Jo Lancaster was the first man to use a British ejector seat in an emergency when he was forced to abandon his out-of-control experimental jet.He had been an apprentice at Armstrong Whitworth before going the RAF and a training as a pilot.  He flew 30 bombing operations in Wellingtons with No. 40 Squadron before becoming an instructor.  He returned to operations on Lancaster with 12 Squadron and was awarded the DFC.  After training as a test pilot he joined Saunders Roe – where he flew the Saro SR-1 jet-powered flying boat fighter.  He moved to Armstrong Whitworth and on his third flight in the AW-52 “Flying Wing”, the aircraft oscillated violently during a dive and Lancaster ejected using the Martin Baker Mk 1 seat.  He continued testing fighters and later flew air survey and mapping flights for a private company.  He was 100 years old when he died in August.

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