English Electric Lightning F1

Owner/operator: BAC (British Aircraft Corporation)

Registration: XG332

C/n / msn: 95021

Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1

Other fatalities: 0

Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)

Location: near Hatfield, Hertfordshire - United Kingdom

Phase: Approach

Nature: Test

Departure airport: Hatfield, Hertfordshire (EGTH)

Destination airport: Hatfield, Hertfordshire (EGTH)

Narrative: First flown by J.W.C. Squier 29-5-59 at English Electric, Samlesbury. Used throughout flying life by EE/BAC and de Havilland for Firestreak and Red Top air-to-air missile trials.

Crashed on final approach to Hatfield, whilst involved in the Red Top AAM programme, on 13-9-62. Whilst carrying out a demonstration flight, there was a fire in the aircraft's reheat zone. Un-burnt fuel in the rear fuselage had been ignited by a small crack in the jet pipe and had weakened the tailplane actuator anchorage. This weakened the tailplane control system which failed with the aircraft at 100 feet on final approach.

Fortunately the nose pitched up, giving test pilot George Aird time to eject. He came down through a greenhouse roof, breaking both legs and right thigh. He was unconscious due to the impact of landing and was woken by jets of cold water from the greenhouse's sprinkler system. He later recovered to resume his flying career.

This aircraft is one the featured in the famous (and much syndicated) photograph of the pilot’s ejection watched by a tractor driver. According to some sources, including the tractor driver who appears in the picture, the photographer was paid £1,000 (equal to £18,607 at 2012 prices) by The "Daily Mirror" for the photograph.

Other newspapers originally dismissed the photograph as a fake...until the Ministry of Defence tried to put a "D Notice" on the photograph banning its publication, which confirmed that it was indeed real and not a fake!

Total flights 214, hours flown 138h 52m.

XG332; C/N 95021 ff J.W.C. Squier 29-5-59 Samlesbury. Used throughout flying life by the BAC and de Havilland for Firestreak and Red Top trials. Crashed at Hatfield on Red Top programme, 13-9-62. Pilot, G. Arid ejected but injured on landing. This aircraft is featured in the famous photograph of the pilot’s ejection watched by tractor driver. Total flights 214, hours flown 138h 52m. Last flight 13-9-62.

Nose pitched UP to allow the ejection? Umm, that doesn't look like up to me.

where's the green house?

Why didn't the farmer attend to the pilot, rather then letting him remain unconscious until the sprinkler woke him up?

And who was photographing the tractor dude? Poor reflexes if the guy on the tractor could turn around to see the plane, but the camera was still focused on the tractor and not upwards towards the plane.

Other than that, it's probably true.

it does look like the pilot is using his cell phone though

With buttons to activate it. Because that's how arm bands work.

Oh, and they're perfectly flat.

Premature ejection?

A glass greenhouse roof 'broke his fall' sort of.

http://fearoflanding.com/photography/the-story-behind-an-unbelievable-photograph/ 

http://www.rafjever.org/118sqnper002.htm 

If you look closely you can see Beyder's sister underneath.