1961-06-24 — Page 3

:

BALE OUT-faster

TEST pilot Johnny Squier had no intention of setting up any re-

cords when he took off from an air-

than sound

field at Warton, Lancs, in an English Fastest men in the world.

Electric P1 Lightning one bright. sunny morning eighteen months ago.

Не was testing the plane before its delivery to the Royal Air Force. It was a new trainer version of the âghter with two seats set side by side. Only Johnny and Roland Beamont, English Electric's chief test pilot, had so far down it.

But there was no idea in Johnny's mind of the drama that was to come: that was going to cause him to join the select ranks of the fastest men in the world....

He flew carefully over the west coast, harnessing his twin the Avon jets to keep within sound barrier. Then he kicked in the re-heat and let her burst through the barrier off the Isle of Man.

He was travelling seven and a half miles high at 1.250 miles an hour when the trouble came. What exactly went wrong still cannot be told. The plane is still on the secret list.

By HENRY LEWIS

The latest English Electric Pl. Johnny was flying one of these

Johnny reached above his is seat. his parachute. his head for the handle of his rubber dinghy and his survival ejector seat, the handle that kit of food and stores. might well be sending him to sudden death. And he pulled it.

Out he rocketed at one and

the down three quarters

speed of A protective blind came

one

vived.

Into

ifth of a

Johnny Squier's ejector seat shot him out 40,000 ft. up. Minor parachutes slowed up his fall, then at 10,000 ft. his seat fell away and his main para- chute opened.

strated Canberras at the Farn- borough Air Shows of 1932, 1953, 1954 and 1955.

Where was he now? Could he have lived?

In fact, Johnny was dozing.

The school was near Garlies- tom, Wigtownshire. It was 3.20 in the afternoon, just 23 hours after Johnny had left his air- craft, when Miss Jocelyn Don- aldson, bousekeeper at ⚫he school Sam 3 blue-overalled tha rose bushes.

What we do know is that in front of his face. Five prec- sound, far faster than any pilot exhausted, as his yellow dinghy figure staggering through Johnny Squier had probably isely-timed explosions followed, had ejected before less than half a second in all of them in a sequence last which to make his decision ing less than to bale out at supersonic speed second. or stay with the plane, hoping it did not explode. He made the right decision.

They blew off the Light- ning's canopy and fired Johnny cut of the aircraft along with

LAUGHING GAS

some razors.

A Negro went into a hardware shop and asked to be shown After critically examining those submitted to him. the clerk suggested a safety razor to which he replied, I ain't looking for that kind. I want this for social purposes.

and sur- drifted northwards. gale of wind

His parachute had dropped

and- He drew himself up than any man fierce

could him into the Irish Sea. He had

said: My name is Squier. I have met before.

gone 30it down 'in the water.

have been in the sea.” Out into 2 freezing tem- Inflating his life jacket had

him indoors and She got to the surface. perature. Yet if it had not been brought him

doctors and police. for the protective blind in front then he had got rid of the gave him tea while she sent for They took of his face the friction of the parachute. He indated the him to hospital in Stranraer. fretzing air on his skin could dinghy and, after a struggle,

*I'm all right," he declared have caused severe burns.

after he had rested. "Just, ear- ache and general aches and pains."

Flash of flame

managed to get into it.

to

Then he had to start baling it out. He put up the screens to protect

Scientists from the Instituta him from the As his speed fell behind that

Medicine raced to weather and sat back to wait of Aviation of the plunging aircraft Johnny

Here was 2 for rescue,

But by nightfall he Scotland.

piz for to cred He put a guinea was still on his own. Squier began to fall, the long, sickening fall. from 40,000ft.

light on top of the dinghy and examine. A man who had baled height, to 10,000ft., at which

settled back for a cold, wet out at a faster speed than anyTM--

one had believed possible. I had a fall last night which rendered me unconscious for in breathable air and bearable

temperature, his seat should night.

When dawn came he found fall away and his main para- he was floating within sight chute open.

