Date: September 1962

Photographer: British amateur photographer Jim Meads

Details: The story behind this iconic photograph begins with its creator, Jim Meads, a professional photographer living near Hatfield Airport and close to Bob Swaine, one of the pilots responsible for testing new aircraft. On the day the photo was taken, Bob informed Jim that he was scheduled to fly a British F1 Lightning jet for a test flight. Eager to capture the moment, Meads decided to bring his children along to witness the aircraft in action. He hoped to photograph the plane in flight and also capture a shot of his children with the airport in the background as the jet landed. Meads chose a spot he believed would be ideal for his goals and waited for the plane’s return.

The F1 Lightning jet began its flight, but Bob Swaine was not aboard. Instead, a skilled test pilot named George Eard took the controls. As the plane approached its final destination to land, a fire broke out in the engine, causing the pilot to lose control. The aircraft began to dive nose-first, leaving the pilot with no choice but to eject before it crashed. It was at this dramatic moment that Jim Meads captured the now-famous photograph.

Moments before the picture was taken, a tractor driver named Mike Souterby, seen in the photo, was performing his duties at the airport. He noticed the photographer and approached him, asking him to leave the area, as it was restricted. As they were speaking, the accident occurred, and Souterby turned to witness the event, his presence captured in the image. Fortunately, the pilot survived, though he sustained serious injuries from the ejection. He landed on the roof of a barn amidst tomato fields, unconscious from the impact and suffering a broken leg and thigh. He recovered quickly and continued his work in aircraft testing.

Due to the sensitive nature of the photograph and the secrecy surrounding the F1 Lightning jet at the time, it was first reviewed by the Ministry of Aviation before being cleared for publication. Meads sold the photograph to the Daily Mirror, and it quickly spread across newspapers worldwide. Given its dramatic nature, many initially suspected it was a fake, but the British Ministry of Defence confirmed its authenticity.