Test pilot George Aird, ejected from his English Electric Lightning F1 aircraft
" Thank God for those tomatoes" Test pilot George Aird, ejected from his English Electric Lightning F1 aircraft at a fantastically low altitude in Hatfield, Hertfordshire September 13, 1962 Jim Meads, September 13, 1962 Jim lived next door to a de Havilland test pilot Bob Sowray who had mentioned to Jim that he was planning to fly an English Electric Lightning F1. These planes are British fighter aircrafts that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, 70s and into the late 80s. They are the only UK designed and built fighter capable of reaching Mach 2 and at the time they were top secret. Jim had planned to go for a walk with his children that day and took his camera along so he could picture Bob landing the Lightning at the airfield. Later that day Jim had found a good spot in a field next to the runway and waited patiently for the plane to return to land. It turned out, however, that the pilot of the plane wasn't Bob and instead was another gentleman called Ge...