Page 130 - Demo

128As the Hurricane came to a halt, the main fuel pipe that ran through the cockpit fractured and caught fire. The open cockpit acted like a chimney and, in no time at all, there were flames filling the whole void. Those who know me will confirm that I never swear but, faced with the prospect of being burned alive, I made up for it in spades as I struggled out of my harness. Fortunately for me, Sydney Camm, the designer of the Hurricane, knew all about the problems of exiting burning aircraft, and had provided a large escape panel on the right hand side of the cockpit, which had fallen off on impact. I stepped through the hole onto the wing, which was already melting as the fire spread, and jumped onto the runway. My left leg gave way but, anxious to distance myself from the fire, I managed to struggle a few more steps before collapsing. I then noticed that the kneeboard of my flying suit had somehow slipped down to cover my ankle, so I removed it, only to discover that my left foot was at a very odd angle. Unable to move further, I had a front row view as LF363 was transformed into a smouldering skeleton, despite the speedy attention of the Airfield Fire Service. The medical team also arrived, and set about treating my injuries. The Doctor asked what my pain threshold was like and, when I replied that I hadn%u2019t a clue, he set about pulling my foot back into alignment and immobilizing it. Unfortunately I had also sustained burns to the back of both legs, and the metal mesh splint he used stuck to the back of my left thigh, which was the first time I felt any real pain %u2013 what a wonderful thing adrenalin is!I was duly carted off to Peterborough Hospital and, after what I saw as an unacceptable delay, was finally admitted to Accident and Emergency for treatment. However, my situation was put firmly into perspective, when I realized that the reason for the delay was a young man who had suffered the most appalling injuries inflicted by some piece of agricultural machinery. No matter how bad your day is, you can always guarantee that someone else%u2019s is far worse.Post ScriptI had an operation to fix two broken ankles which, due to my snack lunch of a Mars bar, was able to go ahead without delay. Later, while