How did the Natter pilot escape after attacking?

Short answer

By separating from the aircraft: after the attack the pilot descended to about 3,000 m (10,000 ft), leveled off, and released the nose along with a small braking parachute housed in the rear fuselage. The deceleration ejected him from his seat, and he then opened his personal parachute.

Published: November 4, 2026 · Updated: November 4, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How did the Natter pilot escape after attacking?

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A glider after the attack

After the attack, the Natter could descend to a lower altitude and level off into horizontal flight. Now turned into a glider, the pilot dived it to about 3,000 m (10,000 ft), leveled off, and released the aircraft's nose section along with a small braking parachute housed in the rear fuselage.

The bailout sequence

The pilot opened the cockpit canopy latch, allowing it to swing back on its hinge. By pressing a lever mounted on the control column, he released a catch at the base of the column itself. He then released the seat harness and fired a ring of explosive bolts to detach the entire nose section.

The rear fuselage parachute

As the nose section separated, it was meant to briefly pull on two cables that released a small ribbon parachute stowed on the starboard side of the rear fuselage. The parachute then opened and braked the Natter. That abrupt deceleration literally yanked the pilot out of his seat. He was thrown clear of the cockpit by his own momentum and, once free of the fuselage, opened his personal parachute.