. David J. “Goose” Lortscher. His callsign Goose later became part of the [Top Gun] movie. I knew him in the F-14 RAG, VF-124 although I don’t think I ever flew with him. He already had a couple of ejections and we used to laugh that we did not want to fly with him because he was, “bad luck”. Nevertheless, he was a highly respected officer and RIO, and no one actually avoided flying with him. He was a big guy, and easy-going. He ended up with five total ejections, the last one proved to be fatal. But that last one was different than the movie."
14 Sep 1970 F-4J San Diego. Flame out. ‘Lack of fuel’. #2867
22 Sep 1971 F-4 pilot’s canopy loss. #3127
15 Oct 1973 - RN FAA Phantom – double engine flame out. #3717
No real details on final F-14 ejection, though a friend is quoted as saying:
"The real RIO in question was Lt. David J. “Goose” Lortscher. His callsign Goose later became part of the [Top Gun] movie. I knew him in the F-14 RAG, VF-124 although I don’t think I ever flew with him. He already had a couple of ejections and we used to laugh that we did not want to fly with him because he was, “bad luck”. Nevertheless, he was a highly respected officer and RIO, and no one actually avoided flying with him. He was a big guy, and easy-going. He ended up with five total ejections, the last one proved to be fatal. But that last one was different than the movie."
John, reg. the photo, yes, "Goose" is the big guy with the beard. You can just about see a USN lieutenant's epaullette on his shoulder. Regarding, the RN ejection, apparently this was at RAF Leuchars at 400ft with a Lt. Hooton as pilot. There is an F-4K website off which the above wasgleaned: Homepage - PhantomF4k
I haven't seen any other images of him so it was good to see,