BBC - A History of the World - Object : Airborne Lifeboat

Airborne Lifeboat

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Designed by Uffa Fox during World War II, this lifeboat was carried by a bomber.The World War 11 Mark 1 Airborne Lifeboat was the brain-child of the famous boat designer Uffa Fox. It was carried underneath a Hudson bomber and dropped by parachute to assist aircrew who had ended up in the sea after being shot down. Its construction of multiple wooden planking is immensely strong to withstand being dropped into the sea. The vessel was equipped with sail and motor power, food rations, survival suits, first aid kits, distress signals, radio transmitter and novel sea water activated safety equipment. Later and larger versions were designed to be dropped from a variety of aircraft including Lancaster bombers. Overall 500 were built and helped 600+ aircrew survive. Post-war, the lifeboat design had a strong influence on leisure boating including 'Britannia' (also in the Museum), in which John Fairfax was the first to row across the Atlantic single-handed, in 1969.

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