Dad, Peter de Salis, flew WK163, WT207 and WT208 during the Double Scorpion rocket motor programme before at least some of the aircraft were due to head out to the Pacific for the UK hydrogen bomb tests.

On 9th April 1958, Dad was flying WT207 and descending from well over 60,000 feet when the rocket motor was lit to use up unburned fuel before landing. A valve apparently jammed, mixing the HTP and liquid oxygen fuels, with the resultant explosion destroying the aircraft.

Sir James Martin subsequently presented Mum with the recovered seat firing cartridges – she was weeks away from marrying Dad at the time of the high altitude escape – something we have always treasured as a symbol of all the research, personal risk, and engineering skill invested in developing the early ejection systems that allowed Dad and Pat Lowe to survive from a world record altitude that the aviation medics predicted was impossible to survive.

Dad died on the evening of January 13th 2005 after 48 years of flying and a happy retirement.

The team that saved and keep WK163 airborne have a special place for all of us.

On the 40th anniversary of Mike Randrup’s record flight in WK163 from Luton, Dad was honoured to be invited to attend the event, again at Luton. He was interviewed in the cockpit of WK163, and I would dearly love to find a copy of the video footage. In the light of subsequent events, a copy of this would be really appreciated if only I could find one!

Paul de Salis
[email]aviateam@yahoo.com[/email]