First Emergency Use of a Martin-Baker Ejection Seat

On May 30, 1949, test pilot John Oliver (“J.O”) Lancaster went out to test a Rolls-Royce Nene-powered Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 (radical “flying wing”) aircraft. During the test, he encountered severe pitch oscillations in a 320 mile per hour dive, which made him fear the aircraft would disintegrate.

Due to the situation, Lancaster became the first pilot to use the Martin-Baker Mk1 ejection seat in an actual emergency. He fired the seat and was safely thrown clear of the aircraft. He parachuted to safety and was uninjured, while the aircraft was destroyed.

The successful ejection marked a significant advancement in terms of pilot safety.