It was the Galloway

several hours.'

'You don't mean it? Where did you fall?' I fell asleep!

'Everytime I want you, you're engaged on the phone, Miss

Blank!'

"They were business calls, sir!'

'Well, don't call my clients darling in future'.

"That fellow is too slick for me. Sold me a lot that was two feet under water. I went around and demanded my money back

'Did you get, it'

'Got nothing. He sold me a motor-beat"!

'Pa, what is a retainer?'

my son'.

What you pay a lawyer before he does any work for you, 'Oh, I see. He is like the quarter you put in the gas meter before you get any gas'.

Credit card to D. B. Dolly.

ZOO'S WHO by GEORGE

SCARBO

light

on the screen

seemed to be losing radar he suddenly ûght.

the

Only 20 years before, experts had proved that a human body would be killed instantly get- It was exactly 11.25 am. At of land. Wharton, radar had tracked his coast.

ting out of a place flying at aircraft as Johnny had swung He spent hours trying to 400 miles an hour. Now Johnny over the Ribble estuary and paddle to the shore. The tides had done it at 1,250 miles an headed north-west. Then the and winds were against him and hour.

the bright

But perhaps

man who operator's

was most pleased by the news disappeared.

he managed of Johany's record was r A check showed the spot But eventually to be about ten miles off the lo paddle up to the beach, and James Martin the designer of northerly tip of the Isle of Man, stiff and aching, climbed out of the ejector apparatus that mada

dinghy. Soon the stories were coming the

He could hardly the record possible. But somehow, stagger- crawling, Splashing he

the water came out of Workmen on the beach at found his way to a school. Bride, Isle of Man, had seen a spiral of black smoke and a flash of fame.

in. A doctor fishing off the Isle stand. of Man had seen the Lightning ing diving,

An air-sea hunt was mounted. In Fleet Street reporters be- gan to piece together the story of Johnny Squier. He had fought in the Battle of Britain, becoming a test pilot in the RAF in 1941. He had joined English Electric from the RAF in 1946.

He had flown 65 different ypes of aircraft. He had demon-

Johtomy was the 306th airman and to be saved by it-and by far

the fastest.

NEW

3

>

11

USING ITS UNUSUALLY

LONG NECK, THE GERENUK LEANS AGAINST TREE

TRUNKS AND LUNCHES FROM OVERHANGING BRANCHES..

M

HANDSOME!

THE HORNS ARE FASHIONED IN THE SHAPE OF THE LETTERS" -IN REVERSE... ONLY THE MALES

CARRY HOANS »»»

THEY USUALLY TRAVEL IN

LARGE FAMILY PARTIES.

THE GERENUK, A REMARKABLE GAZELLE, IS A NATIVE OF SOMALI. LAND AND EAST AFRICA, HAUNT- ING AREAS OF DAY SCRUB,

FAR FROM WATER, WHICH IT

SEENS SELDOM TO NEED

DID YOU KNOW?

HOW MAN MEASURES HIS GOLD

Do you know that the little and weight, they were used in seeds of the locust tree give olden times to weigh gold dust. DS the weight we ULSO for There are 24 carats in an measuring gold and precious ounce. So, if a jeweller refers stones?

to a product as being 24 carats We now give the name carat fine, he means that it is pure to this weight. We get the word gold. If it is 18 carats, it is from the Arabic "quirot," mean- three-quarters gold and опе- ing little horn. Since these quarter some other metal mixed seeds were so uniform in size in.

is your name Natalie ?

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Four-Berth Caravan

This realistic model is equipped with detailed interior fittings ranging from a dining-table to a draining- board. It also has an opening door, spring suspension, glazed windows and rooflight.

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Length 31

Cr

NATALIE COMES FROM THE LATIN "NATAL, OR BIRTH DAY": ACTUALLY MEANS "CHRISTMAS CHILD' OR 'BORN ON CHRISTMAS DAY."

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KERY 12-11

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Tractor-Trailer McLean

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Length 111′′

